I tend to put all of my expenses on credit cards. It’s a good way to build miles and points, and that’s how I have the opportunity to jaunt off on weekends away with my friends on occasion.
One thing I’ve learned from charging so much is that it’s really essential to be diligent in reviewing expenses. I’ve had SO many errors over the years. Here are some of the most common ones I’ve faced:
- Simple double billing – the card gets rung through twice.
- The “too-busy take out clerk” – we had one big error where a local sushi restaurant ran our card not only for our take out order but for another patron. Since they supplied a signed receipt to the credit card company, the credit card company refused to refund my money until I threatened to cancel my card.
- The “fat-finger” – I’ve been charged $600 for stamps because the clerk hit too many zeros.
- The “oops, I was supposed to input the dollar amount, not the last four digits of the account” – yeah, that pregnancy ice cream purchase at my local mom and pop shop cost $75.
So look at your statements, and make sure everything is accurate. I’ve found that the only credit card company that is consistently helpful in correcting errors is American Express – which is why I try to put most major expenses on that card.
