
Recession-proof your finances, pay off credit card debt now
Paying off your credit card debt now can make you more financially resilient later.
There’s no reason to feel intimidated by a credit card. As long as you pay off your purchases every month, there’s little risk and tons of upside.
— Claire Dickey
Claire Dickey is a credit cards editor at Bankrate, focusing on news, product guides and educational content. Her areas of expertise include rewards and travel credit cards, building credit and credit card news. Always on the lookout for the latest credit cards and card perks, as well as cards-related legislation and regulations, Claire is passionate about demystifying personal finance topics. Her goal is to help readers save money, earn rewards and protect their credit scores.
When she’s not strategizing about how to maximize rewards on her next trip, Claire is an avid runner and day hiker.
If you’re trying to build credit, my best advice is to keep things simple. A credit card is a great way to show your creditworthiness, but picking one can be overwhelming since there are so many options out there and so many features to consider. Stick to the basics: Look for a card with low fees and the option to put down a large deposit and get a matching credit limit. If you pay on time and only charge small purchases to the card, your score can grow surprisingly quickly.
There’s no reason to feel intimidated by a credit card. As long as you pay off your purchases every month, there’s little risk and tons of upside.
— Claire Dickey
Paying off your credit card debt now can make you more financially resilient later.
For the devoted American Airlines flier, the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® is worth considering — especially since you can test drive it for a year without paying the $99 annual fee.
Select Amex applicants can be preapproved for a U.S. personal card via a pilot card application experience.
Capital One’s new partnership with Uber brings more benefits to various cardholders.
Ally is launching three new cards: two cash back cards and one credit-building card.
The Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard® helps frequent travelers and loyalists to the Virgin Atlantic airline earn miles on travel and all other purchases.
For those who find tracking bonus categories too cumbersome and just want simple cash-back rewards, the Navy Federal Credit Union cashRewards card delivers.
Bank of America is entering into the premium travel card space with the introduction of its Premium Rewards Elite Credit Card.
Find out whether the Chase Freedom Student card is a good match for you.
Need to improve your credit score? Making regular payments with a secured credit card can help.
If you’re paying for a large purchase with a credit card, use a card with a low APR or a generous rewards system.
Our updated guide explains refund guidelines and elite status requirements for airlines during coronavirus.
The Credit Card Competition Act would be very bad news for consumers.
The proposed legislation to provide network choice could impact card rewards and security.
It’s a second straight summer of “revenge travel,” as high inflation isn’t doing much to dampen Americans’ vacation spending.
If you have credit card debt, a 0% balance transfer card is my top payoff tip.
Should you opt for a longer balance transfer offer or a shorter offer with rewards?
Earn generous rewards percentages on your small business necessities with this cash back card.
A card for consumers with fair credit who may not be eligible for the best rewards cards on the market today.
The Capital One Spark Cash for Business Plus is ideal for business owners who want rewards for their spending but have no time for rewards categories.
Business owners who have a lot of expenditures in the bonus categories can benefit from owning the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card.
Here are key pros and cons of cash management accounts and money market funds
Selling to (or buying from) a family member is often called a non-arm’s-length transaction.
If you work for the federal government or serve in the military, you’ll want to know more about the TSP.