How many credit cards do you have in your wallet? Have you fallen for the latest 0% interest offer or your local store offering a discount on all purchases if you sign up for their card? Before you know it your wallet or purse is bulging full of cards. I've even had to buy a larger purse. There are so many different types of card Visa, MasterCard, American Express, store cards, charity cards, and air miles cards, even petrol cards. You have to have at least one of every different type!
Long ago it was fairly rare for someone to have a credit card. If they did they would have one card and would use it for large purchases such as washing machines or refrigerators They would not consider using their credit cards very often and would not dream of making small daily purchase's with their credit card.
Today Gas stations accept credit cards so most people drive up to the pumps and pay for their gas. The fast food joints that would never accept anything but cash a few years ago, now accept credit cards for a burger and fries. These fast food places even accept credit cards for a soft drink in some places. The donut shop will accept credit cards for a chocolate donut or a whole dozen of raspberry filled donuts. Those with a very high credit limit know that those who sell luxury cars accept credit cards for the car and a great stereo system as well. A well-known vet and horse breeder will even let you pay for your new foal by credit card.
With the invention of the internet there are now even more place's you can use your credit cards. Online you can find websites selling anything from flowers to chocolates, electrical goods and clothes, People in their pajamas can use their credit cards to study history online or gamble at another website. These people do not have to leave their homes to do many different things because they can use their credit cards to pay for the services that they use via the internet. People do not need to have cash to use these websites because most of them accept credit cards.
Annual fees just for the privilege of carrying a credit card used to be an industry norm, but card companies began rewarding loyal customers and best-paying cardholders with no annual fees. The best credit cards would forego the fees, especially for customers who typically carried a balance on their account. Minimum payments can also vary on cards, ranging from as low as two percent to a high equaling the current balance.
Having a lot of credit cards is not necessarily a good idea as it is very easy to let the balances accumulate on the cards and thus get into debt so be very careful and try to limit the number of cards that you keep. Whilst I have quiet a few credit cards most have a zero balance and I don't even know if they are all still valid. I try to limit my spending by using just one card and paying off most or if not all of the balance every month.
