Credit cards offer many benefits to the user, provided they practice smart spending habits! Too often, consumers find themselves in financial trouble after inappropriate credit card use. If only we had that great advice before they were issued to us! The following article will offer you that advice, and more.
Be sure to limit the number of credit cards you hold. Having too many credit cards with balances can do a lot of harm to your credit. Many people think they would only be given the amount of credit that is based on their earnings, but this is not true.
Don’t fall for the introductory rates on credit cards when opening a new one. Be sure to ask the creditor what the rate will go up to after, the introductory rate expires. Sometimes, the APR can go up to 20-30% on some cards, an interest rate you definitely don’t want to be paying once your introductory rate goes away.
To help you get the maximum value from your credit card, choose a card which provides rewards based on the amount of money you spend. Many credit card rewards programs will give you up to two percent of your spending back as rewards which can make your purchases much more economical.
Take advantage of the fact that you can get a free credit report yearly from three separate agencies. Make sure to get all three of them, so that you can be sure there is nothing going on with your credit cards that you may have missed. There may be something reflected on one that was not on the others.
Keep the company that your card is through in the loop if you anticipate difficulty in paying off your purchases. If you are at risk of being unable to make payments in a timely manner, the credit card issuer will usually try to arrange a payment plan that you can stick to. This will also help prevent negative reporting to credit bureaus.
Instead of just blindly applying for cards, hoping for approval, and letting credit card companies decide your terms for you, know what you are in for. One way to effectively do this is, to get a free copy of your credit report. This will help you know a ballpark idea of what cards you might be approved for, and what your terms might look like.
Whenever you are considering a new credit card, you should always avoid applying for credit cards that have high interest rates. While interest rates compounded annually may not seem all that much, it is important to note that this interest can add up, and add up fast. Make sure you get a card with reasonable interest rates.
It should be obvious, but many people fail to follow the simple tip of paying your credit card bill on time each month. Late payments can reflect poorly on your credit report, you may also be charged hefty penalty fees, if you don’t pay your bill on time.
You should ask the people at your bank if you can have an extra checkbook register, so that you can keep track of all of the purchases that you make with your credit card. Many people lose track and they assume their monthly statements are right and there is a huge chance that there may have been errors.
Keep a running track of how much you are spending each month on your credit card. Remember that last-minute or impulse buying can lead to surprisingly high balances. If you aren’t tracking your credit card balance, you may be surprised when you get your statement at the months end.
Do not tell other people of the number of your credit card. Often times, people ask this information through the internet or through the phone. Do not do this if you do not know the company you’re dealing with. Be extra careful if you receive an unsolicited offer for which credit card information is requested. There’s a lot of scams where people try and get your card number. Therefore, it is important to protect yourself and remain diligent.
Keep multiple credit card accounts open. Having multiple credit cards will keep your credit score healthy, as long as you pay on them consistently. The key to keeping a healthy credit score with multiple credit cards is to use them responsibly. If you do not, you could end up hurting your credit score.
When it comes to credit cards, be sure that you are weary of any sort of free offers. This is important, because a lot of times, the freebies that you are offered can be thought of as traps that may lure you in and end up costing you a lot of money in the future.
As stated earlier, it’s just so easy to get into financial hot water when you do not use your credit cards wisely or if you have too many of them at your disposal. Hopefully, you have found this article very useful in your search for consumer credit card information and helpful tips!
