Fees You’re Charged But May Not be Aware of
Friday, June 18th, 2010
Managing the family’s finances can be a daunting task and not easy to do as some people might think. It’s not just about adding and subtracting because other skills are required to ensure that money that comes in and goes out are properly accounted for.
In terms of dealing with credit cards, bank accounts and other financial matters, it pays to be meticulous about the fees involved. Being educated about the company or financial institution’s terms and conditions or policies can be a big help towards avoiding unnecessary fees and saving money moving forward. Recent financial reports and research findings revealed that many consumers still lack knowledge about the costs involved particularly in their use of the credit card that they end up facing huge bills and struggling to pay for them.
Financial experts strongly recommend reading and understanding the policies of each company that you deal with to ensure that you stay away from charges that are not supposed to be charged to you. This is the first and very important step to take when applying for a new credit card, a personal loan and even before you open a bank account.
Take for instance the credit card. Many consumers own more than one card but not all are perhaps aware of the fees involved every time they use the card for purchases or for withdrawing money. They may not even be aware of the annual fees they need to pay. But you need to be aware that some credit card providers have started charging annual fees on cards that are not active. The aim is to encourage them to spend using the plastic. Fees can range from $40 to $60 if consumers don’t use the card for a period of one year.
There are also credit cards that charge certain fees if you wish to redeem rewards points or frequent flier miles. The fee can range from $25 to $50 although some airlines can charge you up to hundreds of dollars just to avail of your mileage credits. Experts advise consumers to stick to one airline and do your best to achieve their gold or platinum status to avoid redemption fees. Also, it’s important to weigh the yearly fee against the benefit you will get because it’s not all the time that companies are fair in their dealings.
Another issue with rewards cards is that they can take away some of the points you’ve already earned during a certain billing cycle once you’re late paying your monthly due. If you request for a reinstatement of your points, you have to pay for it or it’s gone for good. The point here then is to pay your dues on time and the best way, according to experts, is to schedule automatic payments.
With short term personal loans, you should develop the same attitude. In other words, ask your questions first from the fees to the repayment terms before signing the contract. It’s better to be informed beforehand than later when you’re already feeling regretful. It’s been reported that some loan providers apply hidden fees that borrowers don’t know of so to avoid this, always read and understand the terms and conditions of the lender you’re dealing with.
