I was afraid of credit cards. Here are 6 things I learned while getting my first one.
Here are 6 things I learned while getting my first credit card.
It’s never too late to start learning how to use credit cards the right way. Credit card anxiety is understandable but conquerable. No matter your history, you can always start finding confidence in your financial decisions.
— Madison Hoehn
About the author
Madison Hoehn is an editor on the Bankrate credit cards team. She’s passionate about making readers feel seen and meeting them where they are in their credit card journey.
Prior to her work at Bankrate, Madison wrote and edited content for BestColleges, specializing in alternative education such as coding bootcamps and trade schools. Her experience also took her to Viident Co., an independent publishing company, where she worked closely with authors on their upcoming books.
When she’s not editing words for Bankrate, she’s often following a Yoga with Adriene video or writing words of her own, as her life-long dream is to publish a fantasy novel.
Madison wants you to know
Being an adult can be scary. Being a first-time homeowner, taking out a loan or starting new credit lines can be intimidating in today’s world. It can feel like you have a million different sources telling you how to handle your finances and you don’t know how to cut through the noise.
The key to finding confidence in credit card usage is getting back to the basics. There’s a plethora of options to choose from, but determining who you are and what you value most in your life is a sure way to determine which card will work best for you. In a world with advice coming at you from all sides, it’s important for you to become an expert on you.
Madison’s recommended readings
Different types of credit cards
Credit card pros and cons
What is a credit card balance?
It’s never too late to start learning how to use credit cards the right way. Credit card anxiety is understandable but conquerable. No matter your history, you can always start finding confidence in your financial decisions.
— Madison Hoehn
Here are 6 things I learned while getting my first credit card.
Your credit card balance is the amount you owe your credit card company at any given time and is essential to managing your debt.
Deferred interest deals can be enticing but you could pay more than you expected.
Discover how credit limits work and what you can do to increase yours.
Earning an 800 credit score proves that you are a creditworthy consumer.
The BofA Travel Rewards credit card is a respectable starter travel credit card.
Getting your first credit card is important for building strong credit.
No credit and bad credit can both disrupt your goals, but which one is better?
Citi ThankYou Rewards members can transfer points to one of Citi’s many partners.