Anyone can build credit, while managing their finances, with a credit card. Staying educated on each card is vitally important for consumers who choose to use credit cards for these purposes. Below, you will find some great tips on using credit cards and using them wisely.
Obtain a copy of your credit score, before you begin applying for a credit card. Credit card companies will determine your interest rate and conditions of credit by using your credit history, among other factors. Checking your credit score before you apply, will allow you to make sure you are getting the best rate possible.
It’s good credit practice to consistently maintain two or three open credit cards. This will help build your credit score, especially if you are able to pay the cards in full every month. Having tons and tons of credit cards, however, will not look very good to lenders.
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.
Be aware of the interest rate that you are being charged. It is essential that you find out before you ever sign up for the card. Without a clear understanding of the interest charges, your bills could rise unexpectedly. A higher interest rate will make it more difficult to pay off your debt.
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.
If you need to use credit cards, it is best to use one credit card with a larger balance, than 2, or 3 with lower balances. The more credit cards you own, the lower your credit score will be. Use one card, and pay the payments on time to keep your credit score healthy!
Credit Cards
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.
As a general rule, you should avoid applying for any credit cards that come with any type of free offer. More often than not, anything that you get free with credit card applications will always come with some sort of catch or hidden costs that you are sure to regret later on down the road.
Remember that you must pay back what you have charged on your credit cards. This is only a loan, and in many cases, it is a high interest loan. Carefully consider your purchases prior to charging them, to be sure that you will have the money to pay them off.
Transferring a credit card balance from a high interest credit card to a card where the rate is less, can save you money every month. Credit card companies offer special introductory rates to attract new business to their credit cards. If you take advantage of one of these offers, make sure that you understand the amount of time that the introductory rate offer lasts.
If you use more than one credit card, try singling one out and paying it off monthly. Even if there is a great deal of debt related to your other cards, your credit history will benefit from having one active card that is paid in full each month.
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.
Look out for cash back credit cards. These types of credit cards give you cash back on every purchase that you make with the credit card. Cash back rates can range from 1% to 5%, so over the course of a year, you could actually earn a lot of cash back.
As you have seen, credit cards can be a great help in building or re-building a person’s credit, as well as a tool to help one learn to make wise choices with their money. It is important to know how cards work, so consumers can make wise decisions. Understanding the fundamentals of credit cards is important for consumers who wish to make educated decisions.
