Saturday, June 8, 2013

Credit cards are almost a necessity of modern life, but the easy credit that they offer can get many people in trouble. Knowing how to use credit cards responsibly is a key part of your financial education. The tips in this article will help make sure that you do not abuse your credit cards.

Every time you decide to apply for a new credit card, your credit report is checked and an "inquiry" is made. This stays on your credit report for up to two years and too many inquiries, brings your credit score down. Therefore, before you start wildly applying for different cards, research the market first and choose a few select options.

Be wary of introductory deals on credit cards. Many credit cards providers will offer new customers credit cards, that have low interest rates, and high credit limits in order to get them to sign up. Unfortunately, these same providers usually increase the interest rate on their credit cards after a customer has owned a card for a few months, and built up some debt.

Do not go over your spending limit. Even if your card has one, there can be scenarios due to electronic reporting delays and the like where you can actually go over your limit. Given the fees and charges for going over your spending limit, some credit card companies make it easy for you to do so. Do not assume they are putting a hard ceiling in to protect you.

If you are getting rid of an old credit card, cut up the credit card through the account number. This is especially important, if you are cutting up an expired card and your replacement card has the same account number. As an added security step, consider throwing away the pieces in different trash bags, so that thieves can't piece the card back together as easily.

If you feel that the interest rate that you are paying on your card is too high, you can call your credit card company and ask them to lower it. Many people do not know this and the credit card companies are not going to openly tell people that they may receive lower rates by request.

There are so many cards available that you should avoid signing up with any company that charges you a monthly fee just for having the card. This will end up being very costly and might end up making you owe much more money to the company, than you can comfortably afford.

Choose one bill to put on your credit card and use your credit card for that bill every month, then pay off the card at the end of the month. That way, you make sure you're using the card regularly and responsibly and your credit score will continually go up.

Having access to credit makes it much easier to manage your finances, but as you have seen, you need to do so with care. It is all too easy to over-extend yourself with your credit cards. Keep the tips you have learned from this article in mind, so that you can be a responsible credit card user.

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