Did you know that you can take advantage of the numerous credit card tips available? The increasing competition among credit card providers has prompted most of them to give exciting offers to attract new clients.
That’s what we call a credit card hack. Several of such hacks you can opt for and exploit whenever they’re available like Loan Advisor posts can help.
Some of them are considered life-changing and will have a significant impact on users. If you would love to enjoy some of these hacks that card issuers offer, this blog will help you. Read on to find the best credit card hacks.
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Free Sign-Up Bonuses
Several credit cards have sign-up bonuses, and that’s something you should consider—these range from free hotel stays, cash backs, and air flight ticket points. There’s no point why you should use $30,000 on your card to earn 30,000 points when you can get the same number of points by applying for a new card.
Are you looking for a free flight? This is the easiest and cheapest way to get one. Getting the bonus only needs spending a certain amount on your card within the first few months of acquiring it. The bonus becomes yours if you can meet the requirement. This process of opening a new credit card and qualifying for a welcome bonus, using its points, and then canceling it is called “churning.” You can churn as many credit cards as possible to enjoy the sign-up bonuses.
0% Introductory Interest Rates and Purchase APR
This time-tested hack is the best way to clear a credit card debt that you may be currently having. With it, you can transfer the balance from a high-interest rate card to one with a 0% introductory rate and a grace period of about 12-18 months. Once you do the transfer, you can use that period to pay off the debt without a high-interest rate. By the expiry date, you’ll manage to either reduce or clear the debt.
You can also repeat the process if you don’t manage to finish paying off the bill.
You can also use 0% purchase APR to make big purchases. Long ago, this special offer was only for balance transfer between cards, but now some credit card issuers offer it on purchases. For instance, if you plan to buy a big-ticket item like a medical procedure, or household assets, using a credit card with a 0% APR can suffice. It will allow you to divide the purchase into numerous payments without needing to pay interest.
Use A Cash Back Credit Card
Another significant credit card hack is to use a cash back credit card to pay for everything. Most of these cards have bonus cash categories and let you amass cash rewards. Using your credit card to pay for everything, and not only those than attract the most rewards can help you maximize the cash earnings. This way, you can enjoy using the earned cash backs. You can also multiply your cashback bonus categories as a way to explore more on this hack.
Foreign Exchange Savings
Sometimes you might end up paying a lot when doing foreign transactions instead of saving. Most credit cards impose a fee on such transactions, and for someone traveling internationally, the fees can accumulate quickly. Thus, take advantage of cards that waive the foreign transaction fees whenever you’re going. This also applies to the purchase of goods online in foreign currencies.
Extended Warranty Benefits
Imagine that you can purchase that favorite item of your dream hassle-free? You might do so on an extended warranty, but using additional money isn’t a viable option. Using the appropriate credit card can help you get an extended warranty and save money. Confirm if any of your cards have extended warranty coverage before you go shopping. If so, then use the benefit to your favor. Store the purchase receipt well during the warranty period as a proof for a claim if the item fails.
Earn Free Annual Companion Travels and Hotel Stays
Travel rewards credit cards can earn miles or points that can help you acquire free flights or hotel stays. Once you accumulate enough points, redeem them for the same purpose. The flight can be utilized for an annual holiday trip or vacation.
Some e-cards give a yearly airfare companion voucher, only for keeping it open. Each year you keep it open, you obtain a coupon to use to fly a companion, thus, saving a lot of money in flight.Check if your card offers such a voucher and if it will allow your partner to board the flight in the same class seat as you. There’s no better and cheaper way to go for an outing than taking advantage of this hack!
Redeem Cash for A Gift Card
If you have a credit card whose issuer partners with another gift card provider, it can be ideal for dealing with the card rewards. You might prefer maximizing the rewards by redeeming them for a gift card to getting cash. This way, you can use the card responsible for doing various things. For instance, if you have $40 in cash, you can redeem them for a $45 gift card.
Avoid Making Late Payments
Paying late can damage a credit score and is also costly. If you don’t want to incur additional costs, try and make on-time payments. Sometimes, we pay our credit cards late because we forget. To avoid that, why not authorize automatic credit card payments from your bank? You can do that for a minimum payment or the overall balance, which is the best thing to do to avoid more debt accumulation.
It’s also advisable not to carry a balance. No card benefit will be worth it if that happens, leading to financing charges. It will help if you pay the balance in full and on time every month to evade high interest and applicable late fees. Doing that will boost your credit score and is an excellent hack to keep a clean sheet with the credit card issuers.
The Bottom Line
There are several credit card hacks available. The best ones are highlighted in the above discussion. Using credit cards to finance yourself is a perfect choice, but requires careful moves. Any wrong decision can cost you a lot.
If properly and wisely used, they offer convenience and protection; use the hacks in this blog to help you focus.