Wednesday, 3 February 2010

What Should You Consider When Opening A New Credit Card?


By Sven Larsan

Although it is quick and painless to open a new credit card when you have good credit, it may be painful when it is time to pay it back. You should think about whether you need this new line of credit before you make that decision.

Since we all feel we need more things than our incomes can afford, we sometimes open credit lines that we do not need. With the problems in the economy, it is even more important to review whether we really need a new charge card.

Even though that new credit card may be able to buy us that new appliance, do we really need it. Listed below are a few points you should chew on before opening a charge card.

Do you really need this new item? Consider whether or not you really need a new line of credit for a new appliance or other item that you feel you need. Maybe you can find this item cheaper or used, while staying within your budget. This could save you a lot of grief later on since you will no longer need a charge card that you have to pay later on.

The second point to weigh is whether or not you can afford this new loan. If your budget is already maxed out, how will you afford this extra expense? Even though it is easy to use a credit card, paying it back is usually strenuous. Even if the credit company offered you some unique terms, you may want reconsider opening a new card. Think about what can happen if you do not make your payments on time. The credit company will most likely raise your finance charges and take back the initial offer.

The third point to ponder is the monthly finance charges. These charges raise the price of the original item purchased. Therefore, even thought you may have gotten something on sale, when you calculate in the finance charges, you are usually paying more than it is worth. You should weigh the value of purchasing something for cash against the value of that same item with the added financial charges.

The forth point to consider is whether your partner agrees with opening a new charge account. Some people may see this as irrelevant, but it usually is not. For example, consider the financial burden this could put on you and your partner if you are unable to make this new payment. It could cause a lot of fighting and conflict for you and your significant other.

When considering opening a new credit card, you should spend some time considering all the pro's and con's of this new line of credit. You may find that you really don't need it after all.

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