Nothing makes a credit card more enticing than the promise of receiving cash back with every purchase. Such an arrangement makes perfect sense in the minds of people whore going to use their credit cards with or without incentives. But grabbing at the first cash back credit card offer that comes your way could create problems for your finances. Points and privileges still have their place, but card issuers recognize the power of luring consumers with cold, hard cash.

Theres no question that the credit card industry is still immensely profitable. Issuers manage to draw sensible consumers in with promises of free money and juicy bonuses. But responsible consumers need to consider why card issuers would make these offers to begin with. Although it might be gratifying to think that they want the best for us, the reality is that we cant count on them being so kind.

Cash back cards may not be all you expected if you dont choose the right card. Pay attention to the following points to come out ahead of the credit card company.

Dont Make It A Game

Your ploy to open several new cards just to cash in on the signup bonuses then cancel them after you receive the cash will backfire. Opening and closing credit cards at random will hurt your credit score. Remember that your credit utilization ratio is factored into your final score so any increase in that percentage will cause your score to drop. Apart from that, youll forfeit your rebates on the cards if you dont meet certain limits. And if you overspend just to qualify for the rebates, youll hurt your finances more than anything else.

Do The Math

Dont get sucked in by attractive 2-6 percent cash back offers. The average cash back rebate is 1 percent, so be wary of unusually high offers. If you fail to read the conditions of those high percentage rebates, youll realize too late that theyre restrictive or almost impossible to obtain.

For instance, some cards promise 5 percent returns on groceries. But if you do most of your grocery shopping at a membership warehouse, you wont qualify for the rebate card issuers typically exclude some types of stores from their programs.

Revolving categories also make it harder for card holders to keep track and get the benefits of high percentage deals. Whats worse, is that you have to sign up to be included in the higher rebate categories. So if you go shopping without explicit confirmation from the credit card company, the rewards will never materialize.

In other cases, you have to agree to high annual fees in order to qualify for the inflated rebates. According to reports, over 65% percent of card holders never cash in on their rebates. The cloudy terms and constant roadblocks by card issuers are both reasons some consumers give up in frustration.

Read The Fine Print

Every card has its own set of rules as it relates to redemptions, expirations and forfeitures. For example, a late payment could lead to the loss of months of accumulated cash back rebates. Imposed pay increments are another way that card issuers hold back some of your money. So if your account has an irregular amount as often happens- it will sit in the account until you reach the required minimum.

Credit card debt settlement has costs and it comes in the form of negative marks on your credit score. If you are already missing payments, however, this is unlikely to do any additional damage in a practical sense because you arent going to find people that are willing to loan you money with past due accounts at least not at a reasonable interest rate, anyway. Credit card companies have several priorities. The first is to generate profit for the parent company and its shareholders. When it becomes evident that someone may be unable to pay his or her balance, there is a priority shift that happens that can work to your advantage. The main concern of the bank or credit card company is to get as much of the balance back from you as possible and closing or restricting your account. This will allow them to avoid charging off the amount on their income statement, which would cause their stock to fall. Management will get lower bonuses, and consequently, dividend payments to shareholders will be reduced. If you declare bankruptcy, it is possible that the entire credit balance will be wiped out because credit card debt is known as unsecured in most cases and that means it isnt backed by any specific collateral, just your promise to repay and they will no longer be able to recover their investment. This would be the worst-case scenario for the credit card company. If you have missed several payments already and your credit score has been affected, all it takes is a series of phone calls to the company explaining that you are seriously considering bankruptcy but you want to avoid that. Tell your creditor that you want to make good on as much debt as you can but you dont know if its still possible. Heres the best credit card debt settlement tip: Negotiate with your creditor by offering to pay off 25% of your credit card debt balance over the next few months in exchange for the company freezing interest costs and closing the account. Closing the account will make the matter worst for you in as much as it will affect your credit score. You may have to spend some time on the phone or meeting with your creditor. You need to let them know that you are on the brink of declaring bankruptcy but you want to avoid it at all costs. Tell them whatever story you need to think up to get them to believe that you are coming up with everything you possibly can and this is the best they can hope for because the alternative is likely nothing following a discharge of the debt in bankruptcy court. If you can convince them of that, you have a very good chance at reaching a credit card debt settlement agreement. After your debts are settled, its time for the healing process to begin by repairing your credit. A good debt settlement company should provide you with free credit repair as part of their service. Credit card debt settlement can increase your credit score if you are able to pay off your debt and your credit card is not closed contrary to declaring bankruptcy which will adversely affect your credit score and leave you with bad record.

