Are there any good reasons to use credit cards? If you are one of the people who believes you should never own a credit card, then you are missing out on a useful financial tool. This article will give you tips on the best way to use credit cards.
Do not use your credit card to make purchases or everyday items like milk, eggs, gas and chewing gum. Doing this can quickly become a habit and you can end up racking your debts up quite quickly. The best thing to do is to use your debit card and save the credit card for larger purchases.
When it comes to credit cards, always try to spend no more than you can pay off at the end of each billing cycle. By doing this, you can help to avoid high interest rates, late fees and other such financial pitfalls. This is also a great way to keep your credit score high.
Be sure that you only use your credit card on a secure server, when making purchases online to keep your credit safe. When you input your credit card information on servers that are not secure, you are allowing any hacker to access your information. To be safe, be sure that the website starts with the "https" in its url.
Emergency, business or travel purposes, is all that a credit card should really be used for. You want to keep credit open for the times when you need it most, not when purchasing luxury items. You never know when an emergency will crop up, so it is best that you are prepared.
Don't pay any fees upfront when you are getting a credit card. The legitimate card issuers will not ask for any money up front, unless you're getting a secured credit card. When you are applying for a secured card, be sure to find out how the deposit is going to be used.
Make the minimum monthly payment in the very least on all of your credit cards. Not making the minimum payment on time can cost you a great deal of money over time. It can also cause harm to your credit rating. To protect both your expenses, and your credit rating be sure to make minimum payments on time each month.
A co-signer may be an option to consider if you have no established credit. Anyone with established credit can be a co-signer. They must be willing to sign stating they will pay the balance due on the card if you do not pay it. This works great for getting a first credit card that you can use for building credit.
Always pay your credit card on time. All card balances have due dates. If you ignore them, you have the risk of getting charged large fees. Furthermore, it is common for card issuers to increase interest rates, which means that every expenditure will be more expensive going forward.
Only take cash advances from your credit card when you absolutely have to. The finance charges for cash advances are very high, and very difficult to pay off. Only use them for situations in which you have no other option. But you must truly feel that you will be able to make considerable payments on your credit card, soon after.
Retain a sales receipt when making online purchases with your card. Keep the receipt until your bill comes in and verify all charges. If they did not, contact the company and file a dispute immediately. This smart technique will serve you well and ensure that you never get overcharged for your purchases.
It is wise to refrain from giving a credit card to a child. It is best to let children wait to get credit cards until they reach the age of 18, or when they can get their own. Instead, consider opening them a checking account and giving them an allowance. This will help them learn to manage a small amount of money so that they will be ready to manage a credit card when the time comes.
It is a good idea to avoid walking around with any credit cards on you that already have a balance. If the card balance is zero or very close to it, then that is a better idea. Walking around with a card with a large balance will only tempt you to use it and make things worse.
You should try and limit the number of credit cards that are in your name. Too many credit cards is not good for your credit score. Having several different cards can also make it more difficult to keep track of your finances from month to month. Try and keep your credit card count between two and four.
Do not use your credit cards to pay for gas, clothes or groceries. You will find that some gas stations will charge more for the gas, if you choose to pay with a credit card. It's also not a good idea to use cards for these items because these items are things you need often. Using your cards to pay for them can get you into a bad habit.
Do not make a payment on your card the moment after you use it. Instead, wait until the card statement comes; then pay off the whole balance. Your credit card payment history will look better and it will raise your credit score.
Do your research on the best rewards cards. Whether you are interested in cash back, gifts, or airline miles, there is a rewards card that can really benefit you. There are many out there, but there is a lot of information available online to help you find the right one. Be careful to not carry a balance on these rewards cards, as the interest you are paying can negate the positive rewards effect!
You should feel a bit more confident about using credit cards now that you have finished this article. If you are still unsure, then reread it, and continue to search for other information about responsible credit from other sources. After teaching yourself these things, credit can become a trusted friend.
Orignal From: Tips For Successful Credit Card Ownership
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