How Does a Credit Card Work?

Credit can be a very powerful financial tool. Having good credit can help you get loans, can lower the interest rate that you pay for such loans, and get help you get favorable loan terms. Therefore, having good credit will help you get loans and will help you save money. On the other hand, should you have bad credit the exact opposite will happen. You will most likely be denied for loans. Additionally, should you get a loan, the interest rate will be very high and the loan terms will not be favorable to you. As such, you should strive to obtain and maintain a good credit score. However, in order to obtain a good credit score you have to known how credit works.

You should always think of credit as a loan. If you think of credit as a loan, it will put you in the proper mindset when you use your credit cards. In other words, you will not forget that using the credit card means that you have to pay back the amount that you charge. If you think of a credit card as a second bank account, you are going to get into a lot of financial trouble. Basically, you will not keep track of your charges, and you will not be responsible with your credit card use.

How credit works is very simple. When you obtain a credit card you are given a particular credit limit. This credit limit is the total amount of money that you can borrow on your credit card. You can utilize your entire credit limit at once or you can use your credit card for a bunch of purchases until the total amount of the purchases equal the credit limit.

Basically, when your credit card is swiped by the store, restaurant, or other location from which you purchased something, the credit card company pays the store, restaurant, or other business the amount that you owe. In exchange for this service, you are able to defer your payment of such a bill until a later date. In addition, credit card companies allow you to pay over time instead of in one single lump. In exchange for allowing you to pay this debt over time, the credit card company charges you an interest rate. Your credit card agreement will dictate how often the interest rate is charged on your outstanding balance.

In a nutshell, a credit card purchase is a loan from your credit card company. The most amount of money you can borrow is dictated by your credit limit. You have to pay back this loan either at one time or over time in the form of monthly payments. Should you choose to pay over time, the credit card company will charge you an interest rate on your outstanding balance. This is how credit cards work.

Online Credit Card Approval

Needless to say, electronics and the Internet have changed the way that people maintain and conduct their financial affairs. Internet banking, Internet bill pay, and Internet credit card applications have paved the way for faster and more effective money management.

Pre Internet banking dominance, everything financial was done through the United States mail and telephone. Everything was a slow process. In regards to credit card applications, you had to go to your local bank and get one, or you had to wait for a credit card offer to be sent to you in the mail. You had to fill out the credit card application by hand and mail it to the credit card company. If your application was accepted, you would receive a letter a couple of weeks later telling you such. Another few days later, you would receive you credit card. On the other hand, if your application was denied, you had to wait those few weeks just to discover this fact.

Thank goodness for the Internet and instant credit card application decisions. Nowadays, all you have to do is go to the website of the credit card company in which you are interested. You select the credit card of interest. Next, you fill out the available credit card application. Once that is complete, you submit the application and get a credit card decision, usually, within thirty seconds. Thirty seconds sure beats a few weeks!

If you are in the market for a credit card and you have never used an Internet credit card application, I suggest you give it a try and get an instant credit decision.

Getting a Second Credit Card Without Good Credit

First thing first; if you have bad credit, you should really evaluate your reason as to why you want a second credit card. If you have bad credit, that means that you were not using credit responsibly, and therefore, getting another credit card may get you into more trouble and more debt.

Reasons you should not get another credit card if you have bad credit include, but are not limited to: (1) to pay bills (this is probably the worst reason); (2) to go on vacation or any other trip; (3) to buy something you cannot afford; and (4) any other reason that does not include improving your credit report and raising our credit score.

If you have bad credit, your primary reason for getting another credit card needs to be to improve you current credit score. If this is your purpose, then I applaud your efforts and know what you are going through. Just know that your second credit card is not going to be as good as your current card.

First, because you now have bad credit, the second card is probably going to have a higher interest rate and a lower credit limit. Additionally, you may be subject to some fees that you did not have to pay for your first card.

Second, make sure that you do not get a card that has too many fees. The point of your second card should be to increase your credit score. However, you should not go broke on credit card fees to achieve this purpose. If worst comes to worst, do not get another card. Use your current card responsibly and gradually build your credit score over time.

