As the technology evolved, banking sector was one of the many industries that experienced revolutionary changes. It introduced numerous features to replace physical cash that included credit and debit cards, net banking, and mobile banking. While online banking is commonly used by account holders nowadays, another widely used facilities are credit cards. However, there are a few things you need to do when you receive your first credit card. In the article below, we are going to discuss the things that you need to do after getting your first credit card.
Important things to do after getting a credit card
Receiving your first-ever credit card is exciting. But it can also be daunting if used without control. Upon receiving your credit card, it is imperative for you to carefully go through terms and condition of card usage. This might help you in understanding the working of the credit card better and the fees that you need to pay.
Here are some of the things that you need to do after you receive your first credit card:
- Activating your credit card:
Before you start using your credit card, you need to activate it. The activation process is mentioned on the welcome kit and may vary from bank to bank. Moreover, there are some credit card companies that have a limited window for activating the credit card. In case it is not activated within that time, your card will be deactivated.
IDFC FIRST Bank credit card comes with fully digital activation process where you just need the IDFC FIRST Bank mobile app. Simply log into your account, navigate to Cards section, and activate your card. You can also control, limit, and freeze your credit card whenever required.
- Setting up the credit card pin:
Before you can start using your card, you are also required to create a pin. When you receive the card, you might also get a 4-digit PIN in your welcome kit. But for security reasons, you must change your credit card pin. You can generate new pin through mobile banking app or net banking. The process is quick, simple, and reliable and hardly takes a couple of minutes.
- Keep a track of your expenditures:
Before the introduction of net banking, credit card users had to wait for the bank statement at the end of the month. But, nowadays thanks to net banking services, you could easily track your expenditures. All you need to do is log into the account and click on the option that will show you all your expenditures. Overseeing your expenses regularly can help you with better financial management.
- Set up an expenditure limit:
Another major benefit of credit cards nowadays is that you can set a limit on credit card usage. This feature ensures that you don’t overuse your credit card. For instance, after receiving your credit card, you set ₹10,000 as the expenditure limit. So, if your purchase were to exceed the already set limit, you cannot use the card.
- Download and install the banking app:
One of the best features of banking apps is that banking services can be enjoyed 24×7. These apps can be used for all kinds of payments including credit card bill payments. For instance, IDFC FIRST Bank’s app can be used for paying credit card bills, mutual fund SIPs, utility bills and more.
- Setting up autopay:
Opting for auto payments on the banking app will help you to avoid the stress of remembering the dates for monthly credit card bill payments. Autopay helps make timely payments, ultimately helping you to avoid fines for late payments.
After receiving your credit card, make sure to use it responsibly. Also ensure that you do things such as staying under the credit limit, paying the credit card bill on time, and checking your credit score at regular intervals. Doing these things will be helpful in maintaining a high credit score.