Skip to main content

You should stop using credit cards now if ...


You can also read this on BeingFinWise
__

Credit cards are often too attractive to resist. Many of them come loaded with some good welcome gifts, some good offers, a good credit period and the promise of enabling you fulfill your dreams via credit limit. Yet, for many people, especially first timers, this euphoria vanishes before few months. The underlying reason for most of them is - "I don't know how the money vanishes and I land up with so much of credit card bill". In other words, they are unable to control expenses.

Credit cards can be very helpful in organizing your expenses, getting rewarded via reward points and earning interest as you defer your payments by around a month on average. 

However, use of credit cards, if indiscriminate, can soon backfire.

You need to stop using credit cards if -
  • You are an impulse shopper and don't think twice before buying stuff worth thousands - with/ without any clearance sale.
  • When you are unable to pay your card and paying interest on your outstanding is more of a norm than exception.
  • If you tend to be swipe-happy when drunk or hungry. These are the times when one is likely too spend a lot only to regret later.
  • If credit cards are the only way you could make a big ticket purchase, and you couldn't afford it in cash
  • You don't care too much about interest free time period (not a big sum usually) or reward points (even debit cards have rewards) and find credit card a distraction. 

One may argue that you may need to use credit cards in case of emergency.  Fair point. In that case, probably you can keep your credit card (s) outside your wallet and not save it online, but still within your reach (e.g. locked inside an almirah). This is still the second best option - the best being being able to control your expenses and spending behavior.

You may also want to read - Credit Cards - Boon or Bane  and - Why should you avoid credit card debt.





Comments

Shop @ Amazon

Popular posts from this blog

What's the purpose of investing?

"Investment" - This word is much used and often much abused one. One keeps on hearing this almost all the time be it in office or catching up with friends or attending a family functions - almost everywhere. More so when we are fed with lot of information about how one needs to make money work to get more money. However, for a lot of people, the clarity on one question is often lacking - What is the purpose of investing? And even if one knows his/ her purpose of investing, it is often not implemented in real life. For instance, purpose of one's investments may be having sufficient funds in times of need. Yet they may opt for a personal loan when faced with pressing need for money. Based upon my observations, below are some of the most common purpose of investments (in no particular order) I invest because there is some sufficient funds lying with me and I can get great returns. I am investing for some specific goal - buying a house, education of kids, m...

Get cashback while doing online shopping

Originally published on BeingFinWise __ Cashbacks are an amazing way to save money while shopping. More so while you do online shopping. In addition to regular deals and discounts, you can get cashback if you go via affiliates . This way you can get cashback on your online shopping, over and above your regular deals. Some of the popular affiliate networks offering cashback on online shopping in India are Cashkaro ,  Gopaisa , Pennyful etc.

"On a break"

As mentioned in my previous post, of late I haven't been able to gather sufficient motivation or energy to make posts on this blog. Hence I am going on a self imposed exile from the blogosphere for some time. In other words I am "On a Break" This some time may last for few hours, few days or maybe few months. It depends upon when one fine day I gather sufficient motivation to type what is there inside my head and post things on the blog!!! Hoping to get alive soon on this blog! __ "Life is an infinite, non-converging exponential series of random irreversible screw ups of ever increasing magnitudes one after another "

Rich, yet bankrupt

Originally published on BeingFinWise __ Tennis legend Boris Becker is in news - for wrong reasons. He is having auction off his trophies to pay off his debts . Even then, the debt will not be fully repaid. To think of it, he was the youngest Grand Slam champion & considered one of the greats in tennis. He won Wimbledon when he was just 17! At that level, tennis does pay a huge amount of money! So we can safely assume, that he would have had no dearth of money. Boris Becker is not the only celebrity to be rich, yet bankrupt. There are ample examples. For example, Michael Jackson died, he was in huge amount of debt.

Financial tips for a 25 year old

Originally published at  BeingfinWise __ If you are 25 year old, there is a good likelihood that you would have started working or are likely to start soon. And hopefully start(ed) managing your own finances. So, what do you do next? The good news is that having a profession can soon lead to cash flows which perhaps wouldn't have seen in your student days. And that can be empowering in many ways. The bad news is that, if you are reckless with spending money, it can soon lead to a downward financial spiral. Managing your finances well can be a good first step towards a healthy financial life. And it starts with small steps.