If all credit cards included “let’s pretend this never happened” return policies, perhaps it might be simpler to pick one and feel?good?concerning the decision. But it’s not too simple. Even canceled charge cards which were paid as agreed can stay in your credit?report for approximately?10 years. You can’t just?try on new plastic?and find out whether it fits.
This may be one reason so many of us?feel unsure.?When facing?major financial decisions, such as selecting a charge card, 40%?of respondents in a 2015 survey by the?National Foundation for Credit Counseling, sponsored by NerdWallet,?reported feeling “somewhat confident.”?Eight percent reported feeling “not so confident” or “not confident whatsoever.”
How can?you know?you’re selecting a keeper??Start by wondering three questions.
1. What do I spend money on, and is that likely to change?
Different charge cards earn rewards on several purchases. If?you frequently cook both at home and rarely go out to eat, for instance, you might want to get a card with rewards on groceries rather than restaurants. Don’t come to a decision based solely around the sign-up bonus.
Think concerning the future, too.?If you’re anticipating?getting a job, moving, getting married or having kids, consider choosing?a credit card which will fit?your future spending needs, not just?your current ones. Determine if you want to keep?it?for Ten years, one year or somewhere among.
Maybe?there’s a good chance you won’t be fully paying off your purchases for some months. If so,?a low-interest charge card would make more sense than the usual?rewards card with a higher APR. Or maybe?you’re trying to get employment within walking distance of your house, so?obtaining a gas rewards card may be shortsighted. If you wish to use your card for a longer period of your time, think about you get one with increased flexible earnings and rewards that can grow with you.
MORE>>?How to choose the Best Credit Card for you personally: 4 Easy Steps
2. Is this credit card too complicated?
When applying for credit cards, you?may fantasize about cracking?the code on?the world’s most complicated?loyalty programs and accumulating big?points. In?practice, though, would you want to devote that much time for you to your plastic?
If you would, signing up for a card having a more difficult rewards program can be a fine idea. But when it’s?unlikely, you may want to look for more flexible earning and redemption options. Here are a few key things to watch for when trying to gauge how complicated a rewards program is:
- Loyalty tiers:?Some cards are associated with loyalty programs (for example, by having an airline or perhaps a hotel chain) with different tiers. You are able to typically advance to a higher loyalty?status and produce more benefits by spending more about your card. Before applying for one of those, find out what you need to do to?advance. For instance, you may have to spend $30,000 on hotel stays at a certain chain before?qualifying to have an elite status. Think about whether the program would be worth it if you didn’t get?one stage further.
- Redemption options: Find out if you can redeem rewards with only one company (say, the airline that co-branded the card) or several companies.
- Spending caps:?Getting 5% on groceries is a competitive deal, but you may earn under you thought?if there’s a $2,000 annual limit on those category rewards. Find out whether the card offers unlimited rewards.
- Rotating rewards:?On some cards, the rewards categories rotate every 3 months. Often, you have to opt in to the awards every quarter to get them. If you think this may be difficult to maintain, you may want a card with categories that don’t change.
- Transfer partners:?Determine whether the card allows you to transfer rewards with other loyalty programs at a 1:1 ratio, and whether or not this?charges fees with this.
- Blackout dates and availability:?Some hotels and airlines won’t let you redeem rewards on peak travel days. Others limit awards seats or rooms. For those who have a flexible traveling schedule, this might not matter to you, but when you have a tendency to travel when everybody else does, it could be a roadblock.
Once you possess an concept of how difficult?it might be to maximize your rewards via a certain program, you’ll possess a better concept of whether you need to stick with it or go with a?more low-maintenance card.
3. How much can i spend?
When you apply?for any card that promises a sign-up bonus when you spend a set fee (say, $5,000 in 3 months), think about whether that required spending would be a stretch for you. If it is,?consider signing up for a card?which makes it simpler to nab the sign-up bonus.
Alternatively, you can apply for the card using the higher minimum spending requirement when you expect?your expenses to increase – for example, if you’re likely to spend several thousand dollars on the vacation. But don’t result in the mistake of buying stuff you don’t need simply to meet the minimum spending requirement and earn the sign-up bonus.
If you’re getting a card with an annual fee, make sure you’re going to?spend enough on it to really make it worth the money. Say you get?a card with a $100 annual fee that earns an unlimited?5?cents?cash back per dollar spent on groceries. Sign-up bonus aside, you’d need to spend $2,000 on groceries with this card before breaking?even.
If you have?a?group of five and cook in your own home frequently, that?might be a great?deal. But when you’re just cooking on your own, or mostly subsisting on takeout,?you’d probably save a lot more with another card.
So I?got?the incorrect card last time. Now what?
If you picked a bad fit to begin with,?canceling may not continually be the best solution. As noted, the account will stay in your credit report for up to Ten years even when closed up to date, lowering?the typical chronilogical age of your accounts and possibly bringing down your credit rating. The hard inquiry on your report from trying to get the charge card may remain on?your apply for up to two years, too.
You may not be best signing up for another credit card immediately, either, for the similar reasons. Particularly if your score is borderline, a slight change would children “good” to “average” and affect your odds of obtaining the best deals.
If?your issuer offers other credit cards, you may be able to exchange your present card for a different one?without hurting?your?credit. Look at the other options the bank offers and call?about the possibility of switching. In some?cases, your issuer will just transfer your old account information to the new account, and?it won’t affect your average chronilogical age of accounts; it?might not even?require a hard credit pull. This type of change?could?be considered a wise decision if you want different earning or redemption options, but wish to stay with exactly the same bank. Ask your issuer about how exactly it could?affect your credit before making the transition.
If?the card you would like isn’t provided by your present issuer, though, or maybe your bank offers limited alternatives, it may be a good time to start fresh after about 6 months to some year. Compare credit cards through NerdWallet’s comparison tool and read our top recommendations?to find a card that’s a good match. Rather than changing your habits to fit a card, change your card to suit your habits.
