Credit Cards: A Great Way To Pay For Everything

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 29th, 2010

It is a fact that carrying a fat wallet to go shopping can be very inconvenient. You have to worry about losing your wallet along with the cash in it and it can be very uncomfortable when you sit down.

Today, because of technology, you no longer need cash to go shopping, pay for groceries or pay for the services you hired. All you need is a simple rectangular plastic card to pay for everything. This card is called the credit card.

Having a credit card is simply a plastic card with a magnetic strip that holds your account information. How a credit card system works is very simple.

First, a credit card system is like a lending system where if you use your credit card, you agree to pay the lender (credit card issuer) the amount of cash you borrowed. You should never mistake a credit card to a debit card. A debit card works by deducting the amount in your bank account.

In credit cards, you will be borrowing money from the credit card issuer and pay it off when the bill arrives in your mailing address. Because of this, you can purchase anything you want provided that the amount of money you borrow is within your credit limit.

You can apply for a credit card in your local bank that issues credit card. Banks usually collaborate with credit card companies like VISA, MasterCard, and other credit card companies. There are a lot of options when choosing a credit card, all you need it to know is the different features a specific credit card provides.

Banks offer a lot of perks for their clients to attract them to apply for a credit card. Some offer low interest rate on the first year and some offer a one time membership charge. It all depends on the bank and credit card you choose.

Aside from the interest rate, you should also be aware of the different fees that a credit card company will include. You should ask about the over-the-credit-limit-fee, credit-limit-increase and other fees.

When you apply for a credit card, you will receive a monthly bill that will have a grace period. A grace period is the amount of time you have to pay the borrowed money to the bank. If you do not pay within the grace period, you will be charged with late payment fees.

There are also credit cards that will allow you to make cash advances from ATM machines. For this kind of transaction, you will usually be charged with a cash advance fee. Grace periods are usually not allowed in cash advances and an interest is charged as you do the transaction in the ATM.

Credit cards come in many types. Silver, gold and platinum are an example of the credit card types. The differences between the types of credit cards are the credit limit, and also differ from the benefits you can get. Credit cards with higher limits usually come with higher fees. However, credit cards with higher limits also usually give a lot of benefits to the user. Here are some examples of the benefits you can have when you apply for a higher credit limit:

-Discounts on purchases
-Accident insurance
-Money back on frequent use

Application for a credit card doesn't necessarily mean acceptance by the credit card company or the bank. The company will go through your personal details first before issuing you your credit card.

So, when getting a credit card, you should first determine which type of credit card is suitable for you. It is also advisable get a credit card that you can afford and you should always make purchases that is in your financial limits. It is a fact that many people have faced credit card debts.