Summer is finally here, and so begins the season of long travel and family vacations. Approximately 52% of American families take at least one vacation between the months of May and August, which means that quite a bit of money is spent on both domestic and international travel.
Unfortunately, traveling with only cash and checks in your wallet is not recommended. Whether you plan to rent cars, fly on airplanes or stay in hotels, travel is always easier if you have a credit card at your disposal. Even if you only use it for the big purchases ? like rental cars and airlines ? your travel experience will be much smoother if you have plastic.
For one thing, credit cards allow you to easily document each transaction. When you purchase an airline ticket, a record of that purchase is made with your credit card company, and you can refer to that record if anything goes wrong. Flights are canceled every day, so you'll want to plan for every contingency.
Credit cards are also easier to keep track of than large wads of cash or a bulky check book. When you visit theme parks and other tourist destinations, you can slip a credit card or two into a fanny pack, a pocket or a zippered compartment of your purse. It doesn't add much weight and is about fifteen times less likely to be stolen than a protruding stack of paper bills. So how do you choose a credit card for summer vacations? If you're going to be charging your purchases, you should at least reap the rewards of the best credit cards available. Earning airline miles, cash back and reward points can making using plastic much more enticing. And since vacations are inevitably expensive, you might as well get something back for your efforts!
Chase Flexible Rewards Platinum Visa Card
Most credit cards have very specific reward programs that allow you to redeem points only at specific locations or with certain vendors. The Chase Flexible Rewards card is a bit more diverse. With this card, however, you earn one reward point for every dollar spent (as well as 1,000 bonus points after your first purchase) and the points can be redeemed with a variety of merchants rather than just one or two. You can get cash back, gift certificates, or free travel, whichever works best for you. Customers also enjoy a 0% introductory APR and no annual fee.
HSBC MasterCard
This card is a cash back credit card that allows customers to earn 1% cash back on all purchases. This card is especially appealing because of its low APR; 0% for the first twelve months, and then a low ongoing rate. You also get travel accident insurance as a platinum benefit, which can be beneficial if you plan on taking lots of vacations this summer.
Blue Sky from American Express
This card has been getting a lot of media attention because of it's travel rewards program. Customers receive one reward point for every dollar they spend, and the points can be redeemed for savings on airline tickets. It comes with no annual fee and a 0% interest rate for the first six months.. It is surprisingly easy to earn points, as well. If you save 7,500 points, for example, you can redeem them for $100 off your next airline ticket.
Summer vacations are made easier by carrying a credit card with you instead of cash or a checkbook, and you can even earn rewards for purchases made with certain credit cards. Take a look at three top picks for credit cards to use while on vacation.
There are some people who apply for credit cards and have them for maybe a year and they have never used them. They pay the monthly fees that are required if there are any. These people simply have the credit card with obviously extended ability to use it and they know they could use it if they wanted to. Many have unsecured credit cards to top it all off.
So, why don't these people use their credit cards? Is it out of fear, or are they so used to using cash it just never crosses their mind to use the credit card in the first place?
It could be that way however believe it or not, that's not exactly true. A lot of people who have been approved for an unsecured credit card only use the credit card for emergency purposes. This way they know they have the means to do whatever it is that is so important and they just don't have the cash funding to get the task accomplished.
This is such a good idea, and those who are in control of their spending habits are able to do this. It's as if they put the credit card in their purse or wallet and forget or pretend they don't really have it.
Although you have to admit there are several people who once they have that credit card in hand cannot help themselves but go out and use it to the maximum amount. Then when the monthly statements come in they are simply paying the minimum they can in order to actually keep the credit card.
I believe the idea of having a credit card for the sole purpose of those emergencies that arise in one's life is a good plan. And everyone knows those times do arise, often times more than once. In these cases, the person that is only using the credit card for the sole purpose of emergencies can have it paid off a lot quicker for the simple reason that the credit card is usually not to the maximum amount and can easily and quickly repaid before all the interest fees are accumulated. Not to mention the fact that they do not have to pay the minimum each month, they simply pay the amount used for the emergency purpose that has arisen and then put the credit card back in their purse or wallet all but forgetting they have it once again, until the next emergency situation arises and they don't have the cash flow to take care of the problem.
This is turn also builds their credit, whether people can see this or not. You see when they use the credit card and then turn around and quickly pay it off, this looks good on the their credit scoring or their credit record as a whole. So which are you? The one that uses the credit card for emergencies literally forgetting you have it until the absolute need arises and you have to use it, or are you the individual that goes out and uses it up to the maximum amount allowed and simply pays the minimum required each month?
Both Edward Vegliante & Mario Churchill are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Edward Vegliante has sinced written about articles on various topics from Credit Cards, American Express Card and Student Credit Cards. Click the following link for the Chase Flexible Rewards Platinum Visa Card: . Ed Vegliante runs. Edward Vegliante's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.
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