Just how realistic are the interest rates on credit card charges? An informed user can use a credit card to their advantage. The card allows you to make cashless transactions and gives you a free credit of up to 50 days. Nevertheless, in the hands of a person unfamiliar with the charges levied on it, the same piece of plastic could result in big debt problems owing to credit card interest rates.
In 2022, will credit card interest rates be below average?
Credit card fees average 16.13%, and by the end of 2022, we can expect them to reach or surpass 17%. Taking care of credit card debt is always a good idea to prevent escalating credit card interest rates. A balance transfer credit card with 0% interest is especially attractive at the moment.
Experts at Business Insider* predict that interest rates will rise twice in the first half of the year.
However, they expect inflation to moderate significantly by then, which will ease some of the pressure. The trend could change course due to an unexpected crisis. There’s always something that surprises us.
A variant of COVID-19 such as Omicron is one possibility. However, it could be due to a geopolitical crisis, a crash in the stock market, turmoil in another area of finance, asset prices-or something else altogether.
RBI’s stance on interest rates hikes
The RBI plans on raising interest rates in the year ahead, and the reason for the hike is now well known. The question really pertains to how much they intend on raising it. Only the RBI can judge this. In our view, let’s examine the likely approach the RBI will take regarding interest rate hikes. There are three distinct approaches taken to build an interest rate policy:
(1) accommodative, meaning the central bank prefers lower interest rates to promote economic growth;
(2) hawkish, meaning there is a preference for higher interest rates as it could slow growth and control inflation; and
(3) the middle ground, or neutral.
Growth needs government support.
Regardless of the stance of the RBI, the approach to the growth of the economy will remain positive. The economy is recovering from a low base, even though it is getting back on track. Known as year-on-year growth, the low base measures GDP growth compared with the same period last year. However, the RBI realizes that growth has yet to gain real traction and still needs the support of low-interest rates.
What does this mean for us? Inevitably, interest rates will rise since we cannot keep them at ultra-low levels forever. The real interest rate is negative for bank depositors. Despite this, the rate hike cycles won’t be too steep or prolonged since low-interest rates are still necessary to support the economy. What you can do is manage your credit card statement reports effectively.
People take out more loans when interest rates are lower, which means more economic activity and growth. Thus, interest rates will be corrected upward from super-low levels to reasonable levels but will still be favourable for people seeking loans – for business, consumption, etc. We should ask what supports, not what is high.
What’s been suggested?
You can pay off the credit card debt at the perfect time. How can this be achieved? The bottom line is that cardholders will have to pay more to manage their credit card debt. The first half of the year is the best time to pay off credit card debt. It is important to get paid off as soon as possible to minimize debt.
Try looking at 0% or low-rate balance transfer offers if you carry card debt. Cardholders can protect themselves from high credit card interest rates next year by using a card with an introductory period of 12 to 18 months at 0%. You also have the advantage of paying your debt down without being charged interest on the payments you make.
