Choosing a credit card

When you’re deciding which credit card to get, ask yourself this question: Will I be paying interest on my debts?

If you pay your credit card balance in full and on time each month, you won’t be charged interest. In that case, it’s worth it to get a credit card with rewards. These cards give you points, cash or airline miles every time you use them. However, rewards cards have higher interest rates — high enough to wipe out the value of the rewards you earn. That brings us to what to do if you do carry a balance (in other words, you don’t pay off your debt every month). You’ll want to minimize your interest payments, so you should pick a credit card that has a low interest rate.

Your credit card is issued by a bank, such as Bank of America, Chase or Wells Fargo. The bank determines your interest rate, fees and rewards, so it’s important to find a bank that offers a card you like. Transactions  are processed on a network, like Visa, Mastercard or American Express. The network doesn’t really affect the features on a card, except for such perks like rental car insurance or price protection. However, the network determines where the card is accepted.

In general, the better your credit score, the better the cards you can qualify for. The most generous rewards rates, the best perks and the lowest interest rates are available to those with excellent credit.