Sunday, September 1, 2013

Beneficial Credit Card Tips That Anyone Can Use

By Marian Scott


Wisely using a credit card can help you get free rewards, like a paid-for vacation, for example. People who fail to use credit cards intelligently end up with nothing but more bills. If you desire to be good at using your credit card, continue to read this article on how you can get good credit cards and ways on how you can use them wisely.

Make sure you can afford everything you buy with a credit card. It's fine to use credit cards to stretch out the payments for an item you can afford, but refrain from making a major purchase that you couldn't afford otherwise.

By keeping track of all your credit card purchases, this will help you from spending more money than you can actually afford. It is quite easy to lose track of what you are using your credit card for, so you should commit yourself to keeping track of all of these expenditures in either a small business accounting software or on a spreadsheet.

Do not get credit cards the minute that you are old enough to get them. Although people love to spend and have credit cards, you should truly understand how credit works before you decide to establish it. See how adult life is before you decide to get your very first credit card.

Always pay your bills well before the due date, as this is a big part of maintaining your high credit score. A payment that you make too late, will lower your credit score, while costing you a lot of money. You can save time and money by establishing automatic payments through your bank or credit card company.

It is commonly thought that high limits on credit cards should never exceed 3/4 of a consumer's monthly pay. If your balances exceed one month's pay, try to repay them as quickly as possible. That is simply due to the fact that you will end up paying an extremely large amount of interest.

Be sure to regularly monitor your credit card transactions. Sign up to receive mobile alerts if they are offered by your provider. This way, irregular activity can be questioned immediately. If you are aware of suspicious account activity, call the authorities immediately.

Be sure that you fully understand the terms of the credit card prior to signing up for it. Certain credit card companies have hidden fees and special requirements that must be met before benefits apply. Read each word in the fine print so that you completely understand their policy.

Carefully consider all the fees associated with a particular card. The interest rate and APR are important, but be mindful of all the fees that come with a card. Application fees, cash advance fees and service charges are sometimes involved that make having the credit card less worthwhile.

It can be tempting to break out your credit card for every purchase, especially if you earn rewards; however, if the purchase is very small, opt for cash instead. Lots of retailers have a minimum amount for credit usage, so you may end up purchasing extra to reach this. Save your credit card for purchases of $10 or more.

Anyone who is scared to use their credit card should feel better after reading this article. Credit cards can be a useful tool when used correctly, and should not be feared. Just keep the given advice in mind and you should be fine.




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