The point is, do not put yourself in more debt just because you feel that a second credit card will help you achieve your purpose sooner. The ends have to justify the means, and thus, you should not obtain a card that requires the payment of tons fees and a higher interest rate. As I stated above, if you can only qualify for cards with high fees and high interest rates, do not get a second card.

The Dirty Little Secrets of Credit Cards

There are many “dirty little secrets” that credit card companies hide in the fine print of your credit card agreement. Some of these secrets, although specifically stated in you credit card agreement and within the power of your credit card company to enact, are rarely used by the credit card company.

However, there are two secrets that a credit card company will not tell you. You have to scour your credit card agreement to even find mention of these two provisions to which you agreed. These two provisions are devious and are created solely to squeeze as much money out of you as possible.

(1) CASH ADVANCE INTEREST RATES

If you look at your credit card statement, you will see a section that shows you your interest rate (if it is too high, call the credit card company and get it reduced). There are usually two interest rates shown: (1) your purchases interest rate; and (2) your cash advance interest rate. I can almost guarantee that the cash advance interest rate will be several points higher than your purchases interest rate. For example, you regular purchases interest rate may be 12.95% while you cash advance interest rate may be 19.95%. Why the big difference? This difference exists because your monthly payments will NOT count towards your cash advance balance until you fully pay off your regular purchases balance!

Basically, while you are paying down your lower interest balance, you are get nailed by an interest rate that is 7% higher (in this example) then your normal rate. I hope you do not owe a lot of money on the card on which you took a cash advance or that the cash advance you took was very small.

(2) UNIVERSAL DEFAULT

Universal default is a credit practice where you will be in default on one card because you are in default on another unrelated credit account. For example, let us pretend you have two completely unrelated credit cards; Credit Card A and Credit Card B. Further, let us pretend that Credit Card B has a universal default provision in the credit card agreement. Now, pretend that you are late or default on a payment to Credit Card A. The credit card company that gave you Credit Card B can now put Credit Card B into default even if you have never missed nor been late on a payment to Credit Card B!

The effect of this is that it is possible for you to get nailed by a credit default fee for Credit Card B (even though you have never missed nor been late on a payment to Credit Card B) and that another negative impact will occur on your credit report.

Watch out for these dirty, credit card secrets that are buried in your credit card agreement. They can really sting you if you do not take notice of their existence and effect.

Comparing Credit Cards and Debit Cards

Debit cards are cards that draw against your checking account. Basically, when you make a purchase with your debit card, the purchase price is deducted from a pool of money that you already have on deposit with your bank. If you spend more than you have on deposit, you are likely to pay overdraft fees and whatever other fees your bank is allowed to charge based upon your debit card agreement.

Some of you may have used your debit card as a credit card at the gas station and/or grocery store. In other words, you may have pushed the “credit” button on the payment machines available at these locations. You did not have to enter your pin and you had to sign a receipt or enter your zip code. Even though the transaction was executed and approved like a typical credit transaction, your debit card purchase is not reflected on your credit report and the purchase prices is debited from your checking account within a business day or two. Therefore, although transacted like a credit transaction, it is not in fact a credit transaction when you use your debit card. You do not get any credit report benefits and such transactions and subsequent debiting on your checking account does not affect your credit score.

Credit cards, on the other hand, are not secured by a checking account (there are some credit cards that are secured by a deposit and are known as “secured” credit cards; however, these cards have the affect of a credit card transaction although they work very similarly to a debit card). Most unsecured credit cards have a credit limit. This limit is the most amount of money you can “borrow” to make purchases. Absent a cash advance, you do not actually get the cash in hand. However, you do get make purchases against this credit limit.

Your charges are accumulated during a set billing period and (unlike a debit card where the entire purchase price is taken out of your checking account), only a portion of that amount becomes due and payable at the end of that billing period. If you do not pay back all the money you “borrowed” to make your purchases, the balance is charged an interest rate. This interest charge increases your outstanding balance. Timely and untimely payments are recorded on your credit report and affect your credit score accordingly.

The differences are many. However, if you know how to use these cards effectively, you will be able to build a great credit score without getting into any debt management problems.

Is a “Free” Credit Report Really Free?

The answer to this question is, YES. A free credit report really is free, you just have to know where to get it. Federal law requires that the credit reporting bureaus provide you with one free credit report per year. Therefore, by law, you can get your credit report for free.

