There are credit card tips, and then there are credit card systems. These latter are obscure tricks that credit card firms play on you, as well as tricks you need to use to dispose of costs and pay off your debt sooner. Here are some of the finest credit card tips, tricks and secrets.

1. It's easy to get rid of annual fees. If you have good credit, just call and ask for charge to be removed. This worked on 3 out of four cards I called on, and I just dumped the other. Naturally the threat to do the same with the others is what got the costs dropped.

2. Read the small print, and pay promptly. Remember that under “universal default” rules, if you're late on one card, your IR can be increased on other cards also. They are keen to get you with this one.

3. Watch for changing due dates. This is a trick used by some credit card firms to get you to pay late, so they can collect the late charges. They will be ready to raise your rate, and the rate on other cards you'll have. Don’t assume that your payment payment date will always be the same.

4. Use promotional checks with care. Transferring balances to 0 interest promotions could be a sensible idea, but watch out for those that charge “balance transfer fees.” Transferring a balance that you were going to pay off soon anyway will just cost more if there's a 3% transferring fee.

5. Try credit unions for cards. Their cards usually have lower rates. My credit union Visa rate has not been over 10% in years, and I have 0 liability for unapproved charges.

6. Ask to have the late fee surrendered. If you have never been late before, some credit card corporations will surrender a late charge - but just if you ask. Why don't you try it? All that it requires is a phone call.

7. Pay in full each month. Credit cards are for simplicity, not for hiding the true value of things. Don’t pay interest - just pay the amount due each month.

8. Don't buy the credit card insurance. This often stops your payments when you are injured or unwaged. It is one of the most expensively priced insurances out there, and does not dump the debt, but just delays it.

9. Avoid credit card security insurance. It pays for unauthorized charges when your card is stolen, but you are only liable for the 1st $50 if you report the theft actually, and many cards already have 0 liability.

10. Pay high-interest cards first to reduce credit card debt. If you have $200 monthly to apply to your credit card debt, pay only the minimums only on all cards but the card with the highest IR. Put all the rest of the money towards that one. Once that one is paid off, work on the next highest. This is the speediest method to get rid of your credit card debt, and the most important of these credit card tips.

Learn the steps I used to fix my credit.

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