Friday, June 1, 2012

Learning To Make Wise Use Of Credit Cards

By Beth Willis


It is never a bad idea to take good advice, particularly when credit cards are involved. This piece will give you some education in your use of credit cards and issue avoidance. Many people who have credit cards to don't know how to utilize them correctly, and many wind up in financial straits.

Don't believe your card interest rate is non-negotiable. The credit industry is very competitive, and you can find many different interest rates. If you do not like your current rate, get in contact with your bank and request for a change.

Commit to reducing your credit card debt today. This will involve not using your cards for awhile and getting rid of high balances. Your financial stability and health does depend on a solid credit report. Paying off outstanding credit debts gives the appearance of a responsible consumer and improves your credit score. Budget a set amount above the minimum payment and pay that amount every month.

Never keep a written record of your pin number or password. You need to remember your password without writing it down so that other people can't access it. Recording the pin number, and keeping it where you keep your credit card, will provide any person with access if they desire.

Whenever you can, steer clear of cards that come with annual fees. Generally, cards with no annual fees are given to people who have better credit scores. These fees wipe out perks your card would have provided. Perform the necessary calculations. Most companies do not readily show annual fees; instead, they are listed in the small print of the contract. If you need to, use your reading glasses. Look at the small print to determine if the fees of using the card outweigh all of the benefits. Most often, you will discover that they don't.

It's good credit practice to consistently maintain two or three open credit cards. You will improve your credit score. Paying off all of your cards monthly helps even more. But, if you have more than three cards, lenders may not view that favorably.

Never close the account. This may seem like a smart thing to do when trying to raise a credit score, but it actually can damage the score. The reason behind this is that you will be reducing the total mount of credit you are given while still owing the same amount. The ratio between the two will look worse as a result.

Use pass codes and pins that are hard for people to decipher. For instance, using a loved one's birth date or your middle name could make it easy for someone to guess your password.

As stated in the beginning of this article, it's just way too easy to get into financial hot water when using credit cards. Getting multiple cards or charging too much can get you into a great deal of trouble. The advice from this article should make it easier for you to stay out of trouble when you use your credit cards.




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