Credit cards can be your best friend or your worst enemy. With just a little attention or energy, you can go out on a shopping spree that ruins you financially for months or maybe even, rack enough points for airline tickets to Europe. To make the most out of your credit cards, read on.
Immediately report any fraudulent charges on a credit card. Immediate action you take gives your credit card company an upper hand in catching the thief. Also, by notifying the credit card company immediately, you can ensure that you aren’t in any way responsible for the charges. It usually just takes a brief email or phone call to report fraudulent charges.
You need to be careful not to overspend, so you should track every purchase you make with your credit card and keep a running total. You can easily lose track of what you have put on the card if you do not commit to keeping track of the charges on a spreadsheet or notebook.
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.
Pay your minimum payment on time each month, to avoid more fees. If you can afford to, pay more than the minimum payment so that you can reduce the interest fees. Just be sure to pay the minimum amount before the due date.
Before signing up for any credit card, make sure that you comprehend the terms and conditions fully. In particular, it is crucial to look for fees and raters that occur after introductory periods. The fine print can be daunting, but a little effort can make a huge difference in your financial situation.
It is good credit card practice to pay your full balance at the end of each month. This will force you to charge only what you can afford, and reduces the amount of interest you carry from month to month which can add up to some major savings down the line.
Be cautious when you are using credit cards online. Don’t input any credit card details unless you are certain that the site is completely secure. Your credit information will remain safe if you are using a secure site. Also, disregard emails which attempt to collect credit card information.
If you do a lot of traveling, use one card for all of your travel expenses. If it is for work, this allows you to easily keep track of deductible expenses, and if it is for personal use, you can quickly add up points towards airline travel, hotel stays or even restaurant bills.
A great way to save money on credit cards is to spend the time necessary to comparison shop for cards that offer the most advantageous terms. If you have a decent credit history, it is highly likely that you can obtain cards with no annual fee, low interest rates and perhaps, even incentives such as airline miles.
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.
If you cannot pay your entire credit card bill each month, you should definitely keep your available credit limit above 50% after each billing cycle. Having a good credit to debt ratio is an important part of your credit score. Make sure that your credit card is not constantly near its limit.
Know the credit card laws that have been enacted in recent years. For example, credit card companies cannot impose retroactive rate increases. It is also against the law to double-cycle your bill. Know what the laws are. The Fair Credit Billing and the CARD Act are two of the major changes that have recently been made.
As was mentioned earlier, credit cards can accelerate your life. This can happen towards piles of debt or rewards that lead to dream vacations. To properly manage your credit cards, you must manage yourself and intentions towards them. Apply what you have read in this article to make the most of your cards.