There is a lot of truth in the advice that credit cards are not a substitute for not having money. Every time you use a credit card this should be the theme replaying in your mind. And you would do good to remember the following "do's" and "dont's" as well...

Necessary Jobs:

Always plan for the purchases that you need and those that you want. You need the essentials, and you want everything else. The ability of making a distinction might help you plan wisely.

If caught up in financial difficulties, it's always good to talk to the issuer who might re-schedule your payments. If you simply default, that only helps to build up an unfavorable credit history and you might find yourself being denied credit next time.

Only in a truly emergency situation should you ever spend over your credit limit. If you have to do this try to at least stay about 30% over at the top level.

Don't hesitate to talk to your issuer for a more favorable deal if you are getting inundated with unsecured credit card applications teasing you with better offers. Remember that they do wish to keep you as a customer so they will usually offer you something better.

The Dont's:

Do not use your credit card to make house hold purchases. It's expensive in the long run

Do not just pay the minimal amount. You will end up paying exorbitant interest. The quicker you clear the debt the better.

Do not use the credit card to purchase things you can't afford.

With these suggestions, you are on your way to managing your credit cards responsibly. This will assist you in getting away from the traps some individuals fall into that use credit cards irresponsibly.

The point is that using credit cards is not always evil and horrible. An individual needs to be positive the cards are used responsibly. Visit one of the online credit-cardguides for more help on managing credit cards and related debt.