UPDATE as of January 2015: I’m back to having just one credit card now. You might want to know how I became credit card debt-free. 🙂
I used to own only one credit card. Then it became two. Currently, I own three credit cards from different banks. So far, and thank God, I’m managing all three well. But it’s not a walk in the park, you know. Like many people, there are times when I get to overspend and end up getting charged with interests and late payment fees.
Having credit cards can be stressful, too. That’s why managing your credit cards well is a must. I’m not an expert at credit card debt management but here are some things I do to make sure my credit card debts don’t balloon to alarming levels:
1. I keep track of my credit card’s available balance and the expenses I make.
2. I take note of my credit card’s cut-off date. It’s usually 20 days before your due date.
3. As much as possible, I pay the full amount due. If I can’t, I do the next best thing: pay higher than the minimum amount due.
4. I pay my credit card bills on time.
5. If I want to buy something, I wait for the cut-off date to pass before buying. This way, I am able to lengthen the time to pay off my debts.
6. I limit my credit card spending to groceries, medicines, clothes and household items. If I’m buying something that’s already considered a luxury or requires a big amount of money, say a ceramic insulator, I save up for it first and buy it in cash. Unless, of course, when it’s available at 0% interest.
7. I make use of my credit card reward points.
8. I don’t use my credit card whenever I can.
Like many people, I’ve also had my share of credit card problems. Good thing I was able to rise above them with discipline and determination. If there’s one thing I learned when it comes to credit cards, it’s that you should never use them just for the sake of using them. Every purchase should be well thought-out.
Debts are still debts. If you think you can’t pay them, don’t make them. Plain and simple. 🙂