A credit card offers you access to a line of credit. This differs from your debit card in that it is not linked to your bank account. Instead, a credit card gives you access to a specific amount of money with a limit based on your credit score and other restrictions, which you must pay back with interest at a later date.

Credit cards are gradually becoming important and crucial for carrying out transactions and for establishing a solid credit history, but if they are used carelessly, they may also wreak havoc on your financial life.

There are quite number of problems associated with a credit card; maintain a balance and incur huge interest fees, pay late fees when you miss a payment, close a credit card and your credit score will suffer. The expenses soon mount up and can become a big problem.

This article consist of a list of the top 5 common problems that people using credit cards frequently face. Hopefully, you can identify them and learn how to avoid them.

Five common credit cards issues and how to solve them

Here are five common credit card problems and how to avoid them.

1. Not being aware of the terms and conditions

The credit card brochure and website may have certain secret terms and conditions or fees that are disclosed in the fine print. Many times, consumers were assured that the credit card was free forever, but after a year or two, the corporation began collecting an annual fee.

When a cardholder complains about it to customer service, they are informed that a minimum amount of spending is necessary to qualify for the yearly fee waiver.

Additionally, individuals frequently overlook fees like yearly fees, late payment fees, interest rates, foreign exchange fees, cash withdrawal fees, etc. that might significantly affect your experience once you start using the card.

How to avoid it – Carefully read all the terms and conditions, product features, charge sheets, and other documents before you sign anything. Reading the small print and doing some research now will save you from getting caught off guard later.

2. Obtaining excessive amounts of credit cards at once

This is a typical trap. Companies that sell credit cards market them everywhere and are constantly promoting new credit cards, incentives, and programs. Avoid submitting too many credit card applications at once. This might make you appear to be a dangerous client and raise a red flag on your credit record. Additionally, it can impact your credit score.

How to avoid this: Avoid getting too many credit cards at once. We never advise cancelling an existing account when a new card is released since your credit score is influenced by your account history and age. Call your credit card provider and ask them to switch you from one card type to another if the new card you want is from the same issuer instead of applying for a new one.

3. Spending too much money.

Everyone errs financially. There are a lot of poor choices that any consumer may make when it comes to credit cards. Using a credit card might be a bit of a nuisance if you don’t know how to control your spending.

First of all, resisting the impulse to spend might be challenging. This may lead to more debt in the future. But paying attention to your purchasing patterns might be helpful.

How to avoid it: Avoid incurring too much debt, by tracking your expenditure using a variety of tools and applications. Or, if you want to do things yourself, you may make a straightforward spreadsheet or summary of your monthly spending.

Be more conscious of building your credit history. A good credit history results in a good credit score, which is commonly used by banks and other businesses to determine whether or not you are someone who is financially responsible.

4. Ignoring your billing statement

It is crucial to ensure the transactions on your account are accurate so you can stop scammers or reporting mistakes in their tracks. You should at the very least check your monthly statement for mistakes.

However, it’s a good practice to review your transactions a few times a week to make sure everything appears to be in order.

How to avoid it: It’s important to analyze charges as soon as they appear on your account so you may potentially identify fraud early and remedy any errors.

5. Late or omitted payments

Fees may increase as a result of missing or late payments. One of the most frequent credit card errors is the failure to make a timely bill payment.
Even though cardholders should pay their credit card bills on a timely basis, paying the bare minimum each month might lead to financial problems.

How to avoid it: Simply automate your payment processes. This ensures that your invoices are always paid on time, whatever how busy you become.