Amakhadi Okuthenga Ngesikweleti—Ingabe Ayokusiza Noma Ayokwenza Isigqila?

“INYANGA ngayinye lapho ngibheka izitatimende zami zamakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti kuba njengehlaya elidabukisayo,” kuphawula uthisha othile wesiNgisi wase-United States. “Ngigqolozela imali esele ngingakholelwa, njengokungathi ingxenye ethile yami, uMnu. Hyde othile ongokwezimali, uye wasaphaza imali ezitolo zamathoyizi, ezitolo zezinto ezisebenza ngogesi, ezitolo nasemagalaji kaphethiloli.”

UDolores naye ukuthola kulula ukunqwabelanisa izikweleti. Uthi: “Ukusebenzisa amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti akubangeli zinkathazo. Bengingeke ngiyisebenzise ngaleyo ndlela imali yangempela. Kodwa kuhlukile ukuthenga ngamakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti. Awuyiboni imali. Okwenzayo nje ukukhipha ikhadi lakho, bese libuyiselwa kuwe.”

Akumangalisi ukuthi izikweleti zamakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti e-United States ngo-June 1995 zaziyingqikithi engama-dollar ayizigidi ezingu-195 200 (amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-849 120)—isilinganiso esingaphezu kuka-$1000 (R4350) kumuntu ngamunye onekhadi! Nokho, izinkampani zamakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti ziyaqhubeka ziyenga amakhasimende amasha ngezikhuthazo ezinjengokuthi kunenzalo encane eyisiqalo futhi ayikho imali eyinhlawulo ekupheleni konyaka. Kukangaki unxenxwa ngamakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti kulezi zinyanga ezidlule? Umkhaya ovamile wase-United States unxenxwa izikhathi ezingaba ngu-24 unyaka ngamunye! Umuntu onekhadi ovamile e-United States wasebenzisa amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti ayishumi ngo-1994 ukuze athenge izinto ezingamaphesenti angu-25 ngaphezu kwalezo ayezithenge ngonyaka owandulele.

EJapane, amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti maningi kunezingcingo; umuntu ngamunye waseJapane oneminyaka engaphezu kwengu-20 ubudala unamakhadi okungenani amabili. Kulo lonke elase-Asia, kukhishwa amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-120, cishe elilodwa kulezo nalezo zakhamuzi ezingu-12. UJames Cassin, we-MasterCard International, uthi: “I-Asia iyizwe elihamba phambili ngokwanda ngokushesha kokusetshenziswa kwamakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti.” UMongameli we-Visa International, u-Edmund P. Jensen, uyabikezela: “Sizoba umphakathi wamakhadi isikhathi eside.”

Ngokusobala amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti azoqhubeka ekuthonya ngokujulile ukuphila kwabantu. Lapho esetshenziswa ngendlela efanele, angaba usizo. Nokho, lapho esetshenziswa kabi, angabangela ubuhlungu obukhulu. Ukuba nolwazi oluyisisekelo ngamakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti kungase kukusize ukuba ulusebenzise ngokunenzuzo lolu hlobo lwemali.

Izinhlobo Zamakhadi

Amakhadi asetshenziswa kabanzi amakhadi asebhange anjenge-Visa ne-MasterCard. Lamakhadi akhishwa izinhlangano zezimali futhi akhokhelwa minyaka yonke, imali engu-R65 kuya ku-R110. Ngezinye izikhathi lemali ayikhokhwa, kuye ngomlando wekhasimende wokukhokha izikweleti nokusebenzisa kwalo leli khadi. Imali ingakhokhwa yonke inyanga ngayinye, ngokuvamile ngaphandle kwenzalo, noma ikhokhwe nyanga zonke ngamancozuncozu ahlanganisa inzalo ephakeme. Kunesilinganiso esinqunyiwe semali ongayisebenzisa, esixhomeke emlandweni wokukhokha isikweleti komuntu ofake isicelo. Ngokuvamile lesi silinganiso siyandiswa lapho kubonakala ukuthi unamandla okukhokha.

Futhi ngamakhadi asebhange uyakwazi ukukhipha imali usebenzisa imishini yokukhipha imali noma amasheke akhishwa ibhange. Nokho, kuyabiza ukukhipha imali ngalendlela. Ngokuvamile umuntu ukhokhiswa imali ephakathi kuka-R2 no-R5 ngo-R100 ngamunye awubolekwayo. Futhi inzalo yaleyo mali ifakwa kusukela ngalelo langa imali ekhishwe ngalo.

Ngaphandle kwamabhange, izitolo eziningi nezitolo zezwe eziyinxanxathela zikhipha amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti asetshenziswa ezikhungweni zazo. Ngokuvamile awakhokhelwa ngonyaka amakhadi anjalo. Nokho, uma imali esele ingakhokhwa yonke, inzalo ingase ibe ngaphezu kweyamakhadi asebhange.

Izinkampani zikawoyela nazo zikhipha amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti angakhokhelwa ngonyaka. Ngokuvamile lamakhadi amukelwa emagalaji kaphethiloli alezi zinkampani kuphela futhi ngezinye izikhathi nasemahhotela athile. Njengamakhadi asezitolo, imali yawo ingakhokhwa yonke ngaphandle kwenzalo noma ikhokhwe ngamancozuncozu isinenzalo.

