Should I Open a New Credit Card for Holiday Shopping?

6 Reasons to Get a Credit Card for Holiday Shopping

Opening a new credit card for the holidays lets you take advantage of several benefits.

1. Credit Card Rewards

Since your spending will likely be higher during the holiday season, now could be the ideal time to earn cash back, points or miles with a rewards credit card.

Some cards offer a flat rewards rate across all spending, while others offer more generous rewards rates in certain spending categories, such as groceries, dining, gas or online shopping.

To get the most out of your spending, but sure to pick a card that aligns with your spending habits. You can target the types of spending you'll do during the holidays, but it's a good idea to think about your spending throughout the rest of the year too.

Also, remember that the key to using a rewards credit card effectively is to only use it for spending you would have done anyway and pay it off every month. If you overspend and accumulate interest charges, you could pay more in interest than you'd earn in rewards.

2. Welcome Bonuses

Intro bonus credit cards allow you to earn extra rewards if you spend a specified amount within a certain time frame after you open your account. You might earn anywhere from $100 to upwards of $1,000, with spending requirements from $500 to $5,000 or more.

If you're thinking about getting a new credit card for its intro bonus, make sure that you can afford to meet the spending requirement with your holiday and other everyday expenses.

3. Intro 0% APR Promotions

Introductory 0% annual percentage rate (APR) credit cards allow you to make purchases now and then make interest-free payments on your balance until the end of the promotional period. Promotional APR periods tend to be between six to 21 months, but it depends on the specific credit card. Also, keep in mind that you may need good or excellent credit to qualify for most intro APR cards.

These credit cards can be a convenient way to finance your holiday spending without paying interest, but keep in mind that they can also lead you into debt. It's important to be sure you have a plan to pay off your balance before the promotional period expires to avoid high-interest debt.

4. Purchase Protection

During a time of year when you're doing more shopping, adding a layer of security around your purchases can provide extra peace of mind.

• Purchase protection: This is a cardmember benefit that offers protection if a retail purchase is stolen or damaged within a set period from the date of purchase.
• Return protection: This offers reimbursement if you're unable to get a refund for a purchase directly from the seller. To qualify, you'll need to use a credit card that offers return protection to make the purchase.
• Extended warranty: Credit card extended warranties cover repair or replacement of eligible purchases for a period after the manufacturer's original warranty expires. Extended warranties don't cover all types of purchases, but sometimes include home appliances and electronics.

Only select card issuers offer these benefits, and not all types of purchases are covered. For example, some policies exclude antiques or other used items, and coverage amount limits may also apply.

5. Merchant Offers

Many credit cards offer special deals to members who spend at select retail, dining and travel merchants. These exclusive perks can be especially useful during the holiday season.

Merchant offers often work by setting a spending criteria you'll need to meet. Then, you redeem your reward as a statement credit. In other cases, the offer may include an automatic discount or other exclusive deals.

Often, using merchant offers requires you to look through your card's offerings first and add the deals you want to your card. Then, you'll need to meet the spending criteria to earn the reward. For example, a retail offer may require you to spend $100 to earn $15 back.

Some travel credit cards offer annual travel credits, a perk that you can use to pay for travel expenses—flights, hotels, rental cars and other eligible bookings. You could use these offers to offset the cost of a holiday trip.

Learn more >> What Is a Statement Credit?

6. Build Credit

If you manage it responsibly, opening a new credit card can help you build credit. Opening a new card increases your available credit. As long as you keep your balance low, increasing your available credit can decrease your credit utilization ratio, which has a positive impact on your score.

Even more important, making on-time credit payments each month gives you the opportunity to build up a positive payment history. Your payment history has the single largest impact on your credit score.

You don't have to pay any interest to build credit with a new card. Pay off your balance in full each statement period to avoid interest while building credit.

Learn more >> How to Use a Credit Card to Build Credit

4 Reasons to Think Twice About Getting a New Card

While the potential benefits above could make a new credit card for holidays an appealing option, it's important to consider these downsides.

1. Temptation to Overspend

Having access to a new credit card can make it easier to spend beyond your means and wind up in debt. Even if you tend not to struggle with overspending, it's easy to get swept up in the pressures of the holiday season. Having a line of credit could tempt you to spend more on "the perfect gift," for example. If you're not positive you'll be able to stick to a budget, it may be best to avoid a new card.

2. Credit Requirements

While there are credit cards suited to different score ranges, cards with the most competitive rewards tend to require good or excellent credit. If your goal is to take advantage of holiday shopping to rack up rewards, a low score could make it difficult to get approved for the card you want.

You could consider setting a goal to improve your credit and broaden your card opportunities for next season's spending. In the meantime, consider other options, such as a secured credit card, to help you improve your score.

3. Could Hurt Your Credit

Applying for a new credit card typically results in a new, hard inquiry on your credit report. The impact of a hard inquiry is temporary and relatively minor, but it's a good idea to avoid it if you're in the process of shopping around for a mortgage, for example (more on this below).

How you manage your new credit card can also impact your credit, positively or negatively. If you don't make on-time payments or max out your credit card, your credit will take a significant hit.

Learn more >> What Is My Credit Score?

4. Could Affect Other Financing

It's typically best to avoid getting a new credit card if you're planning to apply for a mortgage, auto loan or personal loan soon. Adding a hard inquiry to your credit report can impact your lender's assessment of your creditworthiness. Also, taking on additional debt could raise your debt-to-income ratio, which could lead to your loan application being denied.

Should I Get a New Credit Card for the Holidays?

Factoring in the benefits and drawbacks above, it could make sense to get a new credit card for the holidays if:

• You're able to qualify for a credit card that gives you specific benefits, such as a new cardholder welcome bonus or points to use toward travel.
• You have a budget in place for paying off your balance before interest accrues.
• You aren't planning to apply for a mortgage or other large financing goal in the near future.

On the other hand, opening up a new credit card for the holidays may not be a good idea if:

• You aren't likely to qualify for credit cards that offer the benefits you want.
• You're already in credit card or other high-interest debt.
• You aren't positive that you'll be able to stick to a budget and avoid overspending.
• You have plans to apply for a mortgage, auto loan or other financing in the next few months.

How to Choose a New Credit Card

If you decide to open a new credit card for the holidays, follow these steps to make sure you pick the best card and maximize your odds of getting approved.

• Check your credit score. It's a good idea to get a clear picture of where your credit stands before you shop for a new card. You can check your credit report and score for free through Experian to see your current credit score.
• Consider cards that fit your credit. While the best credit cards are typically reserved for people with good or excellent credit, there are options available for consumers with fair or even bad credit. Make sure you know what a credit card requires before you submit an application. Start by browsing cards that fit your credit profile.
• Know your spending habits. Review your spending over the past two or three months to get an idea of how you spend your money. Then, try to find a card that will reward you the most based on your top spending categories.
• Think twice about store credit cards. As you're out shopping at department stores or other retailers, you might receive offers for store credit cards. While store cards could be beneficial if you tend to shop a lot at the same retailer, they tend to lack many of the benefits of traditional cards.

Learn more >> What Credit Card Should I Get?

The Bottom Line

If you're considering a new credit card for the holidays, be cautious. As long as you manage it well, opening a new credit card for holiday spending can help you earn rewards or enjoy other benefits. But if you go into debt and aren't able to pay it off before interest kicks in, you could end up with a financial burden that lasts you into the new year.

Weigh all your options before you decide to proceed, and remember that decking the halls doesn't have to come at the expense of your overall financial health. Avoiding holiday debt may require making some compromises, but it'll also help you reduce stress this holiday season and beyond.