Credit card offers: what’s included?

Apart from the obvious use of enabling you to purchase goods and services on credit, most credit cards have other features that the savvy customer can take advantage of.

Here is a quick rundown of some common credit card features, and how they can be used.

Frequent Flyer Schemes

Simply put, as you spend money on your credit card, you accumulate points that can in turn be exchanged for airfare tickets (and sometimes other goods). Sometimes there can be catches (such as points expiring or only being awarded when you spend a certain amount), so research it fully before signing up.

Balance Transfer

If you have racked up an insurmountable credit card debt, you may want to address this by shifting to a balance transfer card. These cards will offer you very low or zero interest on transferred debt for a period of time, thus enabling you to rearrange your payment schedule.

Travel Insurance

Some cards will cover you for the duration of your travel stint overseas. This is particularly advantageous for those who regularly travel on business, and can mean quite a saving. Check the requirements – sometimes you have to pay for the airfares on the card, and sometimes it will only cover you for a certain length of time.