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6 Benefits Of Using A Credit Card

Updated October 2022

There are several benefits of a credit card compared to other forms of payment. Many of us use them as our preferred payment method, and for good reason. If you can properly use a credit card and understand NOT TO overspend or rack up interest charges by failing to pay off your balance, then a credit card is an excellent option. Below we will discuss the top benefits of using a credit card.

Credit Line

One major drawback of using a debit card over a credit card is the fact that some debit cards have a 24-hour charging limit, which could delay you from making larger purchases on the spot. Credit cards, on the other hand, provide you with more spending power since you do not have to have the up-front funds to make large purchases.

Credit cards can also provide you with peace in the face of an emergency. According to CNBC, an astonishing 57 million Americans have no emergency savings. If you do not have an emergency savings account, paying for an unexpected emergency room stay or major car repair out of pocket may be a significant financial strain. A credit card, on the other hand, can make paying for an unexpected expense much more manageable and less stressful since you can pay back your balance over time.

Make sure your credit card does not come with a high-interest rate! Also, be mindful of how much you are spending. It can be easy to swipe your credit card while on a shopping spree, but if you fail to make your credit card payments on time, your credit score could be negatively impacted.

Woman Scanning Mobile Wallet at Flower Shop
Credit Application

Credit Building

If you can prove you are financially responsible and know how to use your credit card properly, you can build up your credit score and credit history. Both are vital whether you are looking to apply for a mortgage, auto loan, or any other type of financing in the future. The higher your score, the lower your interest rate. This equals more savings!

Security

With new innovative technology scammers use to steal your identity, now has never been a better time to have increased security options. The Launch CU credit card comes equipped with contactless payments through the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. This design allows your credit card to share information to a payment terminal within a short range.

In order to perform a transaction, you must be within inches of a card reader, so you can’t accidentally make a payment.

Contactless payments also use one of the most secure encryption methods available: tokenization. Your information is encoded, and each transaction you make using your contactless card creates a unique, one-time code, reducing security and fraud risks. Due to this technology, contactless payments provide you with more security, reduced fraud risk, and faster payments. Contactless credit cards are currently among the safest forms of payment. It’s incredibly difficult for a hacker to recreate the one-time code that contactless credit cards create for each transaction. Compared to magnetic strips that are more easily duplicated, contactless credit cards are much more secure.

Dad using contactless payment on mobile wallet to pay at plant shop
Woman paying for online purchase on phone with credit card

Convenience

Often overlooked, credit cards offer vast convenience options over other forms of payment. No more worrying about getting dirty looks at a cash register from those waiting behind you while you quickly write your check or count your change. Additionally, you can make quick and easy transactions online. As mentioned earlier, several credit cards come with extra layers of security and fraud protection. As a precaution, always make sure the website you are making payments on is trusted, thus, decreasing your chances of security breaches.

Traveling

Often, when we travel to other countries one of the steps we must take is to exchange our currency. Several credit cards are accepted overseas, which makes purchases much more convenient. However, you must be aware of exchange rates and minor currency conversion fees that may apply.

Woman paying at market with credit card
Woman Putting Credit Card Back in Wallet

Less Cash

Many of us are using less and less cash to make purchases. If you are like others, you may be transitioning away from using cash as well. While having cash on hand to pay for unexpected items is never a bad thing, having too much on you can be. You run the risk of losing your cash or having it stolen. Unlike cash, credit cards can be canceled right away or even payments reversed for fraudulent activity. CThe cash you can’t get back unless you happen to stumble upon it which is very unlikely.

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