The content is accurate at the time of publication and is subject to change.

A credit card is a mystery to many people. It is not necessary to have it become such a dilemma. It is just a means to making payments with greater ease and efficiency and when used right can be good for your needs. When you have applied for a credit card, then you will be told of what credit limit you can use on it and what interest rates and fees you are eligible for. Once you figure out what works best, you can apply for a card and then wait for approval and you will receive your card soon enough. As soon as you get it, you will have the money on it according to the credit limit that is there on the card.

When you get your credit card there is money on it, the amount you can spend will be limited to the cap on it which is the credit limit. You should take care to always keep your spending well below the credit limit. When your cards are maxed out or always close to the upper limit it reflects badly on your credit reports. Unless you have applied for a prepaid card you need not worry about the card being preloaded. If it is a prepaid card that you have then in order to start using it, you will need to put in the amount that you wish to spend according to the cap on the card. Then you will have money to spend on your card.

If you are opting for a secured credit card also, you will need to have pledged the collateral to the bank before being able to use your credit card. Generally a credit card is active soon as you receive it, that means there are funds for you to use and it can be used as soon as you get it. Some companies may require you to call into a number before you activate a card and start to use it. If you have obtained a credit card for emergency use alone it would be wise to call the company and tell them you will be activating it later as and when you need it. That way you can make sure you will not find the card to be void when you do need to use it on account of it having been inactive. When you are renewing a credit card, then you will need to activate the old one if there is no automatic activation from the bank.

Disclaimer: This editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of the credit card issuer(s), and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer(s). Reasonable efforts are made to present accurate information, however all information is presented without warranty. Consult a card's issuing bank for the terms & conditions.
All rates and fees, and other terms and conditions of the products mentioned in this article/post are actual as of the last update date but are subject to change. See the current products' Terms & Conditions on the issuing banks' websites.