Credit Card Big List

Take charge of your credit! You need to know these facts about credit.

Your credit record stays with you wherever you go. Future loans, credit card accounts, employment, and housing—they all require clean credit. To start creating good credit, first take a look at these basic credit facts.

Study your card agreement
Note the grace period, annual fees, cash advance fees, finance charges, and annual percentage rate (APR). If you plan to carry a balance on your account, shop around for a lower APR.

Use credit wisely
Keep track of your current purchases. Avoid large impulse purchases. Don’t use a cash advance to cover normal daily expenses. And remember the 20/10 rule: never borrow more than twenty percent of your annual net income; and never let your monthly debt payments become more than ten percent of your monthly net income.

Know your limit
Exceeding your credit limit is usually considered a violation of your account agreement and may result in additional fees or penalties, or the freezing or cancellation of your account.

Pay off your balance within the grace period
With most cards you can avoid finance charges by paying off your total balance within an established grace period. It’s kind of like an interest-free loan for up to thirty days: Purchases paid off during the current billing period do not accrue interest.

Make more than the minimum payment
Can’t pay off your total balance each month? Then at the very least, try to pay more than the minimum required. Otherwise, you&rsquop;ll end up paying more than the original purchase (based on payback time and interest rate). Use the Credit Card Worksheet to estimate the amount of your next purchase.

Pay on time—period
Be sure to get your payment in by the due date to avoid a late fee and possible credit damage.

Keep in touch
If you change your name, address, or job, notify your lending institution immediately. You don’t want to risk a late payment. Also contact your lender if you cannot make a payment on your account for any reason. They might be able to arrange special payment options that help you avoid credit problems.

Remember: credit counts for loans, too
Financial institutions evaluate you based on the “3 Cs”—character (credit history); capital (assets that can be used as collateral); and capacity (your ability to handle the added debt based on your current income, debt, and expenses).