A loan of money given to a borrower Specific amount to repay Specific time to repay Generally has a cost to it

Installment Credit – fixed monthly payments over a specific time period. (ie: car loan; personal loan at a bank) Service Credit – credit for services you use then pay for the service after you use it (ie: electricity, water, cable TV) Revolving Credit – credit cards that you charge, pay- on, charge again, pay-on again, charge again, pay-on again, etc. etc. etc. Charge Credit – credit you pay in full each month; usually to local businesses you have business dealings with. (ie: building contractors; corner grocery stores)

Credit Risk The risk that a borrower may not repay a loan on time

From your credit history, does it look like you possess the honesty and reliability to pay credit debts Have you used credit before? Do you pay our bills on time? Do you have a good credit report? Can you provide character reference? How long have you lived at your present address? How long have you been at your present job? Past performance dictates future results

Have you been working regularly in an occupation that is likely to provide enough income to support your credit use? Do you have a steady job? What is your salary? How many other loan payments do you have? What are your current living expenses? What are your current debts? How many dependents do you have?

Do you have any valuable assets? Could these assets be used to repay credit debts if income is unavailable? What property do you own that can secure the loan? Do you have a savings account? Do you have investments to use as collateral?

The cost of using the loan or the credit card money Usually expressed as a percentage over a period of time What are typical credit card interest rates?

Abbreviation for Annual Percentage Rate The APR is basically the cost of credit, or how much you must pay to get a loan, on a yearly basis The APR is expressed as a percentage It reflects the interest rate as well as other fees and charges APRs vary widely from one type of credit to another

The maximum amount of money the person borrowing the money is allowed to use

A plastic card with an assigned account number Allows the holder to purchase goods or services on credit or receive cash on credit

Fashion designer Anna Cohen of Portland, Oregon needs to keep her start-up company -- and her dream of ecologically friendly fashion -- afloat financially

a) You are taking money from your savings account to pay for the item. b) You are getting the item and freeing yourself from full repayment. c) You are taking a temporary loan from a bank, which must ultimately be repaid. d) You are investing in a financial organization, from which you may get profits. c

A) A penalty for making late credit card payments. B) A charge for borrowing money, generally calculated as a percentage of the amount borrowed. C) A reward for making credit card payments on time. D) A written agreement describing the terms of use for a credit card. B

a) Buying things you cannot afford. b) Carrying a large balance for a long period of time. c) Losing track of purchases and payments. d) All of the above. d

A) They are convenient, they free you from carrying around large amounts of cash, and using them wisely can help you establish a strong financial track record. B) They can be used to purchase items you cannot afford, give you extra spending money, and enable you to borrow money you don't have to repay. C) They weigh less than cash, are a status symbol, and give you five years to repay any purchases you make with them. D) They are tied into your checking account, can be used for necessities, and if you lose them, you don't have to pay back any money you owe on them. A

a) A form the bank asks you to complete when you open a savings account. a) The record of purchases and payments to a credit card during a one-month period. b) A statement sent to you each year by the Internal Revenue Service. c) A profile or report of a person's debt and repayment habits, which is built up over the course of several years. d

a) A good credit rating enables you to buy things online. b) A good credit rating can earn you college scholarships and tuition waivers. c) A good credit rating can impact your ability to secure future loans, obtain housing, or get a job. d) A good credit rating will give you more money for your retirement income. c

A typical APR is about 18.9%. If you charge $100 on a card with that APR, over the course of one year, you would be charged an additional $18.90 of interest. Your total debt would be $

This means it can cost more or less to use each card. It's usually better to have a low APR, but here are some things to keep in mind: A "fixed" APR means that the rate shouldn't change. Many cards have a "variable" APR, which changes over time. Be careful of cards that offer a very low, or even 0%, introductory APR. Introductory APRs usually only last for a short period of time, so pay attention to what the APR will become after that time is up. Some cards offer other rewards, or "points," that can be used for airline miles, gift certificates, or "cash back." These rewards can be tempting, but make sure to evaluate all the aspects of the card, especially the APR.

Bank of Americas card offers

Especially the Disclosure Box

a) 15% fixed APR b) 2% introductory APR, which goes up to 23% after 6 months c) 10% APR, which goes up 1% every month for 10 months d) 19% fixed APR, with 1 airline mile earned for every dollar you spend a

The "balance" on your monthly credit card statement is the total amount you owe to the bank. The only way to avoid interest piling up is to pay off the ENTIRE balance each month, and not to carry any debt over to the next month. In other words, if you borrow $1000, and pay back $999 by the end of the month, you will still be charged interest the next month!

A) $10.00 B) $ C) $0.00 D) $ c

When you first charge something to a credit card, you often have a period of time before the bank starts charging you interest. This is called the grace period, and it usually ranges from 10 to 55 days, depending on the credit card. Which of the following is the best strategy for paying your credit card bill?

a) Pay off your entire balance the day after the grace period ends. b) Pay half of your balance during the grace period and half after. c) Pay your entire balance during the grace period. d) Don't charge anything during the grace period. c

On the statement each month, there is a "minimum payment" that must be paid, which is usually just a small percentage of the total balance. If you don't pay at least the minimum payment by the due date, the bank will charge a "late fee." Keep in mind that paying just the minimum payment each month will generally not make much of a dent in your total balance owed. You can avoid late fees by paying the minimum payment, but you will still accumulate interest on all of your unpaid debt.

a) Pay exactly the minimum payment. b) Pay at least the minimum payment and more whenever possible. c) Pay less than the minimum payment whenever possible. d) Never pay the minimum payment. b

When you are issued a credit card, there is a "credit limit" attached to it. This is the maximum amount of money you can charge to the card (the maximum amount you can borrow from the bank). Credit cards with small limits are often safer, because your amount of potential debt is limited.

a) $100 b) $1,000 c) $10,000 d) $50,000 b

Why do banks lend out so much money? So... are credit cards a bad thing?