Ted Rossman, Senior Credit Card Analyst at Bankrate, joins TheStreet to share the biggest mistakes people can make when handling their credit card debt.
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00:00What are some of the most common mistakes that people make when managing their credit card debt?
00:07One big mistake is some people erroneously think that you need to carry a balance to
00:11build credit. That is definitely false. The best way to use a credit card is to pay in full each
00:16and every month. That's when rewards are worth it. That's when you're avoiding interest. That's
00:21really tip number one with a credit card. Use it like a debit card. Credit cards have better rewards
00:27and better buyer protections. The one big drawback is debt. So you have to know yourself,
00:31too. I mean, if you have credit card debt or you think you're going to overspend,
00:35maybe stick to cash or debit. Get that zero percent balance transfer card to pay down your
00:41debt. So there are a lot of misconceptions about debt and whether or not to carry a balance.
00:48But some people avoid credit to their detriment. You know, sometimes I hear from younger adults,
00:52including one of my younger brothers, who are kind of scared of credit and they don't want
00:56to use it. That can come back to hurt you at some point because then you're not building credit. So
01:02then when you want to buy a car or rent an apartment or buy a house, you may not have a
01:06credit score. That's been a pain point among a lot of young adults, is that as it's become harder to
01:12get a credit card and as some have kind of self-selected out of credit cards, it's important
01:17to build credit. I wish Buy Now Pay Later plans reported to credit bureaus more. Most of them do
01:23not. A lot of young adults are not building credit, so it's important to use it, but use it responsibly.