Using credit cards to pay for purchases is something that many people do without another thought. While this isn’t an issue in and of itself, there is a potential for it to become an issue.
Some people don’t realize that the key to using credit cards to pay for items is that the credit cards must be used in a responsible manner. You can’t just charge everything without thinking about how you are going to pay the bills.
Ideally, you will pay your credit cards off in full each month. This might seem difficult, but you can get started on paying down the accounts now and then only charging what you know you can pay off when the bill comes out.
If you do have credit cards, remember that your credit card balance has a big impact on your credit score. Not only do you have to consider the debt-to-income ratio, you also have to think about the total credit utilization, which also affects your score.
You should always try to use credit responsibly. If you find that you did charge more than what you can actually afford, it might be time to look into your options. Contacting the credit card company might be a good idea since the company may work out something with you.
If you feel like you are drowning in debt, you might decide to file bankruptcy. You would then need to determine which form of bankruptcy you should pursue. In most cases, this will be a choice between Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 since these are the two forms of personal bankruptcy.
Source: Credit Cards, “8 things you must know about credit card debt,” Erica Sandberg, accessed Sep. 06, 2017