The best place to exercise this right is by going to www.annualcreditreport.com. This website allows you free access to all three of your credit reports (by all three, I mean your credit reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) once per year. The process is very simple and very safe. In order for you to access your credit reports, you have to answer security questions based on certain credit and/or revolving accounts that you own.

Note that federal law only requires that these companies give you a copy of your credit report, not your credit scores. Therefore, if you want your credit scores, you are going to have to pay for them.

When you obtain your credit report, make sure that you print a copy for your records. Even if your credit report is 20+ pages, it is worth the printer ink to have a copy of your credit report. Look at your credit report and make sure that no inaccuracies exist. If you find an inaccuracy, you need to dispute it so that your credit score is not negatively affected.

Get you free credit report, check your accounts, and maintain your credit.

How Many Credit Cards is Too Many?

I am amazed when I read literature from people that advocate that credit cards are evil and that a person should never own one. The reason that these people give is that the credit card owner will incur a lot of debt quickly and will be trapped by these devices of evil. These people automatically assume that you are going to irresponsibly use credit. That is an unfair assumption!

In order to support there arguments, these credit bashing people back up their arguments by quoting statistics. Mark Twain once said, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics!” The point Twain is trying to make is that people become slaves to statistics. For example, a statistic exists that states that 50% of first marriages end in divorce. Does this mean that you should not get married because it is doomed to failure? Of course not! The same holds true with credit cards. Just because there are people that struggle with credit card debt does not mean that you are going to struggle with it. Additionally, in this day and age, credit is a vital asset. Unless you plan on paying cash for your home and car(s), you are going to have to have credit in order to be approved for a loan.

If you are a responsible credit card user, the number of cards you have is irrelevant. However, for purposes of providing a finite number to the question presented above, I think 3 is a good number, but 4 at the most. My reasons are simple:

First, there are four major credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. I am not a big fan of the Discover card, therefore, having one card from each Visa, MasterCard, and American Express would give you a total of 3 cards. However, if you like Discover, then that would be your fourth card.

Second, when applying for a home loan, a bank looks to how many credit accounts you have open for a specific term. Most banks require that you have at least three credit accounts open and current that are at least 3 years old. Therefore, owning only 1 credit card will not cut the mustard.

Third, different cards give different benefits. Therefore, if your Visa has a low interest rate and you are making a larger purchase that will take a couple of months to pay off, use the Visa so you do not get nailed by the interest rate (of course all of your cards should have a low rate to begin with). However, if your American Express offers rewards points for airlines miles or other merchandise and your purchase is relatively small, use the American Express. The point is, tailor your credit card use to your purchases and the benefit you seek.

Last, most wallets only have room for four credits cards, therefore, you should only have four credit cards! I am just kidding about this last reason.

When I stated above that the number of cards you own is irrelevant if you are responsible, I meant that it is irrelevant in regard to debt management problems. There is a one other reason why you should not have more than 3 to 4 cards. As you maintain these cards, your credit limit will increase. Getting more cards adds to your total credit limit. If you have ten cards and a total credit limit of $100,000 (ten cards at $10,000 each), but you only make $50,000 a year, a home lender may view this as a risk. Think about it; you could borrow twice your annual salary! A home lender will be nervous that if you utilize that credit limit and ended up owing more than you can afford, you will default on the home loan. Additionally, depending on how and when you opened these accounts, you credit score could be negatively affected.

Here is the bottom line, use credit responsibly.

What to Do If You Have Lost Your Credit Card

Most of us carry our credit cards in our wallets or purses. What happens if the wallet or purse is lost or stolen?

First, as soon as you notice that your credit card has been lost or stolen, immediately call the bank that issued the card and report that the card has been lost or stolen (based on your situation). The effect is that the bank will put a hold on your card to prevent any subsequent purchases. Additionally, if your card has been used since you noticed its disappearance, most credit card companies will reimburse you for these fraudulent charges.

Second, find out the procedure for getting a new card from the bank. It may require some paperwork, but it is worth it to prevent fraudulent charges and to obtain a new card. If your card is stolen, you may have to file a police report in order for the bank to proceed with your request.

