Basic Guidelines For Credit Card Users Or Applicants
Many people become completely terrified when they hear the word credit. If you are one of these people, that means you need to expose yourself to a better financial education. Credit is not something to fear, rather, it is something that you should use in a responsible manner.
You need to pay more than the minimum payment each month. If you aren’t paying more than the minimum payment you will never be able to pay down your credit card debt. If you have an emergency, then you could end up using all your available credit. So, each month try to send in a little extra money in order to pay down the debt.
Be extremely careful when using a credit card to get cash advances. Cash advances usually carry a higher interest rate and the interest starts accruing the day you get the cash. That means you won’t have the interest-free grace period you get on your normal balances before they are due each month.
If you are going to make purchases over the Internet you need to make all of them with the same credit card. You do not want to use all of your cards to make online purchases because that will increase the chances of you becoming a victim of credit card fraud.
Always know what your utilization ratio is on your credit cards. This is the amount of debt that is on the card versus your credit limit. For instance, if the limit on your card is $500 and you have a balance of $250, you are using 50% of your limit. It is recommended to keep your utilization ratio of around 30%, in order to keep your credit rating good.
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!
Keep one low-limit card in your wallet for emergency expenses only. All other cards should be kept at home, to avoid impulse buys that you can’t really afford. If you need a card for a large purchase, you will have to knowingly get it from your home and take it with you. This will give you extra time to think about what you are buying.
Carefully consider those cards that offer you a zero percent interest rate. It may seem very alluring at first, but you may find later that you will have to pay sky high rates down the road. Learn how long that rate is going to last and what the go-to rate will be when it expires.
Transfer a high interest rate balance to a card that has an interest rate that is lower. If you have more than one credit card that have balances, move the balances over to the card with the interest rate that is the lowest. This can save you money and cut down on the money you owe.
The credit card that you use to make purchases is very important and you should try to use one that has a very small limit. This is good because it will limit the amount of funds that a thief will have access to.
After reading this article, you should feel more comfortable when it comes to credit questions. By using each of the tips you have read here, you will be able to come to a better understanding of exactly how credit works, as well as, all the advantages and disadvantages it can bring to your life.