Credit cards are financial products that allow you to borrow money from a lender in order to make purchases or withdraw cash. When you use a credit card, you are essentially borrowing money from the credit card issuer, and you are required to pay back the borrowed amount plus any interest and fees that may be charged.
Here’s how credit cards work:
- You apply for a credit card from a financial institution, such as a bank or credit card company.
- If your application is approved, the credit card issuer will send you a credit card with a credit limit, which is the maximum amount of money that you can borrow using the credit card.
- When you use your credit card to make a purchase or withdraw cash, the credit card issuer will add the amount of the transaction to your credit card balance.
- You will receive a monthly statement from the credit card issuer that shows your credit card balance, any transactions made during the billing period, and any interest or fees that have been charged.
- You are required to make at least a minimum payment by the due date each month. The minimum payment is typically a percentage of your total balance, and it may include any interest and fees that have been charged.
- If you pay your balance in full each month, you will not be charged interest on your purchases. However, if you do not pay your balance in full, you will be charged interest on the unpaid balance.
Using a credit card has a number of benefits:
- Convenience: Credit cards are accepted at most merchants and can be used to make purchases online or over the phone.
- Fraud protection: If your credit card is lost or stolen, you can report it to the issuer and get a new card. Most credit card issuers also have fraud protection policies in place, which means you are not liable for unauthorized charges on your account.
- Rewards: Many credit cards offer rewards programs that allow you to earn points, cash back, or other benefits for using the card. These rewards can be redeemed for travel, merchandise, or other perks.
- Credit building: Using a credit card responsibly, such as by making timely payments and not exceeding your credit limit, can help you build a good credit history, which can be beneficial when you apply for loans or other credit in the future.
- Interest-free financing: Some credit cards offer introductory interest-free financing periods, which means you can carry a balance from month to month without being charged interest. This can be helpful if you need to make a large purchase and don’t have the cash to pay for it upfront.
- Emergency funds: A credit card can serve as a backup source of funds in case of an emergency, such as a car repair or medical expense.
Bottom line:
It’s important to use credit responsibly by only borrowing what you can afford to pay back and paying your bills on time. If you don’t pay your credit card bills on time, you may damage your credit score, which can make it more difficult to get approved for credit in the future.