Third, if you use that card to auto-pay certain bills, you need to call those companies and notify them that your card has been stolen or lost and that you need to switch the account to another card (at least until you get the new card).

At this point there is not much else that you can do. I know it is frustrating and that you feel violated, however, as long as you notify your credit card company, initiate the process to get a new card, and notify any companies that auto-bill that card, you have solved the problem. One of the main things you should inquire about before you get a credit card is the procedure for disputing fraudulent charges. Make sure that you are not liable for these charges and that the dispute procedure is easy. Other than that, there is not much else you can do.

Cash or Credit - Which Should You Use?

As a general rule, you should never buy something with a credit card unless you have the money to pay off the charge. Many people like to buy things on credit (even though they cannot normally afford the item) with the intention that they will pay off the purchase in the long term. This is a mistake because you will end up paying more in interest than you would have had you paid cash.

Another way to use a credit card is as a rewards point builder. First and most obviously, you must have a rewards credit card for this to work. The process is very easy from here. All you do is use your credit card to make specific purchases throughout the billing period. When your bill becomes due, you pay off the entire amount. Obviously, you have to have the money available to pay off the entire monthly amount. Additionally, you must keep very accurate records of your charges in order to ensure that you have enough money on hand to pay off the monthly balance in full. The whole purpose is to build reward points without paying interest on your charges. Keeping accurate records and charging only specific purchases will help you accomplish this goal.

Most people are surprised when they get their monthly bill because they do not realize how much they have spent on food and gasoline. These charges can add up fast. If you are responsible with your credit and keep accurate records, this should not be a problem. How do you know if you are a responsible credit user? Let me put it this way; if you have to ponder whether or not you are a responsible credit user, chances are that you are not. This does not mean that you cannot utilize the rewards points strategy; all this means is that you probably should not purchase food or gas on credit because there is a chance you will charge more than you can afford. If this is the case, you should use cash (or a debit card) for food and gasoline purchases.

Basically, everything comes down to responsibility. If you are responsible, you could use cash and credit interchangeably without worry of getting in over your head. However, responsible or not, always keep accurate records of your credit so that you do not lose track of your spending.

What You Should Know About Credit Card Costs

Yes, credit cards can have costs. There are two main costs associated with credit cards: (1) interest rates; and (2) annual fees. However, even though these are the two monetary costs, there exist many intangible costs (such as customer service).

First, the monetary costs. Why oh why would you pay just to own a credit card? Annual fees are just nuts! Unless you have bad or no credit, have absolutely no other choice, and desperately need credit, then it may be... NO, scratch that sentence – there is absolutely no reason to pay an annual fee on a credit card. There are far too many credit choices from which to choose. Do not get a card with an annual fee, it is that simple.

In addition to annual fees, credit card companies charge other fees of which you may not be aware. If you are ever late on a payment, there is usually a fee. If you go over your credit limit, there is usually a fee. Know what these fees are and factor them into your decision as to whether to obtain that particular card.

How about interest rates? These can be pretty sneaky. First, you should notice that the interest rate is different for credit purchases and cash advances. Cash advances always carry a higher interest rate. Additionally, your monthly payment will not count towards your cash advance balance until your credit purchases balance is paid off. Why? Cash advances carry a higher interest rate, therefore, the longer that that balance remains unpaid, the more money the credit card company makes.

Also, make sure that the interest rate that is advertised is not an “introductory” rate or a “variable” rate. Introductory rates only last a couple of months (at most, one year). After that introductory period, your interest rate resets to the default rate. The default rate is usually a lot higher than the introductory rate. Therefore, be aware of what you are getting yourself into.

Variable rates change with economic conditions, therefore, you could have a great rate one month and a terrible rate another month. Do not play a guessing game with you credit card interest rate. Get a low fixed rate and you will be much happier.

Intangible costs can ruin a credit card. Have you ever called your credit card company only to listen to an infinite amount of menu options? When you finally get a real person on the phone that person tells you that you have called the wrong department. In an attempt to transfer you, the main menu comes back up and you are back to square one. At the least, this whole process is a waste of time. Why put up with this? As I said before, too many credit card options exist for you to have to settle for one with mediocre service. Your time is valuable; do not waste it on bad customer service!

