Credit card stress-buster

Got the blues about your plastic? Don't panic

It's not unusual to worry about money early in the year. The festive period puts a dent in many people's pockets and dealing with the fallout can often make us fret.

But our guide to getting organised with your credit cards should help to ease your anxiety. Stop using your cards the wrong way and potentially save hundreds of pounds. Start spending the right way and you won't need to panic about credit card debt again.

House of cards

One major mistake a million Brits have admitted to in the last 12 months, for example, is paying for their housing costs with their credit card, according to homelessness charity, Shelter.

By using your plastic to juggle debts and cover your mortgage repayments you are potentially storing up huge problems - in extreme cases your credit card company could force a sale of your property to recover their debt.

You are far better off approaching your mortgage lender as soon as you think you could have problems meeting your monthly commitments.They may agree a temporary reduction in your payments until you get back on track financially. But you must get in touch at the first sign of trouble - don't use your credit card to mask the problem.

Avoid other costly mistakes and save money by following our top credit card dos and don'ts:

DO... Transfer your balance to a 0% credit card. Languishing on your provider's APR is an expensive way to borrow - and it's not necessary. Virgin Money's Credit Card offers interest-free credit for 16 months on balances transferred and MBNA's Platinum Credit Card gives you 13 months at 0%. Switch a £4,000 balance to MBNA and save a massive £550 by the end of the introductory period compared to paying a typical APR of 17.9% (making the 2.5% minimum monthly payment).

DON'T... Use your credit card for cash withdrawals. You will usually be charged a high rate of interest, and it's calculated from the day you take money out, unlike the typical 50 days' grace when you use your plastic for purchases. Plus you'll face an additional charge of around 3% of the amount you withdraw, so only ever do it in an emergency.

DO... Earn while you spend. If you pay off your balance in full each month you won't incur interest, so you don't need to go for cards with the lowest rates. Instead you can focus on perks like reward points or cashback. Every time you spend with these cards you earn a point, air miles or even cash credited back to your account. Money for nothing!

DON'T...Fall foul of 'negative payment hierarchy'. This sneaky rule used by almost all providers can cost you dearly if you incur different interest rates for balance transfers and purchases. Any repayments you make to your credit card go towards paying off your cheapest debt first - often a 0% balance transfer portion. Only when this part of your balance is completely repaid do your repayments start to touch the most expensive part of your debt (new purchases for example). Avoid this by going for a deal that has exactly the same duration of interest-free credit on balance transfers and purchases, like Halifax's All in One Card which charges 0% on both for nine months.

DO... Look beyond the headline rate when choosing a card. Interest-free credit is fantastic, but the duration of the 0% period, one-off transfer fees and the 'revert-to' rate all need considering, especially if you know it's unlikely you'll have paid off your debt at the end of the introductory period.

DON'T...Use your credit card abroad. Not only do you pay interest, you are usually charged additional commission on your purchases. Withdrawing money from a cash machine abroad is even more expensive. If you travel regularly get a credit card that is designed for use abroad, like the Post Office Credit Card which offers 0% commission on purchases overseas.

DO... start saving now by searching the market for the best credit card
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Find out more about credit card tips at http://www.confused.com/credit-cards