Credit cards are a useful substitute for cash. If you have a fixed source of income, getting a credit card is easy. But they also can lead to overspending and reckless buying, landing you in debt. It not only lowers your credit score but also destroys your budget and savings plan. No, you don’t have to cut your credit card in half to prevent this from happening. In this article, we list out the best tips and apps to avoid credit card debt.

1. Tips to Avoid Credit Card Debt

• Never Skip Credit Card Payments
  The best tips and apps to avoid credit card debt revolve around paying your bills on time. Always pay the full amount every month at the time which it is due. Several apps give you reminders to pay your bills. Some even come with an auto-pay feature that deducts the amount from your account on that date.
• Do Not Use Multiple Credit Cards
  While having several credit cards can increase your credit limit, using them is not advised. Most people only use multiple cards because they max the limit on one. Having multiple cards also encourages you to indulge in reckless spending.
• Borrowing Cash On Credit Cards Is A No-No
  Don’t be tempted to withdraw money from the ATM using your credit card. If you use your credit card to get cash advances, you’ll have to pay a very high rate of interest. Sometimes the interest goes up to 3.5 percent of the cash advance you’ve taken.

2. Top Apps That Help You Manage Credit Card Debt

• Debt Payoff Assistant
  If you want an app that can help you pay your bills on time, check out the Debt Payoff Assistant. It is available for both iOs and Android and is free. Unlike other apps, the Debt Payoff Assistant lets you choose which payment method. You can pick either the snowball method or pay the highest debt first, etc. So there’s more freedom to customize it according to your needs.
• Mint
  Mint is one application that is often mentioned when you talk about tips and apps to avoid credit card debt. It’s excellent for budgeting and also gives you timely alerts to make payments. This app lets you manage your spending by dividing them into customizable categories.
• AwardWallet
  The best tips and apps to avoid credit card debt do not just focus on paying off your bills. They also help you utilize your awards and points effectively. AwardWallet is one such app that gives you information on all the awards such as Citi ThankYou Points and flyer miles that you have accumulated. It also notifies you when these points are about to expire.

With the help of these tips and apps to avoid credit card debt, you can save yourself from financial trouble. If you want to see if paying off your bills regularly has had a positive impact on your finances, you can always check your credit score online. There are also several sites where you can find an easy-to-understand breakdown of your finances.