Know the costs that are associated with a credit card. By doing this, you will be able to make the best decision possible based on your needs and wants.

How to Apply For a Credit Card

Applying for a credit card is a simple process. Everything can be done online nowadays. Additionally, you can receive an answer as to whether you are approved for the credit card, usually within thirty seconds. All you have to do is complete the application (which usually consists of you name, address, phone number, social security number, employment information, date of birth, etc.), click the submit button (if applying on-line) or mail in the application if submitting a hand written application, and wait for a response. The only part of this process that is difficult is determining what card is right for you.

There are many types of credit cards that offer many different types of options. First, you need to know if you want a charge card or a credit card. What is the difference? A charge card works just like a credit card except the balance is due in full at the end of a billing cycle, meaning that you cannot make payments over time. If you charge $1,000 during the billing period, $1,000 is due on your next bill. Charge cards are usually reserved for people with disposal income or people who have an established, high credit score.

A credit card, on the other hand, allows you to pay your balance over time at a set interest rate. The obvious advantage is that you can pay a charge over time. However, the additional advantage is that certain credit cards can be obtained even if you have no credit or bad credit.

Second, you need to determine your credit bonus. Do you want reward points that are redeemable for cash, airline tickets, and other merchandise, or do you want a low interest rate card? If you do not use you credit a lot or if when you do use your card you only use it for small purchases which you usually pay off in full, you may want to opt for the rewards card. This way you can build points towards rewards and the usually higher interest rate will not be a detriment because your balances are too low and because you always pay off the balance in full.

However, if you are just starting to establish your credit, you may want to go for the low interest card. This way, if you misuse your card, you will not get severely punished by the interest rate.
If you use your card a lot, look for a nice balance between rewards and low interest.

Third, should you have a card that charges an annual fee? Simply put, unless you have no other choice because your credit is bad, there is absolutely no reason to have a card that charges an annual fee. Do not get one!

Last, the type of card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, etc) is important. I am not the biggest fan of Discover cards because they are not always accepted, but in all fairness to Discover card, I never have had any problems with customer service. If you are getting your first card, opt for the Visa or MasterCard. These two cards are accepted virtually everywhere, and the credit cards of the major banks in the United States are usually either Visa or MasterCard. It just makes sense.

Find out which card you want, submit the application, and get your shiny new card. Just remember not to abuse the privilege.

Getting a Credit Card with Bad Credit

Getting a credit card with bad credit is not as hard as you may think. The types of credit cards that can be obtained with bad credit is the real problem.

There exists a financial practice called adverse selection. Adverse selection is the process of singling out potential customers who are considered higher risks than the average. Credit card companies combat this risk (the risk that people will default on their credit cards) by charging higher interest rates and annual fees. However, this is where the problems begin. If I have a great credit score, why I am going to get a credit card with high interest rates and high annual fees? The answer is, I would not get the card. Therefore, because people with good credit do not want the card, only people with below average credit scores (people that are “high risk”) apply for and obtain the card. Thus, a vicious circle is created. As the credit card companies charge more interest and fees on particular cards to offset the potential of default by high risk cardholders, those particular cards are only obtained by high risk cardholders. Thus, the behavior that the credit card company set out to deter is actually being promoted by the credit card companies’ practices.

So, if you have bad credit, where does this leave you? This leaves you with bad options as to credit card ownership. First, you could get one of those high interest, high annual fee, and low credit limit cards. You will probably pay more in annual fees and interest than you will principal. However, having the card (as long as it is a major credit card; Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover) and using it responsibly will help raise your credit score.

Second, you could obtain a secured credit card. This means that you have to put down a deposit. The amount of the deposit is the amount of your credit limit. It works as a debit card except that it is reported as a credit card (which is a benefit), but it also has high fees and interest rates (these are disadvantages).

Last, you could obtain a merchant credit card (Macy’s, Dillard’s, Sears, etc.). Having this kind of a card will help boost your credit score. However, the interest rate is going to be very high. These cards usually do not have annual fees, but the high interest rate is a great disadvantage.

Even though options are limited and not the best, they are options. Start reestablishing your credit today so that you can help finance your future and save money.

