It’s important to use credit cards properly, so that you stay out of financial trouble, and boost your credit scores. If you don’t do these things, you’re risking a poor credit score, and the inability to rent an apartment, buy a house or get a new car. Read on for some tips about how to use credit cards.
Watch for new cards that offer a signing-up bonus if you are looking to add a credit card to you wallet. Read the terms carefully, however; you may have to meet extremely specific criteria in order to get the signing bonus. One of the typical conditions placed on a credit card bonus is a requirement that you use the card to make a fixed amount of purchases within a given time frame. A bonus offer that you do not want to claim is not a very tempting one!
In order to maintain a high credit card, ensure you are paying off your card payment on the day that it’s due. A payment that you make too late, will lower your credit score, while costing you a lot of money. If you set your accounts on an auto pay schedule, you will save time, and possibly money, when you pay your bill.
Take the time to play around with numbers. Before you go out and put a pair of fifty dollar shoes on your credit card, sit with a calculator and figure out the interest costs. It may make you second-think the idea of buying those shoes that you think you need.
In order to keep a good credit rating, be sure to pay your bills on time. Avoid interest charges by picking a card that has a grace period. Then you can pay the entire balance that is due each month. If you cannot pay the full amount, pick a card that has the lowest interest rate available.
If you are not satisfied with the high interest rate on your credit card, but aren’t interested in transferring the balance somewhere else, try negotiating with the issuing bank. You can sometimes get a lower interest rate if you tell the issuing bank that you are considering transferring your balances to a different credit card that offers low-interest transfers. They may lower your rate in order to keep your business!
Be sure to get assistance, if you’re in over your head with your credit cards. Try contacting Consumer Credit Counseling Service. This nonprofit organization offers many low, or no cost services, to those who need a repayment plan in place to take care of their debt, and improve their overall credit.
Anytime you apply for a credit card, you should always familiarize yourself with the terms of service that comes along with it. This will allow you to know what you can and cannot use your card for, as well as, any fees that you might possibly incur in different situations.
Credit card use is important. It isn’t hard to learn the basics of using credit cards properly, and reading this article goes a long way towards doing that. Congratulations, on having taken the first step towards getting your credit card use under control. Now you just need to start practicing the advice you just read.