Be Careful with Credit Cards
12:12 AM
Ask yourself: does the credit card work for you or do you work for your credit card? Most people's reply to that question will depend on how they treat their "plastic friend" as credit cards are often known. As many people with burned fingers will tell you, they didn't realize that things had gotten so bad until too late, because most credit card offers try so much to sound like they are actually running a charity. Well, they aren't.
And this is not a hate campaign against credit cards. They have their uses - in the USA if you want to rent a car, you have got to have a (major) credit card. But, consider this scenario:
You receive an offer in the mail that sounds great, 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 product. 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 need to be. The moral of the tale 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 mind. 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, and you want everything else. The ability to make a distinction might help you plan wisely.
2] If you are caught up in financial difficulties, it's always a good idea to talk to the credit card issuer who might re-schedule your payments. If you just default, that only helps to build up a bad credit history and you might find yourself being denied credit in the future.
3] Unless it is an emergency, staying within your credit limits will help you a great deal. If you must spend over the limit, ensure you are within manageable levels, say within 30 percent.
4] If your letterbox is full to the brim with details on credit cards that have better offers than you are currently receiving, you could always approach your issuer for a better deal. They want to keep your business, so they will hear you out.
Dont's
1] Do not use your credit card to purchase household items. It is very expensive in the long run.
2] Do not only pay the minimum amount necessary. You will end up paying exorbitant amounts of interest. The more quickly you are able to pay off the debt the better.
3] Do not use the credit card to purchase things you can't afford.
And this is not a hate campaign against credit cards. They have their uses - in the USA if you want to rent a car, you have got to have a (major) credit card. But, consider this scenario:
You receive an offer in the mail that sounds great, 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 product. 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 need to be. The moral of the tale 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 mind. 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, and you want everything else. The ability to make a distinction might help you plan wisely.
2] If you are caught up in financial difficulties, it's always a good idea to talk to the credit card issuer who might re-schedule your payments. If you just default, that only helps to build up a bad credit history and you might find yourself being denied credit in the future.
3] Unless it is an emergency, staying within your credit limits will help you a great deal. If you must spend over the limit, ensure you are within manageable levels, say within 30 percent.
4] If your letterbox is full to the brim with details on credit cards that have better offers than you are currently receiving, you could always approach your issuer for a better deal. They want to keep your business, so they will hear you out.
Dont's
1] Do not use your credit card to purchase household items. It is very expensive in the long run.
2] Do not only pay the minimum amount necessary. You will end up paying exorbitant amounts of interest. The more quickly you are able to pay off the debt the better.
3] Do not use the credit card to purchase things you can't afford.
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