Credit cards enable you to buy anything (depending on your credit limit), anywhere (offline) and anytime (online) and offer reward points on your purchases. But, like any line of credit, you must use your credit card wisely. Most importantly, you should check your credit card statement after every billing cycle to ensure everything is fine.
In this blog, we will talk about credit card statements in detail to help you understand them better.
What Is a Credit Card Statement?
A credit card statement is like a receipt for all the transactions you’ve made with your card. It shows you how much you’ve spent and what you’ve spent it on.
So, what exactly is a credit card statement? It’s a summary of all financial activities you’ve performed with your credit card. It’s like a report card for your spending but without the grades (unless you count your credit score).
Who Issues Your Credit Card Statement?
Your credit card issuer will send you this statement every month, either as a PDF through email or as a physical document through courier. Now there are also credit card apps designed to help you manage your credit card account. So you get easy access to your monthly credit card statements. This way, you can quickly and easily see all your transactions, payments, and any interest or fees that have been applied.
How to check your credit card statement?
If you receive a pdf file of your card statement, look for these sections:
Account Activity Summary/List of Transactions
- This section shows you everything you’ve bought with your credit card. It also includes any fees, interest charges, or balance transfers that have been incurred.
Payment Information
This section contains how much you owe, when it’s due, and how much you need to pay to avoid being charged a late fee. It’s like a countdown clock for your credit card debt, so pay close attention here.
Fees and Interest Charges
- Any fees or interest charges that may have been incurred during the billing period will be shown in this section. If you missed a payment or opted for an EMI facility, those charges will be displayed on your statement. Having this information will get you updated on the associated charges.
Advantages of Credit Card Statements
Credit card statements offer several advantages, and here are some:
- An Overview of Your Transaction: Credit card statements provide a comprehensive overview of your spending. You can easily access your card activity for the billing cycle and see where you have spent more. This can be incredibly helpful in managing your finances, as you can easily track how much you’ve spent and where you’ve spent it.
- Protection from Fraudulent Activities: Credit card statements protect you from fraudulent activity on your account. By regularly reviewing your statements, you can quickly identify any unauthorised charges and report them to your card issuer for resolution.
- Reward Review: Credit card statements often include information about your credit card rewards, which can help you maximise the benefits of your card. This way, you can track your rewards activity, view your reward points balance and redeem them for cashback.
- Budgeting: Review your spending activity on the statement to identify how much you can pay. If the billing amount is too much for your budget, you can choose the option of minimum due and pay off the rest in the next billing cycle.
Overall, credit card statements offer a range of benefits to cardholders, helping them manage their finances, report any fraudulent transaction, and maximise the rewards and benefits of their card.
Conclusion
Hope this article help you understand the importance of credit card statement. Here’s a quick round-up to let you recall the information:
- A credit card statement is a summary of all the transactions you’ve made with your credit card.
- To check your statement, look for the major sections listed in this article.
- Reading your statement carefully can help you catch fraudulent charges and better manage your expenses.
- It’s time to look for your following credit card statement.
