The benefits of credit cards to customers in the modern era are many and it is almost the case that not having a credit card is a considerable inconvenience in day to day life. Credit cards can now be used for so many purposes and are in fact essential in so many situations that they are becoming almost imperative for all adults to carry in their wallet or purse.
The benefits of credit cards to customers include allowing payment for goods purchased to be deferred. This means that when a purchase is made on a credit card, it is not a case of parting with cash at the time. Payment will only become due when the next credit card statement is received and this can mean that several weeks’ interest free credit is essentially obtained. If a credit card user pays by credit card on a regular basis and invests their money pending receipt of their statement, a significant amount of interest can be generated over a period of time.
The convenience factor is another benefit of credit cards to customers. This is where the customer is not required to visit their bank or an ATM in order to obtain cash prior to going to make a purchase. They merely hand over their card and the payment is made as described above at a later date.
The benefits of credit cards to customers also have to take account of the variety of ways in which they allow customers to purchase goods or pay for services. Credit cards can be used to make payments via the telephone or the Internet, in the latter case particularly, very often at significant savings. This means that the process of using the credit cards saves the consumer time in not having to leave home to make their purchase and very possibly money.
There are many credit cards which offer incentive schemes which can be of great benefit to customers. These scheme are where points are accrued for using the credit card to pay for goods which can be later redeemed for cash or perhaps retail vouchers. Using credit cards of this variety can lead to a very substantial saving or cash lump sum further down the line.
The benefits of credit cards to customers of course only apply when the credit cards are used sensibly, within the consumer’s budget and are paid on time each month. It is important therefore to be aware of the credit cards’ conditions if these benefits are to be realised in full.