The ability to make a purchase and pay for it later is the convenience of using a credit card. Credit Cards are becoming a more popular choice of payment when it comes to making purchases, whether the consumer has the initial money at the time of purchase or not. This is because when using a credit card you have the ability to shop from the convenience of your home, keep track of what you’re spending and earn rewards for these purchases.
Convenience of shopping from your own home
Many people find it easier to shop from the comfort of their own home and credit cards make this possible. Shopping at home allows consumers to browse different stores in a matter of minutes to find the best deals possible. The popularity of online shopping has drastically accelerated over the years, in which Cyber Monday has become one of the biggest shopping days on the Internet. Immediately following the already anticipated in-store shopping deal day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday is a day dedicated specifically to online shopping in which websites offer various promotions and great deals on items for consumers. Promoting products on the web with money-saving deals encourages credit card usage. The ability to shop from the convenience of your home and pay with a credit card, in which an item is shipped right to your house makes online shopping easy.
To start online shopping from home, all a consumer has to do is set up an online merchant account when they are ready to purchase items. Setting up an online merchant account is fast, easy and usually free. To create most online accounts, all the consumer has to supply is their email address and sometimes basic shipping information. A credit card is normally not asked for until the consumer is ready to finalize a purchase. Once these accounts are created it makes shopping online a lot easier and convenient for the
consumer.
Track Spending
When using a credit card it is much easier to keep track of your finances, then using cash. It’s hard to keep track of the exact amounts spent when using cash, unless you keep all of your receipts or have a written log. Credit card users receive organized monthly statements of how much they owe and when their payment is due. These statements provide users with information regarding when a purchase was made, from where and how much was spent. This helps users track payments and budget their spending. Unlike cash, if a credit card is stolen or lost, you can put a block on it right away so no one can make purchases on it, where cash would be gone forever. Credit card companies also monitor spending and if there is any suspicious activity, they notify you.
Reward Programs
Most credit card companies offer rewards programs, which encourages consumers to use their credit card. With a lot of these rewards programs consumers have the chance to earn points or credits when spending with their card. The rewards and points encourage users to spend using that particular credit card – it’s a promotional tool and a reward for being a valued customer.
Some of the better rewards programs even offer consumers airline tickets or trips. Who wouldn’t want a free vacation?
Choosing credit cards over cash is going to continue to be a popular choice for consumers. Having the ability shop from your home, receiving monthly statements and earning rewards for using a credit card are perks when making a purchase with a credit card.
Michele Filipkowski is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. Follow her @micheleashley89.