The Best Credit Card Perks That You Didn’t Know About
Credit cards are often a necessary and common thing. This is especially true if you need to book a hotel or car rental. You can also use credit cards to purchase things you don’t have the cash for. This is especially useful if your fridge suddenly stops working and you don’t have enough money to replace it.
Many cards offer perks that allow you to use the card. These perks can include free or discounted tickets and items. These are some of the best and most well-known perks that credit cards offer.
But, First….
Before we get into the fun perks let’s first address the serious stuff. When you don’t have enough money to pay for important items, credit cards can come in handy. They can also lead to financial disaster. To avoid this, it’s important to manage your credit cards carefully. To do this, here’s the key thing:
Perks can only be perks if you are using them to your benefit.
Each purchase on a credit cards is an opportunity for the credit card company charge interest. This interest may be added to your monthly bill. This allows you to pay the balance off before the billing period ends. You won’t be charged interest if you do.
However, sometimes interest is added daily. You will need to pay the bill immediately if you don’t want to be charged interest. Many credit cards have annual fees.
Let’s look at this in context: You’ll pay $399 to use your credit card if you pay $99 per year for the annual fee and $25 per month in interest. It’s not worth it if you get only $100 per year in perks.
Also, be mindful of the perks. For frequent flyers, many credit cards offer airline perks. If you fly only once a year to visit your family for the holidays, however, these perks may not be worth the cost.
Bottom line: You shouldn’t just sign up for a card simply because it has perks. For starters, you need to be aware of the interest rate and annual fees. It is also important to only choose a card that you will actually use. This is the only way perks will be worth the cost.
Best Credit Card Perks Most People Aren’t Aware Of
Let’s get to the good stuff. You might recognize some of these perks while you’re reading through them, but most people don’t know about many others. Let’s get into the details and see if there are any perks you could use.
Airline Perks
While you may already know that points can be used to purchase airline tickets, the benefits of airline perks go beyond just those cards. You can also take advantage of a few more.
You get access to airport lounges as a perk. This perk is not always worth it. In some cases you will get a drink and snack. There are lounges that offer spa treatments and gourmet meals. This alone may be worth it if you travel frequently. To find out what lounges you have access to, you will need to do some research.
You may also receive a first-class upgrade for your flight, a complimentary TSA pre-check and a companion ticket. These perks often have annual fees of $200 or more so they aren’t for everyone. Make sure to calculate the savings and make sure you aren’t paying too much.
Other travel perks
Some cards also offer travel perks beyond airline perks. After you have paid for three or more, many cards will offer a night free at a hotel. Many offer travel insurance, rental car insurance and trip cancellation insurance. They also provide roadside assistance, lost baggage insurance, concierge services and other benefits. Many offer lower foreign exchange rates and lower transaction fees for travelers abroad.
Price Protection
Do you remember spending money on an item only to find out that it was cheaper two days later? It’s so frustrating!
There’s some good news. Your credit card may be able to protect you if you shop online often like many people do these days. The credit card company will reimburse the difference if the price of your item drops within a certain time period, usually between 30 and 90 day. This is known as price protection. This is not available with all cards, but it can be a useful feature if you are able to get it.
Entertainment Perks
Your credit card could help you feel like a VIP at a members-only event. Some companies offer access to these events. Many companies offer members the opportunity to pre-buy tickets for concerts, theatres, and other similar events. Although many of these events take place in major cities like New York and Chicago, they may also be available in smaller towns. It doesn’t hurt to look into what is available in each case.
Many places that you may like to visit are offered by credit card companies. Some credit cards allow you to enter museums, botanical gardens, aquariums and ice skating arenas free of charge. Some allow you to skip the line completely or receive deeply discounted admission. If you and your family love visiting these places, this can be a great deal.
You might also be interested in streaming credits for companies that offer monthly streaming credits. This credit can be used on many services such as Spotify and Hulu.
This is one of the perks that you need to think about. For $240, you can stream to 4 devices on Netflix for the entire year. This perk may not be worth the cost if you don’t have any other perks.