Evaluating the Need for Credit Cards

If you have endless cash, you will never have a need for credit. You will never have to take out a loan because you will always have the money to cover any cost. However, many people do not have this option.

As a general rule, you should not purchase something on credit if you cannot afford to pay for the item in cash. This does not mean that you have to have the entire amount in cash currently available. This means that you have to be able to use your cash, without financial strain, to pay off the bill.

In this day and age, credit cards are essential for building your credit score. Why is this important? Like I said, if you have endless cash, this is not a problem. However, like most of the people in this country, a big purchase, like a house, if something that cannot be afforded if cash was required. Therefore, in order to qualify for a big loan (like a house, car, etc.) we have to build our creditworthiness. Building your creditworthiness is accomplished by raising your credit score. Raising your credit score is accomplished by the correct use of credit cards.

Therefore, the need for credit cards is important in order to be able to afford shelter for yourself and your family and to provide a convenient mode of transportation. If used correctly, credit cards can be a very powerful financial tool. Learn to use your credit cards correctly and you will be able to open financial doors that would otherwise remain closed to you.

Should Teens Have Credit Cards?

A teen should have a credit card in order to teach him/her about financial responsibility. Of all the subjects we learn in school, we are never taught about finances, credit, or money management. This lesson is usually left to our parents. The problem with this is that many parents are not qualified to teach their children about money management. Therefore, the children walk blindly down the financial road only to meet numerous pitfalls and debt traps. One way to combat this potential for financial failure is to teach children about money management.

I use the term “children” loosely. I am not advocating that you sit your six old down and tell him/her about interest rates, credit scores, and investment risk. Absent you child being a financial prodigy, a six year old will not understand any of these subjects. However, once your child reaches fourteen, fifteen, or sixteen, lessons about financial independence should begin. I advocate these ages because these are the ages when most teens get their first job.

Bill Gates could lecture you about “how to become a billionaire,” but none of the information will be useful unless you can put the information into action. I feel the same way about teens and credit. You could lecture your teen about how credit cards work, the importance of timely payments, credit limits, and credit scores, but until a teen actually uses the card and pays a bill, he/she will never fully grasp the principles of this important financial tool. This does not mean that you should drop a $10,000 limit gold card into your teen’s hands and tell him/her to “go nuts.” However, there are many credit cards with a $300 - $500 limit that should be used as the teaching card. This amount is high enough so that your teen could actually use it, but low enough so that if your teen has a job, he/she will not get into trouble.

The credit lesson has to be taught carefully and slowly. It is very easy to lose track of how much you are spending with a credit card. Therefore, it is vital that a teen learn that a credit card is not a substitute for cash. Meaning, if you cannot afford to buy something, you should not put it on your credit card.

Teens should have credit, but only as a privilege used as a tool for financial education. A credit card, like a driver’s license, is a privilege, not a right. Therefore, teens should first be educated, and then be allowed the privilege of credit card use. They should always start small and SLOWLY build their credit limit. As a parent, you can always monitor your teen’s credit use to insure that your teen is using credit correctly.

What is Universal Default and How Does it Affect Your Credit?

Universal default can be a big problem. Have you ever looked at the terms and conditions of a credit card? Somewhere in the fine print you might discover that your particular credit card is subject to universal default.

What is universal default? Universal default is a practice in the financial industry where a loan that you have goes into default (whatever the default terms are under the agreement of said loan) when you default on another unrelated loan. In other words, if I have two credit cards, Credit Card A and Credit Card B, and Credit Card A is subject to universal default and I have NOT defaulted on said credit card but I have defaulted on Credit Card B, Credit Card A would then be in default.

Why is universal default a problem? Universal default is a problem because it can negatively impact your credit score. If you are never late on any payments, then this financial practice is unimportant, however, if by misfortune, mistake, or some other accident you are late on a loan payment (and thus in default) you can get dinged twice (once for the account for which you are in default and once for the card that practices universal default) for one accident. This in turn has a double negative impact on your credit report and credit score.

