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Most young people who are just starting to think about using credit cards don’t have the best grasp of the concept of credit. Many schools don’t teach finance basics, and some parents never think to impart these tips to their kids. Today, we’re going over a few tips to help you manage your cards and debts. Whether you’re just getting a credit card or if you’ve had one for years, these strategies can help you make the most of your credit card.
A credit card is handy for a young person who doesn’t have a deep reserve of savings on which to rely. Instead of tapping into your savings account when an unexpected expense comes up, you can put it on your credit card instead. However, it can be tempting to let your credit card balance float from month to month.
If you can help it, you should avoid allowing any credit card balance to float from month to month. When you carry a balance to a new month, your credit card company will charge you interest on the money you owe them. If you let accruing interest get out of control, you could find yourself buried in debt in a matter of months.
Try to avoid using your credit card to buy more than you can otherwise afford. You’re not going to magically get enough money to pay off a huge credit card bill just because you regret being in debt.
Paying your credit card debt back with regularity will give you a good credit score. This score, in turn, allows you to sign up for better credit cards, like rewards cards. You can check your credit score for free through a variety of sites. Previously, customers were only allowed one free credit report check per year, but these days you can check your credit for free much more often.
Keeping an eye on your credit score is a great way to catch signs of identity theft. If someone steals your name to sign up for credit cards and runs up a huge bill, you want to stop them before it gets out of hand.
Rewards credit cards are a great way to make the most of your money. If you use a rewards credit card for your purchases and pay off the balance every month, you stand to gain significant benefits. Some cards offer a cashback reward for some spending, while others offer discounts on things like air travel.
Take advantage of these benefits! The best part of having good credit is getting rewarded by using rewards credit cards.
