Detox Treatise

Just ask yourself: is the credit card work for me or am I working for the credit card? Most people’s response to that question will depend on how they treat their “plastic friend” as credit cards are sometimes known. As many people with huge credit card debts will tell you, they didn’t realize that things were so bad until too late, because most credit card companies try so hard to make themselves seem like a charity. Well, take it from me, they aren’t.

But this is not an anti credit card campaign. They have their uses – in America, for example, if you want to hire a car, you have got to have a (major) credit card. But, consider this scenario:

You get an offer in the mail that sounds good, perhaps it’s a new television or refrigerator. But it costs $2,000. You have a credit card with a $5,000 limit, so you go out and purchase the item right away. Often, this is how your repayment schedule will work out. Most credit cards charge a minimum percentage of the remaining balance (typically 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 will come off the $2,000 you borrowed!

Sounds scary? 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 have to have and those that you only want. You need the essentials, but you just want everything else. The ability to make a distinction might assist you plan more sensibly.

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 repayments. If you simply default, that only builds up an unfavourable credit history for you and you could find yourself being refused credit in the future.

3] Unless it is an emergency, remaining within your credit limits will assist you a lot. If you have to spend over the credit card limit, keep within manageable levels, say within 30 percent.

4] If your letterbox is chock-full of information on credit cards with more favourable offers than you are currently enjoying, you could always approach your issuer for a better deal. They want to keep you as a customer, so they will listen.

Don’ts

1] Do not use your credit card to purchase household goods. It is too expensive in the long run.

2] Do not only pay the minimum amount necessary. You will end up paying exorbitant amounts of interest. The quicker you can clear the debt the better.

3] Never use the credit card to buy things you can’t afford without the credit card.

If you are considering swapping or getting a Credit Card, check out the free advice on our website on using Credit Cards wisely. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory