Use a Credit Card Without Paying Interest

Njalo ngenyanga, inkampani yakho yamakhadi ithumela isitatimende. Ikhombisa ukuthenga kwakho, izinkokhelo, kanye nezimali zomjikelezo owodwa wokukhokha. Umjikelezo wokukhokha uvame ukuba yinyanga eyodwa. Izinombolo ezintathu esitatimendeni zibaluleke kakhulu.

Ibhalansi yesitatimende

Lokho okukweleta ngosuku lokugcina lomjikelezo wokukhokha. Uma ukhokha le mali ephelele ngosuku olubekiwe, amakhadi amaningi awakhokhisi nzalo ekuthengeni kwakho.

Ibhalansi yamanje

Lokho okukweleta namuhla. Kubandakanya ukuthenga okwenzile ngemuva kwesitatimende. Akudingeki ukhokhe lokhu ukuze ugweme inzalo.

Inkokhelo encane

Inani elincane kunazo zonke okufanele ukhokhe ngosuku olubekiwe ukugwema imali ekhokhwayo sekwephuzile. Uma ukhokha kuphela le mali, ukhokha inzalo kokunye.

Isikhathi esiphakathi kokuphela komjikelezo wokukhokha nosuku olufanele sibizwa ngokuthi isikhathi somusa. Izinkampani zamakhadi akudingeki zikunikeze eyodwa, kepha iningi lezenza ukuthenga. Kufanele bathumele noma bathumele umthethosivivinywa wakho okungenani izinsuku ezingama-21 ngaphambi kokukhokha.

Uma ungakhokhi ibhalansi ephelele yesitatimende, ulahlekelwa yisikhathi somusa. Ukhokha inzalo enanini engakhokhiwe, futhi ukuthenga okusha kuqala ukukhokhisa inzalo ngokushesha. Ukusebenzisa ikhadi ngaphandle kokukhokha inzalo, khokha ibhalansi yesitatimende esigcwele njalo ngenyanga.

In most cases, your statement must include a box with the words "Minimum Payment Warning." It shows how long it will take to pay off your balance if you pay only the minimum, and about how much you will pay in total. It usually also shows how much to pay each month to pay off the balance in 3 years. These numbers assume you make no new purchases. The box also gives a free phone number for information about credit counseling.

1. Find the warning box on your paper or online statement.
2. Read the line for paying only the minimum. Note the number of years and the total cost.
3. Read the line for paying off the balance in 3 years. Note the monthly amount.
4. If your spending plan allows it, pay at least the 3-year amount each month.
5. Stop adding new charges to the card until it is paid off.

Paying more than the minimum also helps if one card has different balances, such as purchases and a cash advance. By law, any amount you pay above the minimum generally goes first to the balance with the highest interest rate.

Paying late costs money and hurts your credit. Federal rules set some limits.

• A late fee can never be more than your minimum payment. The fee can go up if you are late again within the next six billing cycles.
• If your payment is more than 60 days late, the card company can charge a higher penalty APR on your existing balance. If you then make six minimum payments on time in a row, it must lower that rate again.
• In the first year, a card company generally cannot raise the rate on new purchases. After that, it must give you 45 days' notice before a big change, such as a higher rate.
• If someone uses your credit card without your permission, the most you can owe is $50. Report a lost or stolen card right away.
• If your bill has a mistake, such as a charge you did not make, send a letter to the address for billing questions. It must arrive within 60 days after the first bill with the mistake was sent to you.

If you are new to credit, a secured card may be the easiest card to get. You pay a deposit, and your credit limit is usually the same as the deposit. As you show you can pay on time, your limit may go up and you may get your deposit back. An unsecured card needs no deposit, but it is harder to get without a credit history.

• Is there an annual fee or a monthly fee? Look for a card with no fee, or a low one.
• What is the APR for purchases? What is the APR for cash advances?
• Is there a foreign transaction fee? Some cards charge 1% to 3% on purchases from stores outside the U.S. This matters if you buy things from your home country or travel.
• Does the card report to all three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion?
• Can you set up alerts and automatic payments?
• Did you ask your own bank or credit union first?

If you have an ITIN instead of a Social Security number, some card companies accept it on an application. Since June 2026, federal regulators have asked banks to look more closely at customers who use an ITIN. Some may ask for more documents or say no, so ask before you apply. For other ways to start, see Build Credit from Zero.

Apply for one card at a time. Each application can add an inquiry to your credit report.