You may want to consider choosing a credit card that offers a longer grace period this will allow more time for you to get your payment in before interest or a late fee is charged. Most issuers charge a fee of 2 to 5 percent, with a minimum fee of 3 to 10 dollars. But, be aware that many have no cap on the fees that they can charge. It is also important to note that cash advances can carry some hefty interest rates. The rate that you are charged for cash advances is often much higher than that for purchases anywhere from 19 percent and up.
Some issuers use the two-cycle average daily balance method when calculating finance charges.
This can sometimes be a little complicated to understand, but basically it means that if the balance is not paid in full at the first billing the interest becomes retroactive to the purchase date. In short, the average daily balance is calculated over two billing cycles instead of just one. Finance charges tend to be higher and the grace period is wiped out for those cardholders that carry a balance. Most issuers use single cycle billing, so it is possible to avoid those who do not. These are just a few of the costs associated with credit cards that you should be aware of as a consumer.