Universal default does make some sense if you think about it. A person’s credit worthiness is based on how likely a person is to pay back a loan. The more risky a person, the more unlikely he/she is to pay back a loan. Think about it like this: If a person defaulted on Loan A before applying for Loan B, that person would most likely be denied for Loan B. Why should this change if said person already has acquired Loan B? Is not that person still just as risky before acquiring the loan as he/she is during (post acquisition) the life of that same loan? Although this may be true, my thought is, why put yourself in harms way? Do not take on more risk than you have to. There are plenty of credit card companies that do not practice universal default, therefore, acquire those cards and save yourself the headache should you accidentally or even intentionally miss a payment on one loan.

Credit trap: Keeping Young Adults on the Right Track with Credit Cards

I will never forget the time I got my first credit card. I signed up on my college campus. It was great because I got a university t-shirt when I applied for the card. The people working the kiosk basically guaranteed that I would be approved. I was sold! I took the application, filled in my details, and impatiently waited for my shiny new card to arrive in the mail.

It is funny when I think back about how young and naïve I was. I did not care about annual fees, interest rates, or credit limits. If I would have known then what I know now, I would have set a booth right next to that credit card kiosk and passed out fliers about how bad the credit card offers are on university campuses.

There is a popular military strategy called “shock and awe.” Basically, a military will use overwhelming force and spectacular displays of power to paralyze the enemies on the battlefield and destroy their will to fight. The same strategy is used by these university credit kiosks. They promise young and financially naïve adults all these great benefits, but fail to inform about high annual fees and interest rates. Eventually, the college kid finds himself/herself in a debt trap from which he/she cannot escape.

My advice is to do your homework. Make sure that the credit card offer is not all smoke and mirrors. Ask about the annual fee and interest rates. If the person working the kiosk does not know the answers, do NOT get the card. There are too many places where a credit card can be obtained, therefore, you do not have settle for the sub par cards that they hand out on college campuses.

Will Paper Money Become Obsolete?

Just as coinage gave way to paper, paper will be run out of business by two different mechanisms. The first is plastic and the second is the computer.

It is undeniable that plastic is everywhere. All you see on television these days are VISA checkcard commercials. It is a convenience and security issue. It is lot easier to swipe a card through a machine than to hand the cashier money and receive change. Additionally, if you lose your card, who cares?! Call your bank and cancel the card. However, if you lose your cash, it is gone forever! The same is true in the case of destruction. How many of you have left money in your pocket and then thrown your pants in the dryer? Your plants are nice and clean, but the money in your pocket is ruined! Have you ever accidentally torn paper money, spilled liquids on it, or accidentally burned it? If this happens to your debit/credit card, it is no big deal. Your money remains safe and you get a new card.

The other device the will put an end to the reign of paper money is the computer. Your bank accounts, savings accounts, stock accounts, IRA accounts, and any other account you can think of is on-line. Wire transfers happen in the blink of an eye and you never have to worry about whether your money is safe. Additionally, with internet sites like Paypal, sending and receiving money via the Internet has never been easier or safer.

It is time to say goodbye to paper money and hello to the new ways to use currency.

Credit Score Conundrums

In my previous post, What are the Components of a FICO Score?, I discussed what the Fair Isaac Corporation takes into account, and each items respective weight, when calculating your FICO score. The interesting thing that I have noticed is that certain practices can both raise and lower your credit score. Lets look at a few of them:

(1) 30% of your score is based upon you debt to credit ratio, while 10% of your score is based upon the number of credit inquiries and “new” credit. The ideal situation is having a maximum of 25% of your credit in use as compared to your debt. Therefore, if you have $1000 in credit, you want to owe no more than $250 total.

As you continue to make consistent payments on your cards, you will most likely become eligible for a credit limit increase. However, you usually have to ask the credit granting company for an increase on your limit. This is good because it will lower your debt to credit ratio, however, you have just created “new” credit and just had an inquiry dinged against your credit report, and thus could lower your score. Interesting!

(2) Some experts state that you should pay off your outstanding balance in full while other experts say that creditors want to see consistent payments, thus you should always pay your bill over time. We now know that 35% of your FICO score depends upon timely payments. Nowhere in that calculation does the amount paid come into affect. Creditors send you a bill with the minimum payment set for you. Most experts agree that you should more than the minimum payment, but not for credit score reasons. You should make more than minimum payments so that you do not get hosed by the interest charges.

