6 reasons to get a credit card in 2023

A lot of people still use cash or a debit card to pay for everything they buy, either because they’re not comfortable using a credit card, they don’t understand how credit

cards work or they just don’t want to take the time to change their routine. But every time you use a credit card to make a purchase, you get something in return — or at least

you do if you’re using the right credit card. Many credit cards earn rewards such as cash back or airline miles, while others have features that help you pay down your existing

debt or finance a large purchase over time with no interest. And some credit cards offer travel protections in case you have an issue during a trip, purchase protection if an item

you buy happens to break the next day, or even cell phone protection if your phone is damaged or stolen. There are tons of benefits to having a credit card, so 2023 should be the

year that you put away that debit card and start using a card that gives you something back in return. Let’s take a look at what you’re missing out on when you’re not using a

credit card, with these six reasons to get a credit card in the new year. One of the best benefits of using a credit card is that with most cards, you’ll earn rewards on every

single purchase you make. The most common types of rewards include cash back or travel points or miles, but there are other options as well. Merchants generally aren’t allowed to

charge you more for using a credit card to pay for your purchase instead of cash or a debit card, and you’ll never pay interest on a credit card as long as you pay your bill in

full every month. That means if you’re doing it right, there’s absolutely no reason to leave money on the table with a debit card when a credit card is giving you something

back for no cost at all. Some credit cards even offer what we call “bonus categories.” This means on certain categories of purchases — such as groceries, food delivery or

even just filling up your gas tank — you can earn extra rewards every time you use your card. Not every credit card has an annual fee, but some popular cards do, so you need to

weigh the cost of the card versus the rewards you’re earning or other perks of the card. But there are many highly recommended credit cards with no annual fee that earn rewards

at truly no cost. On top of the rewards you’ll earn on all your purchases, many credit cards offer some pretty enormous sign-up bonuses. This means just by applying for a credit

card and using it to spend a certain amount of money in the first few months you have the card (known as a “minimum spending requirement”), you can earn a big chunk of rewards