When you think of fiscal responsibility, what are the words that come to mind? Many people think of stocks, bonds, or saving, but few people consider Credit Cards to be responsible. The truth is, that most successful people do use credit cards, however, they are responsible with their usage.
When you are unable to pay off one of your credit cards, then the best policy is to contact the credit card company. Letting it just go to collections is bad for your credit score. You will find that most companies will let you pay it off in smaller amounts, as long as you don’t keep avoiding them.
You should try to have at least two open cards or possibly three open credit accounts. If you can pay your bill in full each month, this number of cards will help you to improve your credit score. But, if you have more than three cards, lenders may not view that favorably.
If you notice a fraudulent charge on your credit card, report it immediately. This way, they will be more likely to discover the culprit. This will also prevent you from becoming responsible for too many unauthorized charges. Credit card companies have an interest in making it easy to report fraud. Usually, it is as quick as a phone call or short email.
Decide what rewards you would like to receive for using your credit card. There are many options for rewards that are offered by credit card companies to entice you to applying for their card. Some offer miles that can be used to purchase airline tickets. Others give you an annual check. Choose a card that offers a reward that is right for you.
Make a realistic budget to hold yourself to. Just because you are allowed a certain limit on spending with your credit cards doesn’t mean that you need to actually spend that much every month. Know your monthly income, and only spend what you can pay off in full each month. This will help you to avoid owing interest payments.
When you are using your credit card at an ATM make sure that you swipe it and return it to a safe place as quickly as possible. There are many people that will look over your shoulder to try to see the information on the card and use it for fraudulent purposes.
Every time you decide to apply for a new credit card, your credit report is checked and an “inquiry” is made. This stays on your credit report for up to two years and too many inquiries, brings your credit score down. Therefore, before you start wildly applying for different cards, research the market first and choose a few select options.
Be aware that there are credit card scams out there as well. Many of those predatory companies prey on people that have less than stellar credit. Some fraudulent companies for example will offer credit cards for a fee. When you send in the money, they send you applications to fill out instead of a new credit card.
Keep track of what you are purchasing with your card, much like you would keep a checkbook register of the checks that you write. It is far too easy to spend spend spend, and not realize just how much you have racked up over a short period of time.
Shop around for different credit cards. Interest rates and other terms tend to vary greatly. There are also various types of cards, such as cards that are secured which require a deposit to cover charges that are made. Make sure you know what kind of card you are signing up for, and what you’re being offered.
Avoid signing up for credit cards that have an annual fee. Generally, cards with no annual fees are given to people who have better credit scores. High fees will negate any benefits a card offers. Do your calculations. Annual fees are generally hidden deep inside the fine print. Break out the reading glasses if you need to. See whether fees outweigh benefits of the card. As a general rule they won’t.
If you use your credit cards to pay for gas, do not run too close to your spending limit if you have a purchase coming up. Many gas stations will put a $75 hold on your credit card for a few days, eating up your available space, meaning you can not charge other things.
Never use a cash advance to cover the bill for a credit card. Some consumers looking for a month’s grace period to get their bills under control will take a cash advance off of a credit card and use it to pay the card’s bill. The problem comes the next month when an even bigger bill arrives in the mail, complete with additional interest charges and fees.
If you would like to use a credit card, you must understand the ins and outs. This is because the truth is that credit cards, while useful, can also be dangerous in the wrong hands. You need to be aware of the common traps that happen with credit usage, in order to avoid them.