The bottom line is, paying off your amount due, whether in full or in parts, is not going to hurt your score (as long as those payments are timely). If you can afford to pay more than the minimum payment, do it. If you cannot, do not. I seriously doubt a creditor is going to penalize you (by means of a lower credit score) for paying back their money in one lump sum!

(3) 10% of your score is based on the type of credit you have. Most people build their credit score in order to take out installment loans, however, installment loans can lower your score. The situation that presents itself is an odd one. Most people build their credit score in order to purchase a car and/or home. However, taking out one of these loans can lower your score because some creditors may feel that this big monthly obligation could affect your ability to pay them back. Now we are back to the debt to credit ratio and the choice of whether or not to raise the credit limits.

The truth is, it seems that certain simple strategies (pay your bills on time, keep your debt low, and keep your credit high) have been to proven to build a credit score significantly. All of the other little things can either slightly chip away or slightly add to your credit score. As I pointed out, some strategies can have both a positive and negative effect. Therefore, if you want to play it safe, stick to the simple strategies and always be aware of the contents of your credit report and credit score.

Should You Obtain the Services of a Credit Monitoring Service?

As I have been discussing in previous posts, credit is a very important asset in today’s society. Differing views exist as to the overall importance of credit versus the importance of cash, however, supporters of the latter do not deny that credit can be a useful tool.

If you have credit, do you know how to protect it? As you may know, identity theft is one of the most “popular” (for lack of a better term) crimes to commit. Two problems exist with credit and identity theft. First, victims of identity theft have a hard time repairing their credit even though the victim is not the guilty party. Second, you are not aware you are a victim of identity theft until you try to make a purchase that requires a credit inquiry.

Many identity thieves use a different address when obtaining credit in the victim’s name. Therefore, the victim receives no bills, no late notices, and no phone calls about defaults and delinquencies. In the normal, everyday use of your credit card, you credit report is not inquired upon to see if you qualify for a purchase. Your credit report is only used if you intend to make a large purchase (such as a house or automobile). This can leave you “in the dark” as to any illicit credit activity for several months. In the meantime, your credit is literally being destroyed!

In order to prevent this, I use a credit monitoring service. The credit granting company I use offers such a service for $12.00 per month. It has every feature you can think of and gives me instant access to my full credit report and all three of my credit scores. I use this service because it will enable me to quickly identify any unusual information on my report, as well as show me if my credit score raising techniques are working. In addition to those services, the credit monitoring service also notifies me if any unusual activity is being reported on my report.

If you choose to obtain these services, make sure you follow some guidelines:

(1) Make sure the company is reputable. You are going to be giving this company all the information (including your social security number, your address, your birthday, etc.) it would every need to steal your identity. Make sure that the company has many safety features to prevent that from happening.

(2) A larger price per month does not mean better service or product. I have seen prices from $12.00 per month to over $100.00 per month for these services. Make sure you are getting some vastly superior product or service if you choose to shell out an addition $88.00+ per month.

(3) Make sure the service is easy to use and has a way to be immediately reached in the event that you notice suspicious charges on your credit report. You do not want to find something wrong and then find out that you have to submit a claim that could take weeks to process!

If you decide that these services are right for you, shop around, and find the best deal. Protect your credit now and you will be able to save yourself some frustration in the future. Think of this service as a necessary insurance in an identity theft rich time.

How Important is Good Credit?

Do you think that good credit is not an important asset? I have a friend that thought that very thing. Suddenly, not to long ago, reality slapped him in the face. His credit score was so bad that he could not get financed for a car! His lease was up and he tried to get another car, unfortunately, he was denied at every place he attempted.

You may be thinking that he did not look hard enough or was trying to get too expensive of a car. You may be correct, however, the point is that something like buying a car should be an enjoyable experience. Buying a car should not be an industrial pain that consumes one week of your life!

The sad truth about credit is that good credit is hard to get and bad credit is easy to get. If you have bad credit, you need to start today if you want to fix it. If you look at your credit report, you will see that negative information (such as late payments, charge-offs, etc) can stay on your credit report for years!

My buddy could not get financing for a $25,000 car. Could you imagine if he tried to get financed for a big purchase, like a house? That is too scary for me to imagine! Take care of your credit and you will be one step closer to financial freedom.