It can be so easy to think of the funds available to you through your credit card as free money, especially when its your first card. You never actually see any cashyou just hand the cashier this piece of plastic that some nice company sent you in the mail, and the cashier gives you your purchases. You dont see the cash until it starts disappearing from your savings, after youve maxed your credit card out and are buried up to your neck in late fees and penalties, and your credit score starts going down the tubes.
Thats why its so important that you establish disciplined credit card practices from the first day you get your card. Responsible credit card use can build you a great credit history and help you toward a great future, but reckless credit card use can throw your finances off-course for years. Start on the right foot with your credit card, and side-step the worries.
The most valuable piece of advice you can when it comes to responsible credit card use is so simple that many people overlook it: never carry a balance. Especially when youve only just started using your credit card, you should never make purchases with it that you dont already have the money...