CREDIT cards are a lot like nagging wives -- you can't live with them, you can't live without them.From temporary borrowing, transfer of existing debt, facilitating regular purchase, social status and bill payments etc, credit cards seem to be a one-stop solution. The wife of course is a one-stop solution for everything in life.
But the downside is pretty steep too. High interest, threatening agents, bad credit history etc can follow a credit card And since you plan to enter a long term relationship with both -- it's best you choose carefully. But these days it may be a better idea to spend more time choosing your credit card than your wife because while your wife will forgive you if you forget her birthday, you credit card will not be as forgiving if you forget due day.
So let's see what you need to keep in mind while choosing your credit card:
1. Joining and annual fees
Many credit cards are being offered free for life except a few high-end credit cards. Hence you should ideally go for a card, which has no annual or joining fees. Make sure it's a lifetime offer and not just for the first year.
2. Balance transfer facility
Many consumers look at credit cards as a short-term debt facility. When a consumer is not able to manage the debt with one credit card, he wishes to transfer the debt on the other card. Balance transfer feature could be very useful in such a case.
3. Interest rates
Beware of this one. When credit card dues are not paid within the given period, banks charge interest on the amount due. If you are taking a credit card to avail a short-term loan, interest rate has to be taken very seriously. Generally these rates vary from 1.33% to 3.15% per month depending on the card type and other features.
4. Credit period
Usually, all banks that provide credit cards extend a free credit period of 21-52 days. This depends upon the type of card and the date of transaction. More the interest free credit period, the more time you have to pay off the due without having to pay the interest.
5. Credit limit
This the is the maximum amount you can spend at a time, using your credit card. This depends on your income, which the bank refers to when issuing you the card. The general outlook is -- higher the credit-limit the better! This is not advisable unless you intend to use the credit card limit.
6. Customer service
Few years back, customer service was not a greatly developed concept in banking as well as credit cards. Now customer service is a factor to be taken very seriously when going for a credit card. It’s better to go for a credit card offered by a bank with which you already have an existing good relationship.
7. Reward points and cash-back
All banks are trying to attract customer through schemes like reward points. Especially people who intend to use the credit card fairly regularly should look for good reward point schemes.
8. Shopping perks
A good credit card is acceptable with most merchants in the town and across the country. Having tie-ups with multiple outlets, which offer great discounts, and shopping schemes are an added advantage. This also includes the waiver of surcharge at petrol pumps and utility bill payments.
That's a long list isn't it? The smart way to select a credit card is outlining the needs first. Don't go for features that you will never use. Thankfully the path to selecting the right wife is a whole lot simpler, especially in our country -- Just ask your parents to do it for you!
