If you are not familiar with credit cards it may be a good idea to let Citi help you. Citi is a company that offers credit cards to customers. Citi are generally referred to as Citibank. There are several things about credit cards that you should be aware of before you begin to apply for them.

If you are not aware of the basics of credit cards here they are: Credit cards are another form of payment that will allow you to buy both services and merchandise without giving cash up front. You can keep spending on your credit card until your reach the credit card’s limit. Because you have the ability to buy things without paying cash up front the credit card company you use will charge you a monthly service fee, which is determined by the interest rate your credit card company gives you. This interest rate is called the Annual Percentage Rate (APR). If you are timely in your credit card bill payments it will be reported in a positive light to credit reporting bureaus. The credit bureau calculates your credit score by how you handle your payment of bills and your credit score determines if your credit is good enough for you to make bigger purchases or are eligible for loans. You should still have a credit card, even if it is the case where you pay cash for most purchases, because it will help your credit score. So even if you do pay cash for most everything you should charge things on your credit card every once in a while, paying off the bills on time, so you can improve and maintain a good credit score.

Citi can make getting a credit card a piece of cake. People that are beginners to the world of credit cards should look into obtaining Citi credit cards that have low interest rates. There are a line of credit cards from Citi such as the “Introductory Purchase” credit cards or student credit cards. These types of credit cards from Citi have low to zero APR’s. You can also look into getting a secured credit card. These types of cards require a payment on the card before they can be charged on. When the payment that you make on the card is received by Citi your credit card limit can be doubled or even tripled. Citi also offers prepaid credit cards. You can deposit money onto the card and whatever amount you deposit on the card will be your spending limit. These types of cards do not come with monthly fees. These types of credit cards are good for beginners, as well as people who have no credit or bad credit.

When you have become more knowledgeable about how credit works and your credit is good you can receive more types of Citi credit cards. Rewards credit cards are very popular these days and may be a good option for you when you begin to apply for better credit cards. Rewards cards are just like regular credit cards but every time you make a purchase on your card you can accumulate points or air-miles. The points can be redeemed for merchandise or other travel rewards. Air-miles can be redeemed for airline tickets and travel discounts. There are also cash back rewards cards where you will get a certain percentage of cash back depending how much you have charged on the card. Whenever applying for a rewards type credit card make sure you know everything about the card. Many rewards cards have limits or time periods that you have to be aware of in order to redeem your rewards. Rewards cards can be very advantageous for people that charge on their card frequently, travel often, or frequent one large retail store often, as many times the Citi rewards cards are in partnerships with retail stores or airlines.

In the end you should look into getting a credit card in order to establish or reestablish your credit and have another way to buy goods and services. You should begin with credit cards that have low APR’s then you can move onto other types of credit cards such as secured cards and reward cards. You have to be sure to pay your bills in a timely manner or your credit score will decrease lessening the chances that you will be eligible for better credit cards. Look into the many credit cards that Citi offers, as there is sure to be one that is perfect for your financial situation.

This article was contributed to US-CreditCards.com by a freelance author. The thoughts and financial advice are not those of US-CreditCards.com. The articles intended use is for personal entertainment only. We do not assume any responsibility nor liability resulting from the use of the content in the article. You are encouraged to always consult a professional for advice concerning your personal finances.