The fact is, though they often get a bad reputation, most anyone can benefit from credit card use if they know what they are doing. The key is to pay close attention and use them properly in order to strengthen your financial situation rather than weaken it. There are three main categories of people who can benefit the most from credit cards. They are those with no credit, those with poor credit, and those who can properly utilize rewards. These categories may be surprising as at least one is a category of people that most would say should avoid credit cards at all costs. They also may not be able to get a card. Another is a category that is at great risk of making grave mistakes with credit cards. Again, the key is in how they are used.
If you have no credit, proceed with caution but get a credit card. It will not be hard as credit cards are most likely being offered daily. Find the one with the lowest interest rate and lowest limit to begin with and buy one thing on it each month. The potential to screw it up is great, so keep it simple. Buy a tank of gas, a regular prescription, or a gallon of milk. It must be something you would and could buy whether or not you had the card. Do not pay it off as soon as you get home, but rather set the money aside and wait until you get the bill. When you get the bill, pay it off. Your credit will build slowly but it will be strong.
If you have poor credit you do not want to mess anything up, but you need to do something to build up your score. Reduce your number of credit cards to one, and use it the same as someone who has no credit should. Buy one thing a month that you would be able to buy anyway, and pay it off as soon as you get the bill.
Lastly, if you have the self-control and your credit is not in trouble, you can use credit cards to your full advantage to earn rewards such as cash, points, and miles. Pay regular monthly expenses or however much you can afford to pay off monthly on your card and stay out of debt while still reaping all of the rewards offered. Just be sure to keep it to an amount you can pay off each month, thus avoiding interest.