You might not think of using a credit card as borrowing. But as soon as you make a purchase with it, you have spent money that you must repay to the lender — usually a bank or credit union — that issued the card.
And chances are the lender is going to charge interest if you pay off your purchases over time.
That’s why it’s best to use credit cards only when there’s a good reason, like when you can’t use cash. For example, you often need to use a credit or debit card when you buy something online.
Probably the only good reason to use a credit card is to build a strong credit history.
If you don’t have a credit card, what about a rent-to-own store? Before you go down this road, it’s a good idea to compare the total you’ll pay in weekly installments during the agreement with the actual cost of the item you want to buy. You often end up paying between two or three times the original cost. So, rent-to-own usually isn’t the right decision.
