Credit Cards: Don?t Run Up Huge Bills

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 29th, 2010

There is nothing as exciting as owning a credit card and enjoying the freedom to spend. You want that expensive dress ? use the card. You always wanted to buy your wife that beautiful piece of jewelry ? well why not? Just use the card. How about that much-desired holiday to the mountains? Can?t afford it? Why not? Just use the card. And before you know it you have run up the bill, hitting the ceiling on the limit and you are in a spot. How do you pay back and get out of this mess?

Millions of Americans have experienced this and struggled to get out of this quagmire of debt. But it is very difficult indeed. You may even have more than one card, which brings you to a bigger mess with large debts to clear. Difficult and very upsetting situation indeed. Remember, every time you use the card and do not pay back the whole amount, you are paying an interest rate. Do you know how much you are paying? Do you know that you also have to pay annual fees and finance charges? Do you know that you have to pay huge interest rates when you take a cash advance on your credit card? A cash advance on your credit card is possibly the worst thing to do unless absolutely necessary. The fees you pay to the company can clean you up financially if you are not watchful.

You have received this really promising offer from a credit card company that says it will take on the entire balance outstanding from your other credit card with low interest rates. Most tempting and many US citizens have taken up the offer only to realize that while they do offer you a low interest rate initially, after the first year, the interest rates shoot up. However, most often, they do offer low interest rates making it worthwhile to transfer your balance outstanding from other cards and therefore, reducing your balance to pay back. Ensure that this low interest continues beyond the initial period.

Please do not get into the system of paying the credit card issuer only the minimum amount required of you. This is the best way to run up a mammoth amount on your credit card until you reach the point of no return and then it is too late. You have a huge bill to pay and not enough time and not enough money. Paying the entire balance or even more than the minimum will ensure a larger saving on the interest. Pay as much as you can every month to enjoy a clean slate.

A credit card trap is very easy to fall prey to and difficult to get out of. Keep your wits about you and try to avoid this very commonly seen problem among the citizens of United States today across ages, earnings, etc.