Kukhona namakhadi okungcebeleka nawokuzijabulisa, njenge-Diners Club ne-American Express. Lolu hlobo lwekhadi lukhokhelwa minyaka yonke kodwa alunanzalo, njengoba yonke imali ikhokhwa lapho kutholakala isitatimende sanyanga zonke. Nokho, mncane umehluko phakathi kwalamakhadi namakhadi asebhange. Ngokwesibonelo, nge-American Express uthola nekhadi okuthiwa i-Optima, elinenzalo futhi elifana nekhadi lasebhange.

Emakethe yase-United States kungena uhlobo oluhlukile lwekhadi okuthiwa i-smart card, elibizwa kanjalo ngenxa yenkinojana (chip) yenkumbulo efakwe kulo. Lingasetshenziswa njengekhadi lokukhipha imali, njengoba umninilo engenza ukuba lenkinojana ihlelelwe ukukhipha isamba esithile semali enqunyiwe. Inani lezinto ezithengiwe lingadonswa umthengisi okuthengwe kuye. Ngonyaka odlule abantu baseFrance kakade base besebenzisa ama-smart card ayizigidi ezingu-23 kanti abaseJapane babesebenzisa ayizigidi ezingu-11. Kuye kwabikezelwa ukuthi inani lalamakhadi emhlabeni wonke liyokwenyuka libe ngaphezu kwezigidi eziyinkulungwane ngonyaka ka-2000.

Ngaphambi kokuthola ikhadi, kungaba ukuhlakanipha ukuba umuntu ahlolisise imibandela yokukhokha isikweleti. Ngokwencwajana enyatheliswa i-Federal Reserve System kaHulumeni wase-United States, “imibandela yokukhokha isikweleti eyisihluthulelo okudingeka icatshangelwe isilinganiso senzalo ngonyaka (APR [annual percentage rate]), imali ekhokhwa ngonyaka, nenkathi yokukhokha ngaphandle kwenhlawulo.” Ezinye izici okudingeka zicatshangelwe imali ekhishwa emshinini nemali ekhokhwa uma weqile esilinganisweni esinqunyiwe kanye nemali eyinhlawulo yokwephuza ukukhokha.

Inzalo—Inkulu Kangakanani?

Inzalo abantu abayikhokhayo uma bengayikhokhi yonke imali esele ngenyanga ingaba nkulu ngaphezu kwalokho abaningi abakucabangayo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga nge-APR, eyisilinganiso semali yangempela yesikweleti. Ukuhlobana kwenzalo yonyaka ne-APR kungafanekiswa ngalendlela. Ake sithi uboleka umngane wakho u-R100 abese ekukhokhela u-R108 ekupheleni konyaka. Esimweni esinjalo, umngane wakho ukukhokhela inzalo yonyaka engamaphesenti angu-8. Kodwa ake sithi ukhokha leyo mali engu-R100 omboleke yona ngamancozuncozu ka-R9 inyanga ngayinye izinyanga ezingu-12. Ingqikithi ekupheleni konyaka isengu-R108, kodwa wena, obolekisile, uye wayisebenzisa lemali njengoba ibikhokhwa ekupheleni kwenyanga ngayinye. I-APR yemali enjalo ebolekiwe iba amaphesenti angu-14,5!

Ngokokuhlola okwenziwa i-Federal Reserve System yase-United States ngonyaka odlule, ama-APR emakhadini okuthenga ngesikweleti asebhange aqala kumaphesenti angu-9,94 anyuke abe amaphesenti angu-19,80, ngokuvamile aba phakathi kwamaphesenti angu-17 nangu-19. Nakuba ezinye izinkampani zikhokhisa inzalo eyisiqalo ephansi, ngokuvamile engamaphesenti angu-5,9, zingayandisa ngokushesha lapho seyidlulile inkathi eyisiqalo. Inzalo iyenyuka futhi lapho leyo nhlangano yesaba ukwanda kwezingozi. Ezinye izinhlangano zijezisa abakhokha sekwephuzile ngokwandisa inzalo yazo. Kuba khona isijeziso futhi uma weqile esilinganisweni semali ongayisebenzisa.

Emazweni ase-Asia, isilinganiso senzalo yamakhadi ngonyaka singaba sikhulu kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngamanye amakhadi asebhange kukhokhwa amaphesenti angu-24 eHong Kong, amaphesenti angu-36 e-Indonesia, amaphesenti angu-30 eNdiya, amaphesenti angu-45 ePhilippines, amaphesenti angu-24 eSingapore, namaphesenti angu-20 eTaiwan.

Ngokusobala, amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti angabangela isikweleti kalula kodwa esimba eqolo. Ukungena esitolo bese uthenga izinto ngekhadi lokuthenga ngesikweleti oyozikhokhela ngamancozuncozu kunjengokungena ebhange bese uboleka imali enesizumbulu senzalo. Nokho, cishe abathathu kwabane abanamakhadi e-United States benza lokho kanye! Kudingeka bakhokhe imali enenzalo enkulu. E-United States, isilinganiso semali ekweletwa nyanga zonke kokubili kuyi-Visa ne-MasterCard ngonyaka odlule sasingu-$1825 (R7940), futhi abantu abaningi banezikweleti zaleyo mali emakhadini okuthenga ngezikweleti amaningi.

