by Jim Hood
We have all heard countless stories of people over their heads
with credit card debt-maxing out every card they own, then only being able to
afford the minimum monthly payment. High interest payments shackle people to
their debt for years, not to mention the significant income drain the finance
charges have on their families.
It is unfortunate that many Americans must live with this
reality, since with some financial discipline, this delimma is avoidable. When a
spending plan is developed and followed, a credit card becomes no more dangerous
than any other form of payment.
When credit card bills are paid in full each month, credit card
fees and finance charges do not accumulate. With a little extra bookkeeping from
a spending plan, a credit card is transformed from being a burden to a very
rewarding financial partner-since it provides the following advantages over
other forms of payment:
· Rewards Programs. Many credit card companies offer loyalty
programs to reward those customers who use their cards more. Rewards usually
come in the form of points or cash. Depending on the company, the points can be
redeemed for things like restaurant gift certificates, hotel stays, airfare,
vacation packages and more. Cash cards typically pay a 1% rebate on your
purchases, which makes for an extra $180 a year on monthly spending of $1,500.
This level of spending is easily achieved by putting all your purchases on a
credit card (including utility bill payments). There are even cards that pay
more than 1% for particular types of purchases like groceries or gas, such as
Citi's Dividend Platinum Select card.
· Perpetual 0% Loan. When you use a credit card, you are using
the bank's money to pay the store instead of yours-for free. While you're
waiting for your statement to arrive, your money can continue to work for you in
an interest- bearing account, such as ING Direct's Orange Savings. Unlike a
debit card that continually reduces your account balance, using a credit card
preserves your entire bank account balance for earning interest until your
statement's due date. That's an extra $35.25 a year based on a $1,500 balance at
today's rate of 2.35%*.
· Fraud Protection. If your credit card number is used
fraudulently, by law your maximum liability is $50. This is not true of a debit
card. A perpetrator can easily use your debit card as "credit" transaction in
retail stores or online. This type of transaction does not require a PIN number
to be entered, and is especially dangerous since a thief can clean out your
entire bank account in short order.
· Loss Protection. Unlike cash which is gone for good if lost, a
credit card can be replaced within days of reporting it to the issuing bank. In
the meantime, you're protected against unauthorized use by anyone who finds the
lost card.
· Warranty Coverage. Many MasterCard credit cards warrant your
purchases above and beyond that offered by the product's manufacturer. Your
purchases made with one of these cards get an extra level of protection for
free. See MasterCard's website (http://www.mastercard.com) for the full scoop on
their coverage terms.
· Purchase Protection. Another benefit MasterCard offers on most
of their cards. With their Purchase Assurance plan, your purchases are
automatically insured against damage or theft for the first 90 days, also at no
additional cost to you.
With all of these benefits over other forms of payment, credit
cards can easily become your favorite way to pay. Instead of dreading your
credit card bill each month, it can become a pleasant reminder of your money
mastery.
Jim Hood is a senior
contributing editor at the Discount Shopping Service Guide, where he reviews
credit card offers and writes about money-saving strategies for shopping online.
His credit card offer reviews can be found at: ==>
http://www.discountssg.com/credit-card-offer.html