Use Your Credit Card Responsibly
By fulltimeincome | March 5th, 2010It has become painfully clear that the basics of responsible credit card usage have been lost on some people. These little rectangles of plastic are not a free pass to live it up well beyond your means. Without knowing it, you can pay far more for some items than you ever intend to. There are some simple guidelines that you can follow to try and steer clear of certain financial danger.
For everything that you use your credit card for, set aside the cash to pay the bill. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? There are people who do this all the time; use their cards like cash and then pay the bill in full. They make it look easy. They pay make their car payment, pay for their lunches, even their personal trainer with their credit card. This takes a lot of diligence.
You must be able to exercise some will power. Having the little plastic wonder does not mean that you can go spending without a care. You need to know your personal limits based on what you can afford on what you make. If you cannot afford the trip to the golf resort, for instance, do not go. The cheap golf outing is more enjoyable anyway.
Some hobbies and sports can become expensive to participate in. For example, if you’re into skiing, remember to look at discount outlets next time you want alpine skiing equipment. The big-name specialty stores are not the only places they can be found in. The point is that you do not need to give up your pastimes just to get your finances under control.
Saving up to buy something can save you more than you know. Get in the habit of practicing a delayed system of rewards. Instead of buying an item now with your credit card, set aside for it a little at a time. You will have that special new item before you know it, and you will not have to pay any interest on it.
Paying in full every month can do a lot for your future, and not just because of your better credit score. Each month, you could estimate what you would have to pay in interest charges, then take that amount and rather than pay it out, save it. Put that money in an interest-earning account and let it just keep getting bigger.
Should these guidelines not curb your spending, maybe you need to consider only keeping a credit card for emergencies. These emergencies would include things such as a trip to the hospital or a car repair. Cute boots on sale does not fit into the emergency category.