Some people choose to live without credit cards because they fear that they might run up lots of debt if they got one. There is no reason to be afraid of having a credit card. Credit cards are especially useful for buying expensive items or buying items online. Read on to find tips and advice for using your credit cards in an educated and beneficial way.

These days, many credit card companies offer large incentives for using their card. Make sure that you’re fully aware of what’s in the fine print, as bonuses offered by credit card companies often have strict requirements. A common requirement is to spend enough on the card within a short period of time. Only apply for the card if you expect to meet the level of spending needed to get the bonus.

When you are looking over all of the rate and fee information for your credit card make sure that you know which ones are permanent and which ones may be part of a promotion. You do not want to make the mistake of going for a card with very low rates and then they balloon shortly after.

You know that paying your credit card bill late will incur a penalty, but you should remember that there is a penalty for running your balance over your credit limit, too. Both of these are pretty large fees and going over your limit can put a blemish on your credit report. Monitor things closely, and never exceed your personal limit.

Never leave a space blank on your credit card receipt when you make a purchase. You should draw a line through the tip line so that someone else does not take it upon themselves to write an amount in. Also, check your statements to make sure that your purchases match what is on your statement.

If you are determined to stop using credit cards, cutting them up is not necessarily the best way to do it. Just because the card is gone doesn’t mean the account is no longer open. If you get desperate, you may ask for a new card to use on that account, and get trapped in the same cycle of charging you wanted to get out of in the first place!

Do not write you password or pin number down at any time. The safest place for this information is in your memory, where nobody else can access it. Recording the pin number, and keeping it where you keep your credit card, will provide any person with access if they desire.

You may want to consider using layaway, instead of credit cards during the holiday season. Credit cards traditionally, will cause you to incur a higher expense than layaway fees. This way, you will only spend what you can actually afford during the holidays. Making interest payments over a year on your holiday shopping will end up costing you far more than you may realize.

The advice in this article will help anyone fearful of getting their first credit card. When you know how to use them properly, credit cards can be very handy, so you do not have to feel anxious. If you follow the advice that was in this article, using your credit card responsibly will be easy.