#5 Scenarios Where You Should Avoid Paying with a Credit Card

Using credit cards is seen to give several benefits to users, but sometimes the use of them should be avoided. Using credit cards in the wrong places can make the user drown in interest. Consequently, it is necessary to recognize places where the usage of credit cards should be prevented. Before seeing five scenarios where you should avoid paying with your credit card, let’s see what a credit card is.

How Does a Credit Card Work

You can use a credit card to make all kinds of physical or online purchases. After swiping your credit card or using it for online transactions, the card particulars are sent to the merchant’s bank account. The bank approves the transaction by verifying your particulars to process the transaction.

Upon the transaction’s approval, the credit amount goes to the merchant’s bank account. Every month, you will get a credit card bill showing your expenses and the due date to submit the payment. Some merchants don’t accept credit cards as they have to pay merchant account fees when clients use credit cards to make purchases. The fee includes authorization, assessment, and transaction fees.

5 Scenarios Where You Shouldn’t Pay with a Credit Card

Paying Medical bills

If you can’t afford to pay the medical bills now, you shouldn’t use your credit card when a medical bill appears. Paying medical bills through your credit card might seem okay as a quick relief, but it will only allow the interest amount to increase. Bills like medical bills are never meant to be paid through credit cards, even if the hospital staff encourages you.

Paying Taxes

People pay taxes through their credit cards, but there are better approaches than this. Paying through your credit card is not free, whereas bank transfers are mostly free. Every time you pay tax, you will be charged a flat fee that is fixed, usually between 1.87%  and 3.93%.

Using a Credit Card to withdraw Cash

Your credit card should not be used as something other than an ATM card even if you can withdraw money through it. Every time you withdraw some amount from the ATM, you will be charged a flat fee between 2.5% and 3.5%. Secondly, interest amounts accumulate from the withdrawal date until you repay the full amount, and the internet rate can go as high as 40% per year.

Student Loans

You must avoid paying off student loans through your credit card due to the accumulation of interest rates. Many other payment options, like federal loans, will only charge a little or even no interest at all. Hence it is not wise to pay study loans through credit cards. It will only burden you.

Unsecure Spaces

If you are in a country where credit card fraud is common, be wise and don’t make payments through your credit card. If people share their experiences with places known for card cloning, take their advice. Moreover, never use your credit card to purchase items on an unsecured website or one you’re unfamiliar with.

Unsecured websites don’t encrypt the financial and personal information you provide during the purchase. This way, hackers can easily get your information to make purchases on your card. Therefore, only enter your card information on secure websites. Lok for the URL bar on the website which means the site is secure for card transactions, which suggests the information is encrypted.

Purchases You Can Make with a Credit Card

Now that you have seen 5 scenarios where you shouldn’t pay with a credit card, let’s see the purchases you can make with a credit card.

Emergency Purchases

You can prefer using your credit card for emergency funds (funds set aside to make sudden payments). Experts prefer using a credit card in an emergency, like an unexpected home repair, to prevent the hassle. Just be smart and ascertain that you have the cash to pay the bill before the interest accumulates.

To make things easier, go for a credit card with a long introduction period that is mostly interest-free. Be wise in selecting a credit card to settle emergency expenses.

Big Purchases

Many experts encourage making big purchases like electronic items on credit cards as you can earn many points and bonuses and get broader warranties. The points and bonuses can actually help with future purchase benefits and discount offers. However, do make purchases that you can afford to pay off within 1 or 2 billing cycles to avoid interest accumulation.

Online Purchases

Many still believe online purchases with a credit card aren’t safe. However, it is the opposite case, as many credit card companies offer protection against fraud. Even if you get the wrong item at your doorstep, the return process is easier if you have made purchases with a credit card.

Moreover, if you don’t receive your package, many credit card companies will provide a complete refund and investigate the sender of the product who committed fraud.

Conclusion

Credit cards are convenient, but you should be smart enough to know that when making purchases through your credit card is secure and where purchases need to be avoided. Go through the above 5 scenarios where you should avoid using your credit card to be safe from fraud, losses, and going into debt.

by Samantha Higgins

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