Using credit cards poorly has the potential to sink you into debt and rack up enormous interest fees. But used correctly and conscientiously, you can reap the many benefits of spending on a credit card while staying debt-free. These tips will help you maximize the benefits of your Visa credit card and any other cards you have in your wallet.

Freebies

To encourage you to sign up, many credit card companies offer freebies once you’ve spent a specified amount on your card. These perks include such benefits as points toward a free flight or vouchers for online shopping. Use your card for normal spending, but to avoid the interest rates, pay it off in full every month.

Extended Warranties

Many credit card companies offer free one-year extended warranties on electronics and other major purchases. Diligent credit cards comparison will ensure you get the best warranty deals available, potentially saving you a great deal of money on product repairs and replacement.

Consumer Protection

Under the Section 75 law, if you spend a minimum of 100 on a product from a company that disappears soon after, your lender is liable for refunding your money if something goes wrong with the product and you are unable to contact the company from which you purchased the item. Use your card to make major purchases, but only if you have the cash up front to pay off the balance in full to avoid paying interest fees that will add up to much more than the product is worth.

Purchase Protection

Many credit cards offer some sort of protection against items purchased on the card that are lost or stolen within a certain amount of time after purchase. Know which of your credit cards offer this protection, and use those cards for purchasing items that are frequently stolen, such as bicycles or personal electronics.

Boost Your Credit Score

If you have less-than-stellar credit, you can use your credit card to vastly improve your credit rating. Spend only what you can afford to pay back each month, especially if you have very poor credit and an easy-to-get credit card, most of which have astronomical interest rates. Pay your balance in full and on time each month and watch your credit score increase.

Make Money with Your Card

If you are debt-free and have a good credit score, you can potentially make extra money from your credit card. Many credit card companies offer 0% interest cards to new customers for a specified period of time. By making all of your purchases on the card and keeping the cash you would have spent in a high-interest savings account, you can rack up a good amount of money while paying only the minimum amount due on the card each month. But beware: if you miss a payment, you could lose the 0 percent interest. Making money off of your credit card is called “stoozing,” and you should only do it if you’re disciplined enough to make your minimum payments on time every month.

Many people consider that credit card is a symbol of wealth and it can be a wonderful financial tool that offers great benefits for those who utilize it to their advantage. If you have strong self discipline to clear off your outstanding every month, holding a card makes a great financial sense to you. However, temptations to overspend and live beyond one’s earning ability are the main risks that cause the card holders to be burdened by deep debt.

Purchasing online and swiping the credit card during shopping are really easy tasks and you are definitely enjoying the moment. However, if you don’t have the ability to pay for the amount you swipe based on your current income, within a short period, you will find yourself drowning in debt. Not being able to pay back on time can lead to the damage of one’s creditworthiness and it is hard for obtaining other loans in the future. Although you won’t be sued for bankruptcy by the banks as credit card debt is an unsecured debt, it is hard for you to obtain any financial aid for other important purpose and the possibility to be blacklisted by the banks and financial institution is high.

Besides, you may also face the risk of identity theft. This happens when someone may obtain your credit card details and use them to make purchases online on your behalf. The purchases may be huge amount and you will be facing difficulty to prove that you never make the purchase. Normally in this type of situation, you will not be able to use your credit until the detailed investigations are done by the bank or credit card companies. Although the banks will not hold you responsible for such transactions, it is troublesome and time consuming for you to settle the case.

To sum up, there are some risks you need to bear when you are holding the credit card. It is important for you to handle the usage in a careful and responsible manner.