Credit Card Purchases Could Pay Off This Holiday Season
NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- As the holiday shopping season arrives, paying with plastic could mean reaping big rewards.
The experts at Card Hub compared 1,000 credit cards and told CBS 2's Carolyn Gusoff that shoppers should know which ones they plan to pay with before hitting the mall.
"Stay away from zero-percent offers linked to retailers. Instead look for zero-percent general purpose credit cards," Card Hub CEO, Odysseas Papadimitriou said.
Shoppers who plan to pay in full each month should opt for a card that offers rewards or discounts. If you plan to pay over time it's better to ignore rewards and go for a card with a low-interest rate.
Big name retailers often offer big discounts for using their credit cards.
"I get 5-percent off every time I use my card at Target or Target.com," Michelle Genardi said.
However, experts cautioned that if you carry a balance on a store card you could wind up paying the price.
"You definitely need to pay that bill off as the interest rates are so much higher than your standard credit card," My Bank Tracker, Co-Founder, Alex Matajnec said.
Some plastic payment options offer other perks. American Express often doubles the manufacturers warranty on big-ticket electronics. Mastercard and VISA provide automatic rental insurance for car rentals.
Experts also warned that while debit cards can prevent overspending they may not offer fraud protection.
Merchants are charged fees for different credit card purchases but told CBS 2 that they are happy to see shoppers spending.
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