Protection for cell phones
Let’s face it, most people spend quite a lot on their smartphones for its various capabilities and features. It’s not unusual for most people to spend a lot on their phones. We all depend on our phones to manage our lives. But spending hundreds of dollars on a phone can seem intimidating because they are so fragile.
Some credit card companies offer insurance for cell phones. They will reimburse you for the cost of your phone if it is stolen or damaged. Most phones will reimburse you up to $600, though some companies offer much lower amounts.
Purchase Protection
Credit card companies may offer protection for purchases made by others. Purchase protection is basically insurance for your item. They’ll reimburse you if the item is lost or broken within the timeframe of your credit card company.
Extended Warranties
You’ve probably been there. It’s possible to buy the item because you are afraid that it might fail. Fear can be a powerful motivator.
It’s important to remember that an extended warranty is an item that comes with a manufacturer’s warranty. Extended warranties are not always worth the expense, especially when there are so many things that they don’t cover.
However, if you are still concerned about the item, you can contact your credit card company. Some credit cards offer extended warranties for free, which is better than paying for it.
Other Perks
You might be able to get special discounts at wineries in specific areas with your credit card. You can earn cashback at certain stores like Saks Fifth Avenue. Uber credit can be earned for each ride. You can also get a ShopRunner membership free of charge.
Are any of these perks appealing to you? Check with your credit card company to make sure you understand the details. Keep an eye out for their social media pages as they will often post information about perks and offer updates on new ones.
Keep in mind that not all credit cards offer the exact same perks. Talk to your credit card company about the perks that you receive. Compare these perks if you don’t yet have a credit card.
Steps to Follow After You Have Choosing a Credit Card
Once you’ve carefully considered each credit card available and decided on the one that you like, it’s not over. It’s only the beginning. There are steps you can take to make sure everything runs smoothly.
1. The Fine Print: Read it Again
It is important to understand how your card works. While you may have looked at this information while selecting your card, it is important that you review it again. It’s easy to get lost when comparing cards. After you have chosen one, it is important to clarify everything. This includes interest rates and billing cycles, perks, as well as any other information that may be relevant to your usage.
2. You can add it to your budget
Once you have the billing date and interest rate, you will need to add them to your budget to ensure you don’t get behind on your bills. You can set up automatic payments if you know how much you will use your card each month. To avoid interest, make sure that these payments are made before the end of each billing cycle.
Do you need help creating a budget or ensuring that everything runs smoothly? Register for your Goalry Mall member key. It can be used to create and track your budget, manage your credit, maintain all your accounts and do any other thing you need to keep your finances in order.
3. Do not be complacent
While your card may seem ideal at the time, it might not be right every time. Many cards offer introductory rates with lower interest rates and other perks. Interest rates can rise after the initial period. Sometimes perks disappear, and you may have to pay more each month.
Take some time to look at other cards after you have used your card for a while, especially when the introductory period is over. This is the best way for your credit card to work harder for you than it does for you.
Conclusion
Credit cards are very useful and can provide many valuable perks. If you don’t carefully consider your options and manage them well, credit cards can end up costing you more long-term than they are worth. Compare all the available cards and create a plan to pay the balance each month. Remember that even the most attractive credit cards perks can only be of benefit if they are actually beneficial to you.
Brandy Woodfolk works as an educator, project manager, owner of a home-based business, and a lifelong learner. Brandy devoted her education and independent study to financial literacy after a poor financial background. Brandy quickly became the financial expert among her family, friends, as well as acquaintances. She is a joker in her circle that she can “budget to the penny.” Brandy devotes a lot of her time to helping parents succeed financially, without having to sacrifice time with their children. Brandy also teaches classes for homeschooled teens about finances and other skills that they need to be successful as adults.
Brandy shares her knowledge about smart money management and wealth creation in easy-to-understand ways that anyone can grasp the financial world.
Published Thu, 17 March 2022 at 19:00:00 -0500
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www.dmitryryzhkov.com
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