Credit Card & I

When I was *ehem* younger, my salary was little, but my ‘needs’ were huge and my mind was narrow. I ended up applied for a credit. Use RM1000 and pay only RM50 per month. Canteeekkkk….!

First I thought about the convenient. No need to walk to the cashier when filling-up petrol. Then I thought I can use it while on emergency situation. Soon I found myself always in ‘emergency’ situations. Car services, clubbing, holidays, shopping, etc.

Swipe! Swipe! Swipe!

The card finally reached the limit but I only paid for minimum payment. I got stuck there! Did I learn? Nope! I applied for another one coz at that time I badly ‘needed’ a new gadget for myself. Getting another card was the only way I could think of at the time. Considered emergency jugak kan?

Hoh? Ekau ambik satu kad laie? Gilo ko?

After few years, both cards reached the limits and I could only afford the minimum payments.

Then, I found a way to get rid of one card. I took a loan offered by the credit card company. Paid the 1st card and made re-payment using the 2nd card (the bank so baik hati to increase the credit limit of the 2nd card). Though the first card gone, the payment I made for another card has increased – in total lebih kurang macam pakai dua cards but this time, I know in 3 years, the loan will be settled. If I continued with the 1st card and at the same time have to use it (coz tak cukup cash every month), tak tau bila boleh habis bayar.

For many years I have to depend on credit card. When it reaching the limit, the bank offered me some more cash (loans) to settle the debt with lower interest and make re-payment through credit card. I gave in. Not once, but many times – became bad habit already. This year I calculated the total re-payment for all these loans (yang konon-kononnya nak kurangkan hutang credit card) I got so scared and frustrated. The bank didn’t lie to me. Those loans were certainly helped me with my credit card balance but I still have long way to go. The last re-payment will be at the end of year 2011! Itu pun kalau aku tak ambik apa-apa loan lagi, and my credit card balance will be still mountains!

I felt trapped! Frustrated! Very-very sad every time I bank-in the money. I only have myself to blame.

Makcik sodeh. Hutang makcik menimbun.

Mula la aku berangan, that one fine day, somebody so baik hati will offer me a interest-free loan so I can use it to pay my credit card with all loans that attached to it. Berangan punya berangan, I guess it has become my everyday doa.

Last month, my doa came true!

Only this time, it was not offered to me, but I proposed for it when I saw an opportunity. Well, not all dreams can come true kan?

At first someone gave me some cash coz of terlebih rezeki - rezeki dia la. Wah! Banyak duit ye sekarang? Then I thought, maybe I can ask (tak malu kan?) for interest-free loan with affordable re-payment scheme and top-up with the cash he already gave me and I can clear my credit card.

Only God knows betapa tebalnya muka aku waktu tu. Berhari-hari aku susun ayat. Terbayang akan sessi soal jawab. But the only question was; “Berapa banyak nko nak guna?” hehehe….

I called the bank. The officer tried to discourage me by saying something about early settlement penalties and all that. She told me to just clear my credit card balance and make payment on loans as usual. I made my own calculation and decided it is best that I make early settlement for all.

After little confusion it finally settled! Yeepiiiiiii!!!!!

Makcik sukerrrrr...!!

Now, I wanna make this clear to myself & my dear family. I still will use my credit card. But I will only use to the amount of which I know I can pay in full when it’s due. In fact, I already know how much I can afford to pay monthly. I know ‘cakap je boleh la’, but after suffering (chewah!) all these years, I finally learnt my lesson.

Discipline! Discipline! Discipline!

Starting next month, I will re-pay the so-baik-hati-tak-banyak-tanya-the-interest-free-loan provider HALF of what I’ve been paying for credit card, standby limited RM for FULL SETTLEMENT on credit card expenses and SAVE THE BALANCE untuk hari tua.

Good luck to me.