Christmas and New Year are the times when you go out with your family, buy them new clothes, purchase something that you wanted for a long time, go for a vacation, catch a movie with a friend, etc. From booking hotels to movie tickets, buying flight tickets to paying for the dinner at a restaurant – a credit card can be useful at all times.
A credit card is a plastic card that allows you to carry out hassle-free transactions, anytime anywhere. They are accepted at almost every other merchant outlet. It comfortably slips into your wallet and saves you from the trouble of carrying currency bills wherever you go. There are various credit cards available in the market and all of them are designed as per the spending needs of the cardholder.
You must understand that everyone has different spending needs. While one may like to travel and wander, someone else might like to catch the latest movie, while another may fancy a delicious meal at a popular restaurant. The card issuers offer credit cards that cater to specific needs of the individuals. So a card that is the ideal choice for you might not be the best for someone else.
When you choose a card for yourself, the credit card offers are something that you must check out. If you can identify your spending habit and pick a card accordingly, you can make the most out of your credit card.
Let us talk about some of the perks that you should not overlook this Christmas and New Year.
Massive discounts on online shopping and retail shopping:
This festive season calls for plenty of gifts for loved ones. To attract customers during the Christmas season, e-commerce sites and retail stores host sales, and offer discounts that are hard to resist. Apart from this, credit companies also offer discounts, EMI options and other deals through tie-ups with merchants. The card issuer may also offer discounts over and above the merchant's discount if you swipe your credit card to make the purchase.
To make sure you don't miss out on amazing season deals, keep an eye out for these notifications, visit the company's website. or speak to their customer care to know more.
Never expiring miles, never ending smiles:
Most people plan their vacations during Christmas and New Year. May it be somewhere in the country or overseas – people love to spend some quality time around this time of the year. The sale of flight tickets go up ten fold and flight services roll out lucrative credit card offers to attract more customers.
If you are using a credit card that allows you to earn air miles, you will be handsomely rewarded for your bookings and purchases. Generally, for every Rs.100 spent on your card, you can earn either a few reward points or a few miles. This depends on what kind of card you hold and the bank's policy. You can accumulate these miles or points and redeem them later for flight tickets or other goodies. For most of the cards, the air miles that you accumulate, do not expire! Hotel reservations can also be done using these points collected by you. Making use of these credit card offers can help you save a lot of your hardearned money.
Roadside Assistance:
Your credit card can prove to be extremely helpful in case of an emergency situation. It is only common that you may go out on a road trip with your friends during the long weekends of Christmas or New Year. However, you must understand that your car might break down or the tires can get punctured while you are traveling. Some of the credit cards offer roadside assistance which allows you to enjoy services like emergency towing, alternate travel assistance, roadside repair, etc.
Fuel surcharge waiver:
Whether it’s a road trip or driving from your home to the restaurant, your car needs fuel to run. Credit cards help you save substantially when you use them for refueling. Most cards offer waivers on fuel surcharge and also reward you with cashback. So, if you are planning to head out for a drive during the New Year long weekend, refuel your vehicle using your credit card and make the most out of it.
Quick tip – If road trip is what you are planning, ensure that your car insurance is in place.
Concierge services:
24/7 concierge services are offered by almost all the credit card issuers. May it be booking concert tickets or movie tickets, making dinner reservations or hotel reservations – concierge services can assist you at all times. You can make use of this service to book your flight tickets, send gifts to your loved ones, etc. The best thing about concierge services is that it is absolutely free. The concierge service team is dedicated to help you with all your problems, anytime.
Zero liability in case of a fraudulent transaction:
Fraudulent activities associated with credit cards are extremely common in today’s world.Thus, several individuals have a fear of owning a credit card. You must understand that even if there is an unauthorized transaction carried out using your credit card, you will not be held responsible for it.
Ensure that you inform your credit card issuer about the theft or the loss of your credit card as soon as possible. Your issuer will block your card and any transaction made using your card will not be your liability. Issuers, generally, send a duplicate credit card within a couple of days to your registered postal address. Some credit cards also offer insurance against fraudulent activities. As coverage, you can avail an amount equal to the credit limit of your card.
Health insurance and travel insurance:
Most credit cards available in the market today come with insurance plans. Some of the cards offer both health insurance and travel insurance to their customers. This way, even if you are planning to go abroad this New Year, you can stay protected under the insurance plans offered by your credit card issuer. Some of the insurance packages offered by various card issuers include accidental death cover, overseas health cover, etc.
Bottom line:
Choose the card that offers maximum benefits to you. Understand your spending patterns and pick the one that suits you best. Make sure that you clear your debts on time and enhance your credit score. Use the credit card wisely and enjoy the perks offered by a credit card to the fullest.
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