25 May
Ac Credit Card Warning
Just ask yourself: is the credit card working for you or are you working for your credit card? Most people’s answer to this question will depend on how they treat their “plastic pal” as credit cards are sometimes known. As many people with burned fingers will tell you, they didn’t realize that things had become so bad until very late, because most credit card companies try so hard to make themselves sound like a charity. Well, take it from me, they aren’t.
However, this is not an anti credit card campaign. They have their benefits – in America, for example, if you want to hire a car, you must have a (major) credit card. But, consider this situation:
You receive an offer in the mail that sounds good, maybe it’s a new TV or fridge. But it costs $2,000. You have a credit card with a $5,000 limit so you immediately purchase the item. Typically, here is how your repayment schedule will play out. Most credit cards charge a minimum percentage of the total balance (usually 2 percent) per month. Assuming the interest rate is 18 percent and you choose to repay the minimum amount of $40, $30 of that will go towards interest and only $10 towards the principle!
Does it sound scary? Well, it doesn’t have to be. The moral of the illustration is to use the credit card very, very carefully.
Credit Cards Dos and Don’ts
There is a lot of truth in the saying that credit cards are not a substitute for not having money. Every time you use a credit card this should be the theme replaying in your head. And you would do good to remember the following too:
Dos.
1] Always plan for the purchases that you need and those that you only want. You need the essentials, but you only want everything else. The ability to make a distinction could assist you plan more sensibly.
2] If caught up in financial difficulties, it’s always good to talk to the credit card issuer who might re-schedule your payments. If you simply default, that only helps to build up an unfavourable credit history and you might find yourself being denied credit next time.
3] Unless you are experiencing an emergency, staying within your credit limits will help you a great deal. If you have to spend over the limit, ensure you are within manageable levels, say within 30 percent.
4] If your mailbox is full of information on credit cards with more favourable deals than you currently are enjoying, you may approach your issuer for a better deal. They want to keep you as their customer, so they will listen.
Don’ts
1] Do not use your credit card to make household purchases. It’s very expensive in the long run.
2] Do not just pay the minimum amount. You will end up paying exorbitant amounts of interest. The quicker you are able to clear the debt the better.
3] Never use the credit card to purchase items you can’t afford.
If you are considering changing or getting a Credit Card, have a look at the free advice on our web site about using Credit Cards wisely. Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.


