Not all credit cards are the same. Whether it was the lure of valuable rewards or a limited-time 0% offer that originally got your attention, these “deals” may work against you and cost you more in the long run.
Have you ever opened your credit card statement and noticed the interest rate on your card increased? It’s not a great feeling. Your initial thought might be that your financial institution simply raised your rate out of the blue to earn more, but that’s not the case. There are actually many reasons your credit card rate can fluctuate.
Opening your first credit card can be both an exciting and daunting experience. On the one hand, a credit card offers more financial freedom and flexibility. On the other hand, you likely heard horror stories of people falling into a debt cycle that’s hard to escape.
Credit cards are one of the most widely used forms of payment these days. With the lure of rewards and the ease and convenience of payments, many turn to their credit cards first when making purchases.
Your home is more than just a house. It’s where you create memories with friends and family. It’s a reflection of you and your personality. It’s a financial investment. And, since the pandemic started, it’s a place where you spend a lot of time!
The holiday season has come and gone. While you can’t put a price tag on the memories made, you may now be feeling the burden of the debt you accrued in the process. If you’re feeling a bit anxious about paying back your holiday debt, there’s a relatively easy solution – debt consolidation.
If you’re like most, you probably have multiple reoccurring debts that must be paid off. These debts can consist of student loans, personal loans, credit cards, medical bills, and car payments. It can be hard to pay off the debts separately because each debt has a different balance, payment period, and interest rate.
When you work diligently to pay off a credit card, nothing is more satisfying than seeing the balance hit $0. It’s a eureka moment – filled with accomplishment and freedom. And your next desire may be to shred the credit card and close the account. But is that the right move?
That moment, when you FINALLY pay off a credit card that has plagued your thoughts and haunted your monthly bottom line for years, or even decades, can be a moment when you want to tell the company good riddance and leave them behind forever. But, is that the right move to make for your credit score?
One of the most persuasive pieces of advice we hear about credit card spending is to limit how much you use them in an effort to reduce debt. In fact, we may even hear advice about paying off all our credit cards and then cutting most of them up until you have one left to use in an emergency.