Ugibe Olungakwenza Isigqila

URuth Susswein, umqondisi ophethe we-Bank Cardholders of America, uthi abanikazi bamakhadi abaziqapheli izinkinga ezingokwezimali abangangena kuzo. Uthi umuntu onekhadi okhokha isilinganiso esivamile—esingu-$36 (R157) ngenyanga—ngesikweleti sekhadi lokuthenga ngesikweleti esingu-$1825 (R7940) uyothatha iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-22 ukuba aqede ukukhokha leso sikweleti.a Ngenxa yenzalo enezelwayo, ngaleso sikhathi umnikazi wekhadi uyokhokha imali engaba ngu-$10 000 (R43 500) ngesikweleti esingu-$1825 (R7940)! Futhi lokhu kuyoba njalo kuphela uma engazange athenge enye into ngalelo khadi! Ngakho, uma uthambekele ekusaphazeni imali, amakhadi akho okuthenga ngesikweleti angaba ugibe.

Abantu bangena kanjani kulolu gibe? URobert, okukhulunywe ngaye esihlokweni sokuqala, uthi: “Sathenga izinto esasingazidingi. Sajoyina isikhungo sokuzivivinya umzimba esingazange siye kuso. Sathenga umahamba-nendlwana, futhi sachitha izinkulungwane zama-dollar siwulungisa ngaphandle kokucabangela ukuthi kwakufanele yini. Asizange siyicabangele neze imiphumela yezikweleti zethu.”

UReena, naye okukhulunywe ngaye esihlokweni esandulelayo, uchaza okwenzeka kuye nakumyeni wakhe, uMichael: “Sazithola sesisesikweletini. Ngemva komshado sathenga zonke izinto esasizidinga sisebenzisa amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti. Ukuze sikhokhele umshwalense wempilo futhi sithenge izinto esasingenakuzithenga ngamakhadi, sasebenzisa imali esemakhadini ethu okuthenga ngesikweleti. Phakathi nonyaka isikweleti sethu safinyelela ku-$14 000 [R60 900]. Kwasivula amehlo ukuqaphela ukuthi ingxenye enkulu yemali esasiyikhokhela amakhadi ethu okuthenga ngesikweleti nyanga zonke yayikhokhela inzalo kuphela.”

Ingabe Kufanele Ube Nawo Amakhadi?

Ngemva kokucabangela ubishi olungokwezimali amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti aye afaka izigidi zabantu kulo, abanye bangase baphendule ngokuthi cha. UDaphne, oneminyaka engu-32 ubudala, uthi: “Abazali bami babengenalo ikhadi lokuthenga ngesikweleti, futhi abalifuni.” Eqinisweni, umuntu oyedwa kwabane e-United States onamakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti uwasebenzisa ngokuhlakanipha. Uthola izinzuzo ngaphandle kokuzwa ubuhlungu bokukhokha inzalo ephakeme kakhulu. UMaria ungomunye wabanjalo. Uthi: “Ngithanda indlela elisebenziseka kalula ngayo. Akudingekile ukuba ngiphathe isizumbulu semali. Uma ngibona okuthile engikudingayo kusendalini, ngiyakwazi ukukuthenga.”

UMaria uyaqhubeka: “Ngaso sonke isikhathi ngiyaqikelela ukuthi nginemali eyanele yokuthenga. Akukaze kudingeke ngikhiphe imali ngalo. Futhi angikaze ngikhokhe imali eyengeziwe.” Kuyasiza ukusebenzisa ikhadi lokuthenga ngesikweleti lapho ufuna indawo yokulala ehhotela enesiqinisekiso, futhi kumelwe ube nalo ikhadi lokuthenga ngesikweleti lapho uqasha imoto e-United States.

Nokho, abanye abantu banamawala lapho kuziwa endabeni yokuthenga. Bangase bakwazi ukucophelela lapho bethenga ngokusebenzisa ngokuyinhloko imali. UMichael noReena babengafuni ukuhlala besesikweletini. Ngakho banquma ukungawasebenzisi amakhadi iminyaka emihlanu—ngaphandle kwalapho kuyisimo esiphuthumayo.

Ukuthi ukhetha ukusebenzisa amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti noma cha, kuyisinqumo somuntu siqu. Kodwa uma unquma ukuwasebenzisa, wasebenzise ngokucophelela. Wasebenzise njengamathuluzi awusizo. Futhi zama ngazo zonke izindlela ukugwema ukunqwabelanisa izikweleti. Ukulawula indlela osebenzisa ngayo ikhadi lokuthenga ngesikweleti kuyisinyathelo esibalulekile sokusebenzisa imali yakho ngokuphumelelayo. Cabangela okwengeziwe ongakwenza.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Ukusebenzisa amakhadi okuthenga ngesikweleti akubangeli zinkathazo—kuze kube yilapho kufika isikweleti