Nowadays, credit cards have become one of the most commonest things to carry. The banks push credit cards to their customers, so that they could make more money in the form of interest. Overall, using credit cards are not only a need, but have become a fashion as well.
Some people carry credit cards as a status symbol. Though, it is a different story that they do not even use their credit cards in daily life. Also, there are some people who use credit cards abruptly and end up buried under a huge debt trap. The list of credit card defaulters of various banks is increasing at a fast pace.
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10 Tips for managing multiple credit cards
Most of the credit card holders carry multiple credit cards issued by different banks. As people have accounts with many banks, they get credit cards issued by their respective banks easily. There are many advantages of carrying multiple credit cards if used wisely. First and foremost, one has to self-assess whether they need multiple credit cards or not.
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1. Get the terms clear
First of all, you should have a clear understanding of the terms and conditions of credit cards you are carrying. Multiple credit cards mean multiple spending and multiple responsibility. Every credit card issued by a bank will have different credit limits. Therefore, you need to manage the credit limits of all your credit cards in total.
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2. Check your credit score regularly
One of the biggest drawbacks of maintaining credit cards is the credit score. Most of the card holders do not keep track of their credit score. You need to constantly check your credit score and plan your spend wisely.
3. Take note of due dates
The reason why most people end up paying huge interest to banks on credit cards is because they don’t make monthly payment on the due dates. There are many people who don’t know the due date for making monthly payment or they simply ignore text messages carrying due date reminder from banks.
4. Check offers and freebies
If you are having multiple credit cards then you need to check the latest offers and discounts available on usage of your cards. The various banks offer different type of discounts , cash backs or free coupons on their cards. Most of them also offer 0% EMI facility on cards to their customers. You need to find out which of your card is offering the maximum benefits and privileges and then start using that card often.
5. Separate cards for separate spend
If you have multiple credit cards then it is good to plan your spend wisely. If you are an online merchant or do online shopping or other transactions quite often then spare one card only for doing online transactions. Spare other cards for other activities and use them only when it is required.
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6. Multiple Coverage
If you have multiple credit cards then you would also have multiple coverage. Most of the banks do offer some coverage to selected credit card holders.
7. Multiple benefits
There are multiple benefits that you can avail with multiple credit cards. You need to make sure which card need to be used for what purpose. You will have the opportunity to spend as much as you want keeping in mind maximum benefits.
8. Upgrade cards wisely
After allotting the credit cards, bank ask their customers to upgrade their cards keeping in mind their credibility. If you own multiple credit cards and maintain good credibility then banks must provoke you to upgrade your card and get more credit limit.
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9. Don’t let anybody else use your card
Most people do maintain multiple credit cards. One for their own personal use and other probably for their firm or business. Never let anybody use your credit card on your behalf.
10. Surrender card if not using
If you own multiple cards and are not using any of the cards quite often, then the best thing is to surrender that card to the issuing bank. There is no sense of keeping multiple cards if you are not using them.
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Apart from following the above guidelines, make sure that you keep all your credit records to yourself only and don’t let anyone access them. You should visit your credit card issuing banks regularly to inquire about your credit status and you should also check your credit score regularly.
All the best!
