Credit cards represent the best and worst in life. On the one hand, pulling them out of your wallet and sliding them at the store register means you get your hands on what you wanted to buy. On the other hand, you get to curse and swear at the bill that shows up in your mailbox a few weeks later. Read on the find out how to maximize the good while minimizing the bad.

Immediately report any fraudulent charges on a credit card. By doing this, you can help your credit card company catch the thief who is making these unauthorized charges. In addition, this is the best method of ensuring you aren’t responsible for the charges. The minute you notice a charge that could be fraud, an email or phone call to the credit card provider can commence the dispute process.

Retail credit card accounts should only be opened at stores that you will be shopping in quite frequently. When a retail store inserts an inquiry onto your credit in order to qualify you for a card, this is recorded onto your credit report regardless of whether you actually open up the card. A lot of inquiries from stores can lower your credit rating.

Do not sign up for a credit card because you see it as a way to fit in or as a status symbol. While it may seem like fun to be able to pull it out and pay for things when you have no money, you will regret it, when it is time to pay the credit card company back.

Don’t pay any fees upfront when you are getting a credit card. The legitimate card issuers will not ask for any money up front, unless you’re getting a secured credit card. When you are applying for a secured card, be sure to find out how the deposit is going to be used.

If you have multiple cards that have a balance on them, you should avoid getting new cards. Even if you are paying everything back on time, there is no reason for you to take the chance of getting another card and making your financial situation any more strained than it already is.

Never give out your credit card number to anyone, unless you are the person that has initiated the transaction. If someone calls you on the phone asking for your card number in order to pay for anything, you should ask them to give you a way to contact them, so that you can arrange the payment at a better time.

If you have not established a credit history and are interested in obtaining a credit card, it may help to obtain a co-signer. A co-signer could be a trusted friend, sibling or parent and anyone that already has established credit. They must agree to sign a statement to the effect that if you fail to pay your credit card bill, that they will do so. This is a good way to get a credit card and how you could build your credit.

The credit cards in your life can swing both ways. While they can mean the instant gratification of that new item you wanted at the mall, they can also mean a headache in the mail a month later. This article has provided you with ideas on how to reap your rewards without sweating the downside much. Apply what you have learned to excel at both. For more information on click here: http://www.bestfinanceideas.com