Having a credit card is very helpful should you find yourself in a financial jam. Do you wish to buy something but don’t have the cash in your pocket just now? Not a problem! Just put it on the plastic and you are fine. Do you need to boost your credit score? It can be easy with a credit card! Keep reading for more useful ways to use a credit card.
Just because you have reached the age to acquire a credit card, does not mean you should jump on board right away. While this is what many people do, you need to get a few months of understanding the credit industry behind you before you go all out. Learn how to be a responsible adult before you apply for your first card.
Credit Card
A lot of new credit card offers come with attractive, potentially valuable bonuses attached. Read the terms carefully, however; you may have to meet extremely specific criteria in order to get the signing bonus. Typically, you are required to charge a certain amount on the card in a limited time period to get the bonus.
Read all correspondence from your credit card company and other financial institutions right away. Bank cards can make changes to your fees, interest rates or membership fees, provided they let you know in writing of the changes. If you don’t agree with their changes, it’s your decision if you want to cancel your credit card.
Never write down your password or pin number, for any reason. You have to take the time to memorize these passwords and pin numbers to ensure that only you know what they are. Writing down your password or pin number, and keeping it with your credit card, will allow anyone to access your account if they choose to.
Experts recommend that the limits on your credit cards shouldn’t be any more than 75% of what your monthly salary is. Also, you should never allow yourself to have a limit that exceeds your monthly salary. If you do, pay that card off and ask for a limit reduction. This happens when the interest builds up it becomes too hard to pay back.
When it comes to your credit card, do not use a pin or password that is simple for others to figure out. For instance, using a loved one’s birth date or your middle name could make it easy for someone to guess your password.
If you have poor credit, you may want to apply for a credit card that is secured. A balance is required as collateral with these kinds of bank cards. What these cards let you do is borrow money from yourself and you will pay interest to do so. This is not an ideal situation; however, it may be necessary to help repair your credit. When getting a secured card, make sure you stay with a reputable company. They may later offer an unsecured card to you, and that will boost your credit score even more.
As it has been indicated, charge cards have a variety of uses. Whether you are just paying for your gas or building a solid credit history, your credit card can be used in many different ways. Use what you’ve learned here, and use your card properly.