There are a lot of great things about having a credit card. A credit card can help you to make purchase, reserve rental cars and book tickets for transportation. The way in which you manage your credit cards is important. This article will provide some beneficial tips that can help you to select your credit card and manage it wisely.
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.
Check your credit report regularly. By law, you are allowed to check your credit score once a year from the three major credit agencies. This may be often enough, if you use credit sparingly and always pay on time. You may want to spend the extra money, and check more often if you carry a lot of credit card debt.
Avoid being the victim of credit card fraud by keeping your credit card safe at all times. Pay special attention to your card when you are using it at a store. Double check to make sure you have returned your card to your wallet or purse, when the purchase is finished.
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.
Never keep a written record of your pin number or password. It is vital that you know your password, and that you’re the only one who has access related to it. Writing your pin down and placing it in a similar area where you place your card is not a good thing to do.
It is best to stay away from charging holiday gifts and other holiday-related expenditures. If you can’t afford it, either save to buy what you want or just buy less-expensive gifts. Your best friends and relatives will understand that you are on a budget. You can always ask ahead of time for a limit on gift amounts or draw names. The bonus is that you won’t be spending the next year paying for this year’s Christmas!
An important thing to remember when using credit cards is to do whatever is necessary to avoid going over your specified credit limit. By making certain that you always remain within your allowable credit, you can avoid costly fees that card issuers frequently assess and guarantee that your account always remains in good standing.
It is important to always review the charges, and credits that have posted to your credit card account. Whether you choose to verify your account activity online, by reading paper statements, or making certain that all charges and payments are reflected accurately, you can avoid costly errors or unnecessary battles with the card issuer.
It is important to keep your credit card accounts open for as long as possible, these are not short-term financial options. Switching to another account should only be done in specific circumstances, as it is a detrimental event otherwise. This can have a direct effect on your credit score since length of history with a creditor is a factor in the scoring process. Another element to establishing credit is to maintain and keep you credit accounts open and active at all times.
Know the credit card laws that have been enacted in recent years. For example, it’s now illegal for a credit card company to retroactively increase rates. Another example of something that credit card companies are prohibited from doing, is double-cycle billing. Be informed on current laws. There have been several recent legislative changes including the CARD Act that you should be aware of.
Always try to find a credit card that does not charge an annual fee. Some credit cards that charge annual fees try to entice users with bonus offers or cash back incentives. While these types of rewards might be tempting, really think about whether or not they are worth the annual fee you will be forced to pay. In many cases, they are not.
As was stated at the beginning of this article, having a credit card can benefit you in many ways. Making the best selection when it comes to obtaining a credit card is important, as is managing the card you choose in the correct way. This article has provided you with some useful tips to help you make the best credit card decision and grow your credit by using it wisely.
