Getting Rewarded With Credit Cards

When I was younger, I had a problem with using credit cards too often. I used them during college to help me get my textbooks, and to even pay the difference between what my student loans and savings covered versus how much the tuition cost each semester.

Now that I've been out of college for a little over 5 years (oh my gosh, has it really been that long?!) I've paid off the old debts and am always hesitant to use credit cards for anything because I'm afraid I'll fall into that trap again.

I've learned that I can actually be rewarded for my credit card use, as long as I'm careful not to carry a balance from month to month. I love the travel-based rewards programs because it helps me take my family on vacation. You can get cards that earn you airline rewards, hotel stays, rental cars or simply cash back.

The tricks to actually being rewarded is to find a card that doesn't charge an annual fee, has a reasonable interest rate and a grace period. If you make all of your payments within the grace period (and pay the balance in full rather than carrying a balance from one month to the next) you will earn rewards and it won't cost you anymore than if you were just buying with cash.