CNN/Money 
Your Money > Credit & Debt
graphic

Let's pay it down today
Between credit-cards, massive mortgages and outsize car loans, debt is an all-American problem.
February 20, 2004: 3:19 PM EST
By Jean Chatzky, MONEY Magazine

NEW YORK (MONEY Magazine) - Credit-card debt in the U.S. -- now averaging $8,000 per household -- is at an all-time high.

And credit-card debt is just the tip of the iceberg. A decade-long refi boom coupled with looser down-payment requirements means that we hold less equity in our homes than at any time in history -- just 56 percent on average -- and less equity in our cars as well.

More about credit and debt
graphic
'Click here to be debt-free'
Credit cards: 8 dirty secrets
Money 101: Controlling debt

All this is happening as our average savings rate has slowed dramatically.

Over the next year, we're going to try to help you take control. We'll help you understand and improve your credit score, structure a safety net and stay out of debt. You may have to give up some conveniences, but I guarantee that you can make progress.

Continued for AOL members and MONEY magazine subscribers. Click here to read the rest of the story.  Top of page




  More on CREDIT & DEBT
Stay away from the mall, say Hallelujah!
Dissolve holiday debt
Paying by plastic gets faster
  TODAY'S TOP STORIES
7 things to know before the bell
SoftBank and Toyota want driverless cars to change the world
Aston Martin falls 5% in its London IPO




graphic graphic

Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.

Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.