5 Tips for Using a Credit Card Responsibly

[{"selector":"#anim-7197902a-fa0a-4199-8e97-5113e8c6a4a7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-016ac57d-3610-408d-91c5-cbfab490ff10","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.58442%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Credit cards can help people build credit —and potentially earn cash reward points, among other benefits.

[{"selector":"#anim-a7b11da9-5cd3-4b64-b0b4-0f8f631adb75","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b4c49bea-d1fa-4a6b-b53c-986b9abe1908","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-120%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1aae6adc-b915-4027-a5de-2112b05525bc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-747309cb-78cb-47b1-baab-c2ede9568ea9","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.5)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.95)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] Burst with Arrow Learn more

The challenge comes in, of course, when you can’t pay your balance in full in a relatively short time.

[{"selector":"#anim-d059af5b-534a-4612-9cc1-eaca1eb42320","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aee1c431-0912-46bf-bc73-41276f0123c3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 344.50114%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Avoiding Making Too Many Impulse Purchases

[{"selector":"#anim-b08b3ab7-4400-421a-8a8d-875fd1629dba","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5420a305-0ee5-4ea4-9947-c143ec623e03","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 198.80689%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Using the right credit card. For example, some credit cards charge an annual fee.

[{"selector":"#anim-958f2337-746b-4511-9609-0be7adf0974e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-75a41d08-31b3-4b62-8f34-b6d178ee6599","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 168.45056%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Signing up for eligible rewards programs can help credit card holders make the most of their card.

[{"selector":"#anim-6c566499-89eb-4fce-b817-619588ab7f05","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e8518b6-2ea7-4145-a587-848dd14cae75","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 152.86595%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

To avoid missing payments or making them late, consider signing up for an automatic payment plan with the credit card company.

[{"selector":"#anim-116d7758-cfad-4a8e-a4ef-4f4d1d97d43f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3bdb29f-0acd-4b2c-b13d-8c619e98d864","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 162.48770%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Swipe up to learn more tips.

[{"selector":"#anim-0d225694-f15d-4bf9-af5d-61568e129a08","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-86acf023-074a-402d-a6e0-f09cc4afb7cd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 268.89836%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

More Stories

[{"selector":"#anim-c422c179-6995-4d18-9010-8e79b8e5d411","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5cc1a08b-887b-4422-9db1-c80215f1c7a6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-118.30986%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-54f3a7b9-ba3d-4f42-8a27-0fbed5bef03a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c86c893d-8c63-4d95-941d-19523d6605e4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-106.23306%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-da7e0e8a-70b3-4cc9-a0cd-bf743dff512d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84f52a7f-0c8c-4d08-8c46-856558df20a1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-120.54795%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-51a1bc48-d45c-4c12-bb34-39cf0b17fb47","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ddf2dca7-18de-43ed-996c-f8628aa2ac3f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-110.78167%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] College Graduates: Build Wealth by Avoiding 11 Common Money Mistakes After Landing Your First Job Gross vs Net Income: What is the Difference?