... Advice Number 11 From 546

De CidesaWiki

If you have a credit card account and do not want it to be shut down, make sure to use it. Credit card companies are closing credit card accounts for non-usage at an increasing rate. This is because they view those accounts to be lacking in profit, and therefore, not worth retaining. If you don't want your account to be closed, use it for small purchases, at least once every three months.

Be sure to check your credit card's terms to see if it charges an annual fee to use the card. You want to make sure that you don't pay a premium for the credit card. If you are the owner of a platinum card, or a black card, the annual fees can be up to $1000. If you don't care about exclusivity, these cards aren't for you.

When you are looking over all of the rate and fee information for your credit card make sure that you know which ones are permanent and which ones may be part of a promotion. You do not want to make the mistake of going for a card with very low rates and then they balloon shortly after.

Pay off as much of your balance as you can each month. The more you owe the credit card company each month, the more you will pay in interest. If you pay even a small amount in addition to the minimum payment each month, you can save yourself a great deal of interest each year.

Never apply for more credit cards than you actually need. It's true that you need a few credit cards to help build your credit, but there is a point at which the amount of credit cards you have is actually detrimental to your credit score. Be mindful to find that happy medium.

Be cautious when you use a credit card online. If you are using your credit card online, be sure the site you're on is secure. If the site is trustworthy, your information is secure and encrypted. Also, ignore emails that ask for credit card information, these are attempt to get your information.

As a general rule, you should avoid applying for any credit cards that come with any type of free offer. More often than not, anything that you get free with credit card applications will always come with some sort of catch or hidden costs that you are sure to regret later on down the road.

In order to minimize your credit card debt expenditures, review your outstanding credit card balances and establish which should be paid off first. A good way to save more money in the long run is to pay off the balances of cards with the highest interest rates. You'll save more in the long term because you will not have to pay the higher interest for a longer period of time.

One important tip for all credit card users is to make a budget. Having a budget is a great way to figure out whether or not you can afford to buy something. If you can't afford it, charging something to your credit card is just a recipe for disaster.

When choosing the right credit card for your needs, you need to make sure that you pay attention to the interest rates offered. If you see an introductory rate, pay close attention to how long that rate is good for. Interest rates are one of the most important things when getting a new credit card.

Make sure you save your statements. Before you file them away, pay close attention to what is on them as well. If you see a charge that shouldn't be on there, dispute the charge. All credit card companies have dispute procedures in place to assist you with fraudulent charges that may occur.

You want to try and avoid the fee for going over your limit just as much as late fees. The fees you have to pay can be very costly, and it can also do some serious damage to your credit score. Keep an eye on your balance and exercise more caution as you approach your credit limit.

Retain a merchant services sales training receipt when making online purchases with your card. Keep your copy at least until you receive your monthly statement, to be sure that you were charged the authorized amount. If they did not, contact the company and file a dispute immediately. This will ensure that you aren't wrongly overcharged.

Do not use one credit card to pay off the amount owed on another until you check and see which one has the lowest rate. While this is never considered the best thing to do financially, merchant services iso you can occasionally do this to make sure you are not risking getting further into debt.

Once you do open a credit card account, aim to keep it open for as long as possible. You should not switch credit accounts unless you find it completely unavoidable. Account length is a big part of your credit score. Part of building credit is keeping accounts open if possible.

It should be obvious, but many people fail to follow the simple tip of paying your credit card bill on time each month. Late payments can reflect poorly on your credit report, you may also be charged hefty penalty fees, credit card processing sales if you don't pay your bill on time.

Get in contact with your card company to see if they are willing to decrease your interest rates. Sometimes, especially if you have a long and positive history as a customer, companies are willing to reduce their interest rates. It may save you a lot of money later and it doesn't cost anything to ask them.