Credit cards are a smart way of spending your money. This is because credit cards, if used responsibly, allow us to win back a lot of points and cash back rewards in return for everyday purchases. Moreover, it’s much safer compared to carrying cash around everywhere.
However, choosing the right credit card is important. If you choose a credit card that doesn’t cater to your needs, you won’t be able to get the benefits and will be paying its annual fee as well. In this case, should you cancel or downgrade your credit card? Let’s take a look at it in this blog.
Should I Downgrade My Credit Card?
Downgrading your credit is an option if you feel you’re paying an excessive annual fee. This could be due to a number of reasons, like not using the card’s perks anymore, having multiple cards and their annual fee combined are making up a big amount, etc. There are different pros and cons of downgrading credit cards. Let’s take a look at them here.
Pros of downgrading Your Credit Card
The pros of downgrading your credit card include the following:
No Effect on Credit Utilization Ratio
An individual’s credit utilization ratio makes up 30 percent of their credit score. Increasing credit utilization can increase your credit score. Downgrading your credit card means you’ll be decreasing your credit utilization, which can positively impact your credit score.
This is because credit utilization is an aggregate number taken from an individual’s lines of credit. When a credit card is cancelled, the credit limit goes down. However, when a credit card is downgraded, it has no effect on the credit limit.
No Effect on Average Age of Accounts
Downgrading your credit card doesn’t have any effect on the average age of your credit accounts. An individual’s account age makes up 15 percent of the credit score. When a person closes an old credit account, the average age of the credit account decreases, negatively impacting their credit score.
However, this only applies in a scenario where a person is considering closing an older account. If you’re deciding on getting a more recent account closed, it can also help you improve your credit score.
New Card Not Required
When you decide to downgrade your credit card, you won’t have to go through the process of applying for a credit card because you can keep using that same card or a newly issued card with the new limits.
Not opening a new credit line also positively impacts your credit score.
Cons of Downgrading Your Credit Card
While there are benefits, there are drawbacks to downgrading your credit card. These include:
Limited to Lender
If you plan to change your credit card company, downgrading is not an option. This is because downgrades can only be done with the same lender. For example, you can’t downgrade your American Express credit card to a Scotiabank credit card.
Additionally, you’ll have to settle with the lender’s policies and offers while downgrading because you don’t really have a choice.
Risk of Losing Rewards
You always run the risk of losing any reward points of cash backs that you haven’t redeemed in your credit card when you downgrade, which is why redeeming your rewards before you go for it is a smart choice; however, it’s not as easy to do so because you may not be in a position to use them up in an urgent manner.
For example, if you have a travel credit card and have points that are not redeemed, you might not be able to book a free or discounted flight due to other reasons, like work, family commitments, etc. Call your credit card provider and confirm with them if they will let you redeem your points after downgrading or not.
No Bonuses
Downgrading your credit card is limiting in a lot of ways. This includes not being eligible for new sign-up bonuses that are offered to consumers who make new accounts. This is because, technically, you still have the same account you are using, just that its limits are changed. The same goes for upgrading your credit card.
Credit card sign-up bonuses can be significant, exceeding even $100, which is why many people feel reluctant to downgrade instead of cancelling and getting a new credit card.
Should I Cancel My Credit Card?
Cancelling your credit card is an option when you feel you have too many credit cards or that a certain credit card is completely worthless for you.
Cancelling your credit cards can take a hit on your credit score and make it difficult for you to get a new one in case you’re planning on getting a new card after cancelling an older one. Moreover, you’ll have to go through the application process all over again.
However, it has upsides if you want to get rid of the excessive annual fees you are paying. Moreover, if you get a new card, you can enjoy bonuses and new offers as well.
Getting a Credit Card
Downgrading or cancelling credit cards are both an option depending on your situation. However, experts recommend thoroughly researching before getting a credit card to make sure the situation never arrives where you have to either cancel or downgrade it.
Great Canadian Rebates is an online platform that allows you to compare credits card in Canada from different credit card providers. Their tool can provide accurate comparisons, helping you choose the credit card best suited to your requirements. You can also apply for any credit card directly from their website, which will also give you an opportunity to earn cash back rebates upon approval of credit cards! Visit their website for more details regarding credit card rebates.