This week’s post is a specific focus on technology. Mainly, the new and expanding features available on most credit card products. Some of these extend to banking debit cards as well. Be sure to check what your card issuer offers whether it’s a credit or debit card.
A huge help in budgeting and keeping your spending in check is the alerts feature on your account. Each provider offers a variety of alerts such as balance, foreign transaction, card not present, and specific limit spent per transaction.
For example, I recently got a new Visa card through a major retailer because it provides zero annual fee, cash-back on every purchase, no foreign transaction fees, identity theft, and fraud alerts. For me, I liked the fact that I can customize the alert features that I want to receive that mean the most to me. You should check your card issuer’s options to see what is available to you and use the alerts that make sense for you.
My favorite is the balance alert. I opt to receive an email at the end of the week that tells me my current balance. This is very useful in budgeting and keeping my spending under control. The added benefit is that if I have a balance that it surprising, I can use the app to review my purchases and make sure they are all mine.
Many card issuers offer these features in various ways. My particular card will allow me to go into the alerts section of my profile and select the alerts I want, and also set various spending thresholds, and whether I want a text or an email. For most alerts, I can also elect to receive that notification daily, weekly, or monthly. You should see what your issuer offers and select what works for you. Sometimes, technology really can be our friend and make budgeting a snap!
As an independent Certified Financial Planner™, I can help you understand your options and set up a system that works for you. Contact me and let’s get started. #talktometuesday #education #Hireaplanner #cash #credit #debit #feature #alert #alerts #budget #technology