Your credit card personality: The Avoider
By Erin Peterson
Your financial personality: The Avoider
Your traits: The less you know about your finances, the better. You get uncomfortable talking or even thinking about money. You let your bills stack up because you feel a sense of dread opening them up.
You should consider: A card that will encourage you to pay on time and forgive occasional missteps. Some card programs give you a bonus if you pay a certain number of bills on time, while others promise not to jack up your rate if you pay a few days late or even skip a month altogether. "They won't report it to the credit bureaus, so it won't hurt your credit score," says Sember. "If you don't really have your finances together, this is something that might really appeal to you."
You should avoid: Don't get a card with a high limit, since you're more likely to get in trouble with it, says Kessel. "If you know you shouldn't be spending more than $1,000 a month on your card, don't get a card with a $10,000 limit," he says. "Give yourself some headroom -- maybe 25 percent -- but don't go beyond that."
Published: May 2, 2008
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