credit card tips

credit card tips

Think twice before getting a cash advance.

If you are in a lot of debt, a cash advance or payday loan can seem incredibly helpful. With a cash advance, you get cash almost immediately. These loans are easy to get approved for, and you can pay off the debt you need. However, be careful before getting one. These small, short term loans are useful if you are in a financial bind. But if there is no financial emergency, definitely think twice before getting a cash advance!
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Fri, 2016-05-06 17:23

Pay Rent With Credit Cards and Earn Big Rewards

If you rent an apartment, the largest expense in your monthly budget is most likely your rent.  So would you put your rent on a credit card if you could?  If you plan to pay off your balance each and every month, the answer to this question is hopefully a resounding yes!

That said, it's estimated that 70 percent of renters still pay their rent via paper check in the United States.  More and more landlords are accepting credit cards each year though, and renters are quickly jumping on the bandwagon in order to maximize credit card rewards.

Updated by Joshua Heckathorn on Tue, 2016-04-19 12:51

Think Twice Before Paying Taxes with Your Credit Card

Tax time is upon us yet again, which means many of you will be scrambling over the next few weeks to get your tax returns done and cut a check to old Uncle Sam.

However, in recent years the IRS has made it fairly easy to ditch the checkbook and pay your tax bill via credit card.  In many cases you may even be able to deduct the convenience fee card companies charge to process electronic tax payments.  So why should you think twice before paying your tax bill with plastic and racking up extra credit card points or miles? 

Updated by Joshua Heckathorn on Fri, 2016-04-01 11:03

Weekly Tip: Don’t let your credit cards collect dust.

If you have a lot of credit cards, or even just some you use more than others, it’s easy to forget about certain cards. They then end up collecting dust for years. And although you may have no trouble using other cards or cash instead, it’s very important to take those old cards for a swipe every once and awhile. 
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Mon, 2016-01-04 09:13

Weekly Tip: Look out for key terms in credit card agreements

Can you say that you’ve honestly read your entire credit card agreement? With the number of pages and insanely tiny print, reading through the fine print seems awfully similar to reading the dictionary. But by just putting your John Hancock on paper, you could very well be agreeing to something you might not be aware of. In fact, a recent survey showed that a third of bank customers had a limited understanding of credit card offerings -- even after speaking with a representative. And that’s scary! 
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Mon, 2015-12-21 09:11

Weekly Tip: Beware of credit repair scams.

If you have bad credit, you probably want to fix it quickly so that you can start getting approved for loans with low interest rates, rent properties, get a credit card, and more. Bad credit can affect a lot of areas of your life, so you definitely want to rebuild your credit fast! But, before you jump into anything, be cautious about how you fix your credit.
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Fri, 2014-07-25 08:34

Weekly Tip: Notify your card issuer if your name or address changes.

If you are in the process of a big change, it’s very easy to be too caught up to even think about your credit card issuers. However, it is very important to notify them in the event of a name change or an address change. 
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Wed, 2014-04-02 09:21

Weekly Tip: Have a mixture of different credit types.

In order to have a great credit score, it is important to mix up your credit. While using credit cards will build your credit score, it will only go so far. The 3 major credit bureaus- Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion- take into account both revolving credit and installment credit when determining your FICO credit score. 
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Fri, 2014-03-21 11:53

Weekly Tip: Dispute damaged credit card purchases.

Although it is common knowledge that you can dispute billing errors and fraudulent transactions with your credit card issuer, many people do not know that they can dispute charges for damaged goods paid with credit cards. Let’s say you get home after buying a vase and you realize it has a crack in it. You call the merchant, but they refuse to give you a refund. Luckily, you may be protected by your credit card issuer under the Fair Credit Billing Act.
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Tue, 2014-03-11 16:01

Weekly Tip: Contact Your Credit Card Company Before Traveling

There’s a lot to do before taking a big trip. And although you are sure to pack your credit cards, you may not even think about contacting your credit card company.
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Wed, 2014-03-05 15:40

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