Credit Card Quick

American Express: Should You Really Never Leave Home Without It?

Introduction

American Express, or AMEX, as some prefer to call  it, is among the top companies when it comes to credit cards. They offer a variety of card options, some of these even with low APRs and no annual fee. They have excellent rewards programs, including the SkyMiles frequent flier rewards. There’s no doubt about it that an AMEX card is a great asset for your wallet.

Things to Consider

While an American Express card can bring you a lot of benefits, it is not as widely accepted as Visa, MasterCard or even Discover. Sure, they have merchants worldwide, however, if you plan to use a credit card for shopping and other things, you might want to carry AMEX along side another card or two, in order to be prepared for anything. This is not advice meant to tell you to stock up on credit cards so you can spend, spend, spend; rather, it is a precaution to take for the world we live in.

Not every merchant can accept AMEX. Not every merchant accepts the other cards either. It is dependent on the businesses’ ability to afford separate payment system to process the different cards. Since this can become costly, really denting the profit margin, many simply go with one or two credit card types. Still, it does not mean you should not have an American Express card ready to use.

Some Great Benefits

Aside from the possibility of rewards, AMEX cards offer you great benefits as a customer. It is an excellent option for frequent travelers, as you can get the SkyMiles, if that is your reward of choice, for flying. They offer a way to obtain cash advances, as well as travelers cheques, insurance plans, financial services, and much more. It’s a great option for business credit as well. As an American Express customer, you have access to so many wonderful things. With great rates, exceptional customer services and all this other stuff, it’s definitely a credit card worth having.

Other than the fact that not all merchants accept it, the only other downfalls of AMEX are pretty much the same as most other cards: if you overspend, you’re going to pay a lot, and of course, you have got to have pretty good credit in the first place to even get you hands on one.

That said, if you can get you hand on one, AMEX is right: never leave home without it.

Credit Card Peace of Mind – Tips for Card Security

Card Security

If you have a credit card, you know it will cost you some of your hard-earned money. You don’t want some scammer stealing your information or some thief walking away with your card, leaving you to pay for it.

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you keep your card safe and secure:

Report It Immediately!

In the case that your card does become lost or stolen or you see some suspicious activity on your account, call the credit card company and report it immediately. Do not wait. Your company can not do anything about it if they don’t know about it. Most companies have policies and procedures in place to handle this kind of unfortunate event in your favor. You can be protected and released from taking the financial responsibility of someone else’s wrongdoings, however, there is often a set limit of time for reporting the problem. If you wait, you may have to swallow your pride, as well as the charges.

Always Know Where Your Credit Card Is

If you keep your card in a purse or wallet, know where those things are at all times. If you hide it somewhere in your home, make sure it is a place where no one else can find it. Of course, it never hurts to check these things on a regular basis to ensure that the card is still there. If something does happen to your card, be sure to report it immediately, as mentioned before.

Never let your card out of your sight. It’s a nice gesture to offer to use your card to pay for something a friend or loved one might need, however, don’t hand over the card. Go with them and make the transaction yourself. In some restaurants, you get to swipe your own card or they do it right in front of you. In others, they ring your check to the table and traditionally, you slide your card into that thick little folder and they go make the transaction for you, out of your sight, before returning the card. Know that you have the right to go along with them or to request to pay it yourself. It’s nothing personal (against them, anyway) and the restaurant staff is likely to not only understand, but to accommodate your wishes. After all, it is your credit card and your money.

Pin Numbers

Everyone knows the rule: don’t write the pin number on your card. Well, in this day and age, we carry a lot of credit cards, ATM cards, and debit cards, among others, that require a pin. Memorization of all these numbers can get confusing. However, there are a few tricks to pin numbers that can make this easier for you and can also keep your card secure.

Never choose numbers that would be obvious to those who know you, such as birth dates and addresses. Choose a number that holds some meaning for you; something only you would know, and memorize it. Some credit card companies will automatically issue a pin number. Don’t keep that page with the number on you. It would be too easy for a thief to identify the card that it is associated with.

If you do carry several cards and do not want to memorize a dozen numbers, you can always streamline your pin by using the same one for all of them. However, you must memorize the number and never let those cards out of your sight. If you must write it down somewhere, code it. It sounds funny, but it can work. Put the number into a series of numbers and symbols and letters and memorize which four belong to your pin. That way, only you will know what that code really is. These are good tips, however, ultimately, your best bet is to remember every pin that comes with every card. So keep the number you carry rather minimal.

There are plenty of other ways to keep your credit cards safe. These are just the basic tips to help you be aware and more diligent about your financial security.