As a consumerist society, we try to counteract our spending with saving as much money as we can.  If you’ve ever listened to Dave Ramsey, he says one of the ways to financial freedom is to eliminate all debt by getting rid of all of your credit cards.  This works for some individuals and yet for others, they still find a need for credit cards in their life.

Here are some tips to help you save money if you can’t cut the chord with your credit card.

Get a good cash back credit card.  If you do, you’ll be making your money work for you and saving when you can.  You just have to make sure that you pay the balance off each month, no exceptions.

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There are long lists of credit card companies that offer great cash back incentives.  Here is a link featuring some of the best credit card deals currently available: https://www.nerdwallet.com/the-best-credit-cards

A smart way to use a credit card is to try and charge all purchases and all monthly bills (cell phone, internet, etc.) to maximize the cash back bonus each month.  A bonus tip is to sign up for the loyalty programs at any merchants or restaurants that you frequent.

A high credit score will allow you to save money too, by allowing you to get the best rate on your mortgage or car loan, and Discover allows you to keep track of your FICO score by reporting it to you monthly on your statements.

I encourage you to investigate what benefits you are currently getting from your credit card(s) and also see how that compares to what’s currently in your wallet.  Make sure you are really maximizing every dollar you spend and that you are getting the best benefits for you.

Again, whatever credit card you have won’t matter if you don’t practice solid budgeting and pay off the card each month.