Say the words “credit card” to most people and they’ll shudder briefly before launching into their own tale of woe including steep interest rates and never ending bill payments. It’s a sad fact that many people don’t fare well with credit cards, mainly due to poor planning with repayments. Credit cards themselves are actually incredibly useful money accounts, where banks lend you cash you don’t actually have on the promise that you’ll pay them back.
Naturally, until you add in the interest rates banks ask for on repayments, this can cause the bills to just leap and jump upwards until a considerable debt has collected.
This is a popular view of credits cards shared by many – but it’s not necessarily correct. The fact is that credit cards can be enormously useful when you need to make large purchases without currently having the means to do so. And, providing you’re aware of the costs – if any – when it comes to paying amounts back, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t benefit from the help of such accounts.
Credit cards come in all forms. You can get ones that offer you no interest for periods of as long as 14 months, cards with lower interest rates than others or even types catering to students that offer weeks of interest-free repayment periods on purchases before an interest rate kicks in.
It’s only when you start becoming less organised that you can start to fall behind on credit card repayments and get bitten by the interest bug, though with careful planning this can be avoided. Examine the terms on your credit card and plan how much would be reasonable for you to pay back and how frequently. If you cannot do so within reason then it might be time for you to review whether you really need to make a large purchase or not.
In any case, by shopping around, you’ll discover that every bank has different credit card accounts offering differing and competitive accounts. In fact, many now offer the chance to obtain a credit card online that could also save you time and money with lower rates, easier access and manageability, as well as the convenience of not having to visit a branch or make any phone calls.
Credit cards can be hugely useful, especially when making a large purchase. Just make sure you plan carefully and you could find out just how convenient these accounts are. You will have all heard the horror stories from various people, but that needn’t be what happens to you. After finding the right card to suit your purposes and lifestyle, paying back any balances owed could be easier than you think with some consideration.