Have you ever wondered if it is a good idea to stop using your credit cards? This is a question that might have crossed the minds of many of us, especially now with the inflation and all the prices going up.
We all deal with financial difficulties, and sometimes having a credit card is both a blessing and a curse. There are some good aspects, for sure, but depending on the context, the bad ones might overshadow them.
Credit cards are easy to acquire, and they might seem like a great idea at first glance. They are also extremely popular. If you look around, almost everybody has a credit card.
But are there any reasons to stop using your credit cards? Read on and find out all about it!
1. Nobody wants a poor credit score
A three-digit figure called a credit score measures your creditworthiness. 300 to 850 is the range of the FICO score. Your chances of being approved for loans and receiving better rates increase with your credit score.
And as everyone wants to have these advantages, they tend to take care and do their best in order to have a good credit score. Now, if you have a credit card and the balances go unpaid, your credit score will drop.
This can lead to an unexpected rate increase on the insurance bill. This happens because the insurance companies might believe that since you can’t pay for your credit card, you might also not pay for the maintenance of your home or car. Being an irresponsible person increases the risk of this happening.
But having a bad credit score is not limited to that. Some employers run credit checks in the selection process, and if they notice that some applicants have a bad credit score, they might not hire them solely based on this.
This might be just one of the reasons to stop using your credit cards. Credit scores are important in our society, and they are also crucial in the process of obtaining a mortgage.
2. Stop using your credit cards? Maybe because of the fees
It is a well-known fact that credit card companies make most of their money from interest charges, but a lesser-known fact is that they get nearly as much from fees. The way it works is that if you are late with the payment, your late fee has a chance of being pretty high.
Also, credit cards have a limit, and if you go past that limit, you will get a fee. If you want a special reward credit card, you will need to pay a fee every year as long as you have the card.
Even more, if, let’s say, you have two credit cards and you want to make a balance transfer between them, you might have to pay a balance transfer fee. In case you leave the US, you will certainly have to pay a fee for foreign exchange.
Using your credit card carelessly might result in you paying more in fees than interest, making this one of the reasons to stop using your credit cards.
3. The credit card might make you spend more
When people pay using a credit card instead of cash, they tend to spend more by purchasing expensive items.
This is mostly psychological since just signing a receipt and not having to worry about payments for a month will make buying a $1,000 smartphone or laptop feel less significant. Not a big deal, right?
If you ask us, not really. The advantage of paying with cash is that you can physically feel the bills leaving your hand, and this might give some people a real sense of how much money the items that they buy cost.
This can also apply if you pay by check. We say this because, after paying with a check, the purchase will be immediately recorded in a checkbook, which also shows you the balance of your account.
So, if you decide to stop using credit cards after this, we won’t blame you. Maybe it’s for the better.
4. Sometimes it’s all about bait and switch
Many times you will receive a preapproved 0% fixed-rate credit card application in the mail, and you might think that all is well. You will have a 0% fixed-rate credit card. Unfortunately, many times this is not true at all.
There is a high chance of receiving an alternative card that has higher interest rates. Some credit card issuers state in the small print that by submitting an application, you consent to accept any of the credit cards they send you, not only the one they are advertising.
This is why it is important to read everything they send you. This can happen to anyone, and it is not pleasant. That 0% fixed-rate credit card can be just the bait they use to get your attention and make you apply for a credit card.
Never apply for a credit card if you are now aware of what it will mean. Because of this, it is not a bad idea to stop using your credit cards.
5. Interest is expensive
As we already said, if you feel like you have no self-control, you better stop using your credit cards. We tell you this because it can become a threat to your budget. You need to be an extremely practical person when you have a credit card.
Because credit card interest rates are so high, if you don’t pay your balance in full each month, your purchases will cost you extra. And when we say extra, we really mean it.
Let’s say that you decide to buy something that costs you $1,000, and you want to pay for it using your credit card. This credit card has an interest rate of 18%. If we do the math, by paying the minimum each month, after a year, you will have paid $175 in interest, and you still owe $946 for your purchase.
Keep in mind that if you can’t pay for a purchase in cash, try not to make it even more expensive by using your credit card and adding interest to the price.
6. Taking care of your peace of mind
Having a credit card is not as easy as it sounds. As you can see, there are many disadvantages, and if you are not a practical person, it is hard to keep up with all the fees and all the tricks they use to make you spend more.
But if you don’t owe money, that means you will have some peace of mind. This is why we say that you should only buy expensive things when you are sure you can afford them. In this way, it will be more rewarding for you, and you will not have to pay any additional fees.
In conclusion, maybe it is better to stop using your credit cards for your own peace of mind. In the long run, this is extremely important.
If you need something to keep your cards in, you can try a card holder. You can easily buy the following from Amazon: RFID Blocking Wallet – Minimalist Leather Business Credit Card Holder
You should also read: 15 Ways to Protect Yourself Financially During Inflation
One Response
IF. , a big IF you use your card , it is imperative you keep track of your purchases and PAY OFF card each month. When banks paid interest over 4% , you paid off card on the date due, therefore your delay of paying would get more interest on bank account, and none on the card. Not adhering to paying off credit card balance creates the beginning of a hole that you can’t dig your way out of.