Even though they have gotten a bad reputation recently, there are many advantages to using charge cards if you use them wisely when making purchases. The piece that follows should be very useful for anyone needing to better understand charge cards and who wants to use them wisely.
Credit Card Company
Speak with the credit card company right after you see a charge on your statement that you did not make. Immediate action you take gives your credit card company an upper hand in catching the thief. This also ensures that you will not be liable for any further charges. The minute you notice a charge that could be fraud, an email or phone call to the credit card provider can commence the dispute process.
If you only pay the minimum amount each month on your credit card, only the credit card company benefits. The monthly minimums are deliberately designed to be so low that you will be paying for years in in order to pay off your balance. In the meantime, the credit card company will be collecting inordinate amounts of interest from you. Whenever you can afford to, send in payments that exceed the minimum amount. Over time, this will help you to avoid paying so much out in interest.
Charge cards often lure in new users with bonuses and gifts for signing up. Read the fine print before signing up, however, because there are often many ways you could be disqualified from the bonus. The most common is that you have to spend a certain amount of money within a few months, so be sure that you will actually meet the qualifications before you are tempted by the bonus offer.
Fees from going over the limit want to be avoided, just as late fees should be avoided. Both fees are pretty expensive and can also affect your credit score. Monitor things closely, and never exceed your personal limit.
Pay 100% of your credit card bill each month if you can afford it. Ideally, bank cards should only be used as a convenience and paid in full before the new billing cycle begins. Credit helps to improve a credit score, but you must pay off the balance each month to avoid interest charges.
Review the statements you receive from the credit card company very carefully. Check to see if there are errors, and make sure that you actually incurred all the charges. If you notice anything wrong, contact the credit card company as soon as possible. This could prevent you from having to pay a lot of money, and it could also save your credit rating as well.
Credit Card
Be sure to read the fine print on a credit card account before using it. When you make your first purchase on a new credit card, the credit card company will usually consider your purchase as your acceptance to their terms. You should literally read the fine print.
Now that you’ve reached the end of this article, you are better prepared to handle your credit cards. As far as spending foes, there is no such thing as too much care and we are usually aware of our mistakes once it’s too late. Remember the guidance in this piece in order to get the most out of credit card utilization and do the least damage to your personal finances.
Never send your card number by phone, fax or email to anyone unless you are certain it’s secure. If you receive an offer that is unsolicited and asks for the card number, be even more cautious. Many scammers all over the world would love to get your credit card information. Tell them you will call them back to be sure they are legit. Find their number yourself.
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