Idea Credit Cards

Credit cards By Bankrate.com

Just because many Americans have overdosed on debt doesn't mean using credit cards is a bad idea. In fact, there are times when a credit card is clearly the best choice.For starters, you usually get far more purchase protection with a credit card than you do with cash or check. That helps when you buy a $1,000 laptop that suddenly has a damaged screen a week after you walk out of the store, particularly if the store manager and the manufacturer insist it's your fault.Save-the-day features kick in when you travel. Credit cards often include free car-rental insurance and some travel insurance, though offers vary with each issuer.And if a thief picks your pocket, your liability is much lower than with a wad of cash.Add in airline miles, rewards points and cash back, along with the interest-free loan if you pay the balance every month, and you'll find a lot of credit card experts using their cards to charge everything they can."I try to buy everything with a credit card," says Scott Bilker, author of "How to Be More Credit Card and Debt Smart." "I hate using cash, because if you lose it, it's gone. With credit cards, the bank's money is gone."You just have to be careful to use them in your favor. It takes work: research and phone calls."