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Credit cards can be a good way to pay some of your bills, but definitely not all. Keep reading for a few examples of expenses better paid in other ways. [[{“value”:”
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I charge almost everything on my credit cards to earn rewards. In fact, I’m a huge proponent of using cards regularly because they make it easy to track your spending, they can help you get cash back or points that reduce your costs, and they can help you build good credit.
But there are some expenses you absolutely shouldn’t put on a card. Read on to find out why charging some items could be a disaster for your personal finances.
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1. Mortgage or rent payments
Mortgage and rent payments cannot be paid directly with a credit card in most situations. You’d have to take a cash advance to get money from your card, which typically is very expensive.
It’s common for a cash advance to come with a higher APR than regular purchases on your card and there’s often an upfront fee that could range from 3% to 5% of the amount of cash you’re accessing from your card.
Third party services like Plastiq can make it possible to pay your mortgage with a card — but you’ll have to pay an added transaction fee that could be as high as around 3.5%.
Making your housing costs more expensive by charging them is not a good idea. You should not take out a home loan if you aren’t confident you can pay the monthly payments out of your bank account. And if you are struggling to cover the payments on an existing mortgage, you should call your lender and find out about options rather than just charging your payments. Your lender may be able to work with you on a payment plan until you get back on track.
2. Medical bills
Charging medical bills is also a bad idea in most cases. Paying interest on medical debt can get expensive and it’s often cheaper to work out a payment plan with your provider.
Medical debt is also treated differently than credit card debt. For example, it can’t show up on your credit report if it’s in collections, unless the balance is above $500. Plus, you have to be at least a year behind for debt in collections to show up on your report.
You don’t want to give up the special legal protections afforded to medical debt, nor pay more in interest than you have to, so don’t put medical bills on your cards. If you can’t afford to cover care out of pocket, first talk with your providers to find out what options you have.
3. Impulse purchases you can’t afford
You should also make absolutely sure you do not charge any impulse items you can’t afford to pay off in full on your credit cards. Doing this even a few times could make it harder to stick to your budget and leave you carrying a balance that can haunt you. If there’s a non-essential item you want, save up to pay for it in cash before you buy. The extra time spent saving also allows you to really think the purchase over before you commit to making it. It could be that you decide the purchase isn’t worthwhile, thus saving yourself money in the long run.
The good news is you have alternatives to charging these expenses. Take advantage of them, and leave your credit cards in your wallet in these situations.
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