This time of year, its worth knowing that using your credit card to pay for goods costing over 100 will give you automatic protection in case something goes wrong with a transaction. This means that both the card issuer and the trader have equal liability, and can have action taken against either if necessary. This also applies to purchases that are part-paid for, and things bought online.



More than likely your credit card company wont have told you about this, but it applies to everyone with a credit card, not just with certain companies. If your issuer proves difficult in the event of a problem, refer them to Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which outlines equal liability.





Whether you have a credit card, or are just planning on applying for one, its wise to shop around for the best deal. If youve had the same card for a while, new fees may have crept in or your spending habits may have changed, and you couldnt be paying more APR than you need to. Investigate to see if theres any way you could save some money in the run-up and aftermath of the festive season.



Taking advantage of introductory 0% credit card offers made by companies wanting your business can be a good way to save. The average length of time for a 0% offer is 9 months for balance transfers and 5 months for purchases. Theoretically, if you review your credit card every 2 or 3 months, you could avoid paying interest altogether.



Credit cards are a handy bit of plastic to have, provided you are in a position to pay off the balance or at the very least, the minimum payment on a regular basis.