Credit has a love-hate relationship with the general populace. On one hand it allows us to buy stuff we want without having to pay on the spot, on the other hand it can spiral out of control, and leave us having to pay more than we bargained for. The latter isn’t really anyone’s fault except the person responsible for their card – it just takes advantage of human nature, we are easily tempted to buy stuff which seems alluring. And credit cards allow us to do that, whether we have the cash on hand or not. Regardless of what anyone thinks about credit cards and their advantages or disadvantages, one fact is clear – they are here to stay. ‘Plastic Money’ has spread everywhere, people use their cards to pay for everything, and many do not even carry cash, and who can blame them?
Cash can get stolen, while carrying a card the only risk you have is over-shopping. If a card gets stolen, you simply deactivate it at the touch of a button and incur no loss – even if you do, you are reimbursed more often than not. It’s highly convenient than carrying paper cash, and people prefer it. That’s why each shop or store is equipped with the ability to allow credit payment. Another widely known advantage is that each time you use your card – depending on which card you have – you acquire credit card points. These are reward points which accumulate and they can be used to buy more stuff – it’s free since you’re using points. Thus shopping with credit cards enable you to shop further. Different reward/loyalty programs exist and the more exclusive ones can offer some great deals on hotels, shops and all kinds of stuff. You are rewarded for spending your money. Sounds nice right? That’s because it is – especially if a person uses their credit card wisely.
Credit card points bear a semblance to frequent flyer miles. In fact technically they are the same thing – the only difference is that one gets you miles, the other gets you points. You can virtually use the two for the same things. In fact often when you book a ticket with a credit card – depending on the airline you can get a sweet discount. And you can earn miles from the ensuing flight to add to your miles tally. Using them is an art which many have mastered. Another rather obscure way to take advantage of both miles and points is to sell them online. Sell credit card points or air miles at a variety of websites. There may be several reasons for you to do this – you do not fly that often to acquire that many points and instead of wasting them for no reason, you might as well make some cash out of them.