Surely you have some cards, either in credit or debit format, in your wallet. You may not have used them regularly. But what you probably don't know is that you can take advantage of this payment method for your next summer vacation. And till save a lot of money with its use, and more than you can initially foresee. And above all, without giving up any service or provision.
You should only have the appropriate card for these days of vacation with friends or family. And among its advantages they may even surprise you by the many applications that you will have every time you pay with any of these plastics. The first one is that you will not need carry cash during the trip, since you can withdraw cash from most ATMs, even during your stays abroad.
For this operation you must choose the bank correctly, since if you do it at the card issuer it will not cost you anything, and in this way you will avoid paying the annoying commissions. Not surprisingly, they can make your next vacation more expensive. But where you will fundamentally notice the advantages of its use will be in other operations, which They will report discounts, rebates and access to offers and promotions. It is convenient that you know them so that this year you can contain the expenses.
Discounts on tourist services
Without a doubt, this feature will be one of the most suggestive you have for your vacation plan. Some cards, especially in their credit modality, have incorporated a discount line on the main tourist services and products. They can go up to 15%, even more in the most aggressive models. Every time you pay with these cards you can benefit from these interesting bonuses, as well as other additional services.
They affect tourist packages, accommodation, leisure services, transport, car rental, and so on to a long list of the vacation sector. Each time you formalize the reservation, the discount will be applied directly. And as a consequence of this commercial strategy, the expenses in these next vacations will be significantly lower, being able to allocate them to other activities or purposes.
You can take advantage of this situation because more and more cards are using this service, as a claim to be subscribed by bank users. You will only have select the model of plastic that best suits your needs, and your relationships with consumption. Not surprisingly, you can choose from many models that have these characteristics so beneficial for your personal interests.
Bonuses on gasoline
If you are going to use the car as a means to travel to other destinations, you should know that some of these cards also have the possibility of obtaining discounts incorporated each time you go to a service station to refuel the vehicle. Their percentages are not as spectacular as in the previous proposal, but anyway you will get a discount of between 1% and 4% for formalizing this so common operation on vacation trips.
On the other hand, the offer includes the alternative of shopping at service stations under percentages that are also very suggestive. It is made up of another option to promote savings on the trips that you have to undertake at this special time of year. And that is independent of other offers and discounts that these cards provide. In any case, are linked to a specific trademark, as a formula to retain the owner of this means of payment.
These are other strategies used by plastics issuers to encourage consumption, since the operation can only be formalized by paying the bill from these credit cards. Also in this case, more and more models are incorporating this bonus system in purchases, in this case of fuel. Constituting a new alternative to promote savings among drivers.
Deferral of interest-free payments
Another benefit that you can currently find is the deferral of payments without the application of any interest. And that is used for the many purchases that are made during vacation days, in large establishments and other smaller businesses. They allow their holders to delay the payment of their commercial operations in short periods, which do not go beyond 1 to 3 months. And they even serve to make the shopping cart in hypermarkets.
If these time limits are exceeded, a fixed interest rate will be applied every month. Its scale moves in a range that goes from 12% to 15%. And in all cases, without commissions or other expenses in its management or maintenance. This service will allow users to better adjust to their domestic budget, even during their vacations.
However, they are cards that are generally linked to a specific trademark or trade. And that they base their strategy on customer loyalty as the center of the promotional campaign for these plastics. In addition, they are usually free, and even in many cases they do not have maintenance or management fees. And they are extendable to other tourist products: plane reservation, accommodation, spa, etc. You can take them with you on your next trip.
How to better manage the cards?
Surely when you check your wallet you will find a card with these characteristics. It is convenient that you identify it to arrange it before starting the holidays. There are many advantages that you will obtain, but you must manage them with the utmost caution so as not to get into excessive debt if you use them with certain frequency.
This is precisely the biggest problem with this payment method that we are talking about. You will not have to abuse them in their use, if you really want to give them a correct and rational use. And for you to achieve these goals, you will have no choice but to import a series of tips that we expose you below.
- Despite all the facilities to defer payments, you will have to return the amounts, and you should not go into excessive debt since the budget you have for each month may misalign.
- You should use these cards only when you really need them, and never by obligation or routine, since you will have no choice but to pay very high interest rates.
- This means of payment can be used to get out of more of a hurry, but not to use them with any regularity, and less to pay all the expenses through the plastic. It could harm your interests by assuming a totally unnecessary kind of debt.
- You must choose the model that best suits your profile As a client, with the advantage that you will have many proposals that will cover your needs, even with a series of additional services and benefits that are very useful for your daily life.
- Try to opt for the cards that do not involve expenses. Especially without commissions or in its issuance and maintenance. In this way, even if you don't use them, you won't have to pay any euro.
- Take care of exceed your personal limits, since you can see yourself in a serious financing problem. Paying some interest for a service that really did not require the need to defer payment.
- Always look at the fine print of the contract in case it had incorporated more expenses than initially foreseen: penalties, hidden fees, maintenance, etc. When you have everything clear you can sign to start enjoying its benefits.
- And anyway, do not collect many cards that cost you every year. Duplication in this means of payment is something that you have to eliminate from the beginning to contain expenses, in this case useless.
How to get the cards for free?
You may not know it, but many of these cards can be obtained without having to assume any expense, completely free of charge. How? Well, very simple, taking advantage of certain banking strategies that lead to this alternative that is presented to you. One of the most common is hiring a checking account that admits this possibility, without other requirements from the bank.
If you direct your payroll, and even the main domestic bills, you will be able to subscribe your plastic under these conditions, that is, free of charge. In addition to incorporating another series of advantages that may benefit you in your relationship with the bank. Preferential credits, payroll advances, free insurance, etc.
Another strategy that never fails to achieve these goals necessarily happens to be a good customer. Not having debts with the bank, operating with its main products, and even opening a portfolio of securities can help you. As a reward, they will give you credit or debit cards, without having to face any expense for their use.
From these aids that you will have to contain the expenses in this universal means of payment, you will only have to choose the model that can best serve you in your daily life. And where it will be of great importance opt for a not very expansive model, that has a more competitive interest rate, and that does not generate additional expenses for its use. With these variables you must track the current bank offer to find the best solution, and that in each case will be different.
You should not opt for formats that you will use little, or at least sporadically. Not surprisingly, it will be a small waste that you do without any need. Especially when you have so many models to choose from, and from all the banks that operate in national territory. After these explanations, you will no longer have an excuse to pay more than necessary for being a holder of one of these cards, in its different modalities.