Answer: Pay off their credit card balance in full every month

Questions:

• Why is it a good idea to pay off your credit card bill in full every month?
• Why do you think that so many cardholders struggle to do this?
• How can you establish this habit of paying off your credit card in full every month? Be specific.

Here's the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (NerdWallet):

The oldest members of “Generation Z” have barely crossed the threshold into legal adulthood, but they’re already demonstrating financial prowess, according to an analysis released this week by the Experian credit reporting bureau. In fact, Experian reports that 18- to 20-year-olds are more likely to pay off their balances each month than younger millennials, those ages 21 to 27.

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Teachers love these two NGPF credit activities which make these concepts relevant to their students: FICO Score Simulation and Impact of Credit Score on Loans

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.