What people need to do is to cancel their cards. But if you need to keep one around in case of an emergency, these are a few ways to reduce the urge of buying anything with your card.

Don’t use more than one card
There is simply no reason to have three or even six credit cards. You should only use a single card, preferably one with the best interest rates and use it only in an emergency. People usually apply for more cards when they reach the limit of their previous cards, if you are in this situation, you need to immediately stop the cycle.

Lower your credit limit
Most credit card companies continue to progressively increase the credit limit on your card. But it does not mean that you should accept it straightaway. Call the customer service to give you a fixed credit limit and if possible lower your current credit limit. A low, fixed credit limit will prevent you to spend more.

Use cash
Most shops and gas stations that accept credit card may impose high interest and fees. There is no need to pay with a card, if you can pay with cash. The convenience is not worth it if you are accumulating credit card debt which attracts hefty interests. Remember, the more you use the card, the more interest you need to pay.

Leave credit cards at home
When you leave your home, leave your cards at home or tell someone you can trust to hide them somewhere.

Shred your cards
If hiding your cards isn’t enough, you may need to physically shred them. Also if you keep you credit card number somewhere, you should erase and burn it, hopefully you haven’t memorized it yet. But if you have memorized the number, ask your card company to issue a new one. This will effectively prevent yourself from charging the card while you are struggling to eliminate your debts.

Once you have submitted your application, the quick cash companies will deposit the funds you require within 24 hours – if not earlier. The loan is given for a period of 15-30 days. No collateral is asked for to be eligible for the loan. However, you will be charged a processing fee, an annual percentage rate, and an interest fee or late fee if you fail to repay at the right time.

Some of the criteria required for you to qualify for a quick cash advance are:
You must be employed.
You must submit a complete application.
You must possess a current bank account in your name.
You must have lived in your present address for a certain number of years. (depending on the lender)
No collaterals or credit checks are needed.

Payday loans are extremely useful, even a life-saver, provided you handle it well. You have to handle these loans right so that you have an overall good experience, which again, depends entirely on you.

You must take certain steps to ensure that you do not miss out on your loan payment:
Don’t use your credit card for making charges, till you have paid your loan.

Once your paycheck is in your hand, make a cashier’s check for the loan amount from your bank, and mail the check to the lender immediately.

Start building up an emergency fund by putting away some money in a savings account, so that you can handle those unexpected costs in future by yourself.

When you get your paycheck next, add more funds to your emergency fund, and see it grow! Do not make quick cash advances a habit.

Try to make your payments always on time so that you are not charged late fees on the loan. If you stick to this strategy, your quick cash advance will be of real help to you.

You can easily become a good financial manager and build up your own alternatives, so that you don’t have to rely on loans every time.

Let’s take a closer at the different reward categories typically available:

Hotel Credit Cards
There are a number of cards out there which are affiliated with major hotels and resorts. With these, you will receive higher rewards when you stay at their properties. In addition, your spending everywhere else will earn you thinks like a free night’s stay.

Right now one of the most lucrative out there right now is the Starwood Preferred Guest credit card. It offers Starpoints which you can use for upgrades and free stays at Starwood hotels. The best part is they usually offer a very attractive signup bonus; at the time of writing, they are giving 25,000 points just for signing up (enough for up to six free nights).

Airline Credit Cards
Alternately, you may be better off going with a card that gives you airfare rewards instead. Almost every major airline out there offers their own co-branded card. With these, you sometimes can benefit from upgrades and perks when you fly – like no baggage fees.

The main drawback is that usually the rebates can only be used for flying with that airline. If you fly with the same carrier all the time, this doesn’t matter, but most people like the idea of having some flexibility. Fortunately, there are a number of other cards out there which earn you miles that can be used any airline. Currently, Discover and American Express probably offer the best deals, but Chase and others have some decent offers too.

Gas Credit Cards
With gas prices on the rise, this is one of the most popular categories lately. There are dozens of different cards on the market which offer a discount or rebate on gasoline purchases.

When it comes to gas cards, each typically falls under one of two categories: those co-issued by a gas station and those which are not. For example, the Chevron credit card can only be used at Chevron stations. Instead, many opt for one that offers rebates everywhere, like the Amex Blue or Discover More card. However these credit card deals are constantly changing, so be sure and do your research before you apply.