Credit Card Tips That Will Help You

Wisely using a credit card can help you get free rewards, like a paid-for vacation, for example. Other folks who do not use their charge cards wisely just charge their vacation to their cards and come home to the stressful bill. If you want to reap the benefits of proper credit card use, this article will help you learn the basics.

TIP! Do not close any credit card accounts without finding out how it affects your credit report. Many times closing an account can lower your credit score and will show up negatively on your credit report.

Retain a sales receipt when making online purchases with your card. Keep the receipt in a secure location, and when your credit card bill arrives, check that the online retailer charged you the right amount for the item that you purchased. File a dispute if you were overcharged as soon as you discover it. This helps ensure that you never get overcharged for your purchases.

Credit Card

TIP! Don’t consider opening a store credit card unless you plan to make purchases at the store on a regular basis. If a retail store inquires on your credit, the inquiry will affect your credit score, even if you do not open the card.

Everyone gets credit card offers in the mail. You open your mail to find another credit card offer. Often times you won’t be interested in getting a new credit card right them. Don’t just throw this mail away, shred or rip it up. These solicitations often contain sensitive personal information, so it is a mistake to toss them away without ripping them up.

Have a list of your credit card numbers as well as lender’s emergency phone numbers. Keep your list in a safe place that is separate from your cards. If you were to get robbed or lose your cards, this list can come in handy.

TIP! 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. Noting down your credit card expenditures on paper or a spreadsheet will make you less likely to start spending money you cannot afford to repay.

Experts recommend that the limits on your charge cards shouldn’t be any more than 75% of what your monthly salary is. If your balance is more than you earn in a month, try to pay it off as quickly as you can. This becomes critical because the interest charges will continue to push your balances higher and higher.

Interest Rates

TIP! If you are having hard times financially, be sure to inform the credit card company. If there is a possibility that you may have to miss one payment, by contacting the company that issued your credit card, you might be able to work out some sort of adjusted payment plan.

Talk to your bank about lowering interest rates. If, after you have talked with their retention team, they won’t do this, then you should start shopping around and find a company that offers better interest rates. After you find it, transfer your debt to the new card.

See if your credit card issuer is willing to lower your interest rate. If you have built a positive relationship with the company, they may reduce your interest rate. It does not cost anything to ask and can save to a lot of money in the end.

TIP! Credit cards are often tied to different kinds of loyalty accounts. If you are a regular credit card user, sign up for a card that offers incentives you can use.

Even cards without rewards, points, and perks that apply to vacations can better your life. People that are not smart about using their cards will be happy temporarily, but that will not last once the debt piles up. Use the information here to decide which group you belong to.


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