Category: Personal Finance

1. Look at your billing cycle

A significant step in financial preparation is considering the billing cycle of a credit card. You can better use the card to your favor once you are mindful of your card billing period. The billing cycle covers the period during which a payment for a credit card is issued. If the credit card statement is made on the 5th of every month, the billing period starts on the 6th of the previous month and lasts until the 5th of the existing month. Confirm with your institution for this specific particular period for you, as it ranges from 27 to 31 days respectively.

2. Know how a credit card bill is generated

The billing period begins on the day on which the credit card is authorized and, as appropriate on the card, it may begin with a balance of an upfront charge. All the purchases on the credit card are placed to the bill beginning from that day. In case fuel surcharge waiver, cash or compensation or a payment reversal, is reimbursed to the credit card, it is deducted from the balance and then the ultimate bill is issued. Any transaction rendered during the billing period is recorded in the next declaration.

3. Minimum balance on a credit card

You have the possibility of paying two amounts after getting a credit card bill. The gross remaining balance is one and the minimum amount owed is the other. There is a propensity to pay the minimum amount owed if you are out of cash. This has a restricted advantage, though your credit card bill will see a spike if you are in the practice of doing this frequently. 5 percent of the overall outstanding balance is the minimum amount due in general. The balance is also applied to the minimum amount if you have converted any payment on your card to EMI. The minimum amount is therefore applied to any outstanding debt from the previous billing period.

You can keep your credit functional by paying the minimum fee, i.e. you can proceed to use the card with the overall credit limit available except for the amount transferred to EMI. In addition, if you owe the minimum amount due, the bank will not mark the deposit as a “default” in the credit history. It could ensure protection of your credit rating. The remaining balance is carried forward when you pay the interest charged on that amount and also the minimum balance. For each month you miss the entire bill, the minimum amount rises, as the amount due in one month is applied to the minimum amount of the following month.

What if when you just pay the minimum due amount?

A minimum amount is indicated that you can reimburse rather than the maximum amount if you haven’t settled your credit card balance on or before the deadline. You must pay this minimal fee before the deadline date of the payment to keep your card account active. Remember that covering the minimum due payment will not eliminate credit card fees, only the overdue fees billed on the credit card do not incur them. Only a limited amount of the principal remaining balance per month is the minimum due amount. The estimation of the minimum amount owed is normally 5 percent of the remaining balance of a cardholder. That being said, if you have ordered anything with your credit card on EMI this amount may be stronger. If you have paid more than your credit cap, or have not paid your previous month’s dues, the minimum balance will still be stronger.

For your minimum due amount, the outstanding minimum amount due from the past bills will also be applied. By paying the minimum amount owed, late payment penalties that are applied to a credit card account because the bill is not charged by the due date will be minimized. Based on the due amount and the credit card issuer, the late payment penalty is usually a flat fee that can be anywhere from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000. Please remember that covering the minimum balance owed will not eliminate the interest on the amount of the payment unpaid. Depending on the card issuer, additional late payment penalties and other costs will also be imposed if you do not pay the minimum due cost, along with the interest. Often, if the dues exceed the credit limit provided on your card, your credit card could get disabled.

Your creditworthiness and credit score will be strongly influenced by not paying even the minimum amount owed, which will make it harder for you to avail for a loan against your credit card. That being said, once you are paying just the minimum balance owed, regardless of the interest charged on credit cards, the overall bill can multiply easily. Typically, most credit cards impose a monthly interest rate of between 3% and 4% of the outstanding balance, resulting in an average interest rate of over 40%.

10 Tips to become debt-free faster

1. Credit cards are the ultimate solution to small financial difficulties when used the correct way. Although if we are sloppy with our credit card debt, they will stack up, becoming more and more difficult to cover as the days go on, finally putting us financially into a tight position.

2. The alternative of balance transfer from one card to another is the right option for you if you are still stuck up in a poor debt period. The transfer of balance enables you to transfer your balance from one card to another. This offers you quick debt comfort. For faster repayment of your outstanding amount, the second bank gives a credit-free period of up to 90 days. Regular interest will be charged to the cardholder until the credit limit expires.

3. When you are reluctant to reimburse the outstanding balance on your credit card, consult with your bank to transfer the unpaid balance into EMIs. Banks, though, charge a 2-3 percent monthly interest for enabling the EMI service. There is also a processing fee which is kept around 1 to 2% of the unpaid balance varies across banks that needs to be taken into consideration by you.

4. Most individuals should consider settling the one with the shorter due date first if you have unpaid balances on more than one card. This is obviously an ineffective strategy. Settle balances on a card which first imposes higher interest rates. Through this approach, since overdue debts with higher interest rates incur interest more rapidly, you can decrease your overall interest efficiency.

5. Taking complete benefit of the holiday season is the perfect way to treat your cards. You can experience up to 50 days’ interest-free duration on your account, based on the bill period and the date you make a transaction. Thus, if you face any sudden monetary pressure, make scheduled purchases on your cards to experience the maximum holiday span to stop paying interest.

6. Paying only the minimum amount is a procedure that many card users embrace. As a consequence, the increasing debts lead many borrowers to get stuck in endless zigzags in debt. Remember that credit cards fall with a high interest rate and, based on the outstanding balance, paying just the minimum due amount just dramatically raises the outstanding amount at an accelerated rate.

7. Although credit cards fall with a high interest rate and a late payment charge, it is advised to look for an automatic payment system to prevent skipping on-time monthly bills. Through this option, without your manual interference, the bill amounts may be withheld from your account, and you do not need to think about missed repayment dates or though you are busy or not getting access to the net banking of your bank.

8. Make sure you are mindful of the credit card billing cycle to take full advantage of the credit-free duration. For instance, if your card allows you a credit-free period of 30 days, it does not begin on the day of your transaction, but on the first day of the monthly billing period.

9. You might be in for a nasty surprise if you are one of those people who hold their monthly bank records in a room without trying to check them. Miscellaneous charges imposed by the bank may occur or occasionally faulty purchases may distort the unpaid amount of the card. There may also be illegal purchases through disreputable individuals who have gained traction of the PIN or login credentials of your credit card. These will drive you straight down into a nasty debt trap.

10. If the ‘Total Amount Due’ is paid back before the deadline, then interest charged before the due date will be deferred and interest will not be incurred. When the ‘Total Amount Due’ is not paid back until the deadline, and you just reimburse a partial amount, you will be responsible for paying the entire interest charged before the deadline. And if used intelligently are credit cards a marvelous financial resource. You should ensure that your credit card payments are rendered timely by following the above-mentioned guidelines, reducing the risk of experiencing a financial catastrophe caused by plastic capital.