Due to the recent economic downturn, people are increasingly dissatisfied with banks. High interest rates, credit card fees and poor customer service make them urgently demanding change and better treatment. The recent 2009 credit card bill is a step in the right direction, but it is not an all-encompassing solution.

Fortunately, a few people have found a smarter way than credit card issuers to get systems, bugs and everything to serve them. As a knowledgeable minority, please allow me to share some of the credit card skills I have learned along the way.

1. Never bring a balance

This is the holy grail of credit card use. As long as you pay the balance in full and on time every month, you will never pay a penny of interest or fees. Even better, you will earn interest from the cash you hold from the time you buy it to the time your bill expires. Interest for up to 50 days!

Tip: Sign up online for instant access to current account information. Sign in frequently to make sure your expenses don't exceed your affordability and pay in full when your bills expire. Set up an automatic payment plan to make sure you don't miss the deadline.

2. Keep your credit card clean

Suppose you can't pay your balance in full every month, but you are steadily reducing your total debt. You want to take advantage of the offers offered by credit cards, but you don't want to increase your debt burden.

If you only have one card at the beginning and you are already in debt, you should concentrate on repaying the card before opening a new account. However, if you have more than one credit card, there is a way to continue to repay your existing debt without incurring interest on the new purchase.

The key is to keep a card "clean" and pay its balance in full every month. As mentioned above, you avoid paying any interest or fees when you pay for a card in each billing cycle. This is not the case if you continue to charge a new purchase fee to a credit card that already has a balance. When you carry a balance on your card, you will accrue interest on all new charges on the card at the time of purchase.

So, as long as you pay the full "clean" card balance every month, you can use it without worrying about interest on your purchase. Just make sure that your spend on a "clean" card never exceeds the amount you can easily pay in full, while the amount paid on your card exceeds the minimum balance.

Tip: Don't make unnecessary purchases when you still owe credit cards. If you don't have enough discipline to limit your spending on credit card payments, the best solution is to pay everything in cash or a debit card while you pay off the debt.

3. Know your date

If you pay your balance in full each month, you will receive a free loan from your bank, from the time of purchase to the expiration date of the payment cycle. Federal law now requires banks to provide a 21-day grace period, from the settlement date to the expiration date of your bill.

Therefore, if you make a purchase the day before the end of the cycle, you will have 21 days to pay before interest is generated. Complete the transaction on the second day after the end of the cycle and you will have an extra month until the end of the next cycle, plus 21 days to pay off your balance.

Tip: When you are nearing the end of the cycle, it is worthwhile to postpone the main purchase. By delaying your spending for a few days, you can get extra time for a month until your payment expires.

4. Use the right card when traveling abroad

I use my Starwood Preferred Guest Card from American Express (a money-making partner) across the US because the star points I earn while shopping are invaluable. However, when I left the country, the card was hidden in my wallet, and I used a card of my capital instead.

why? My American Express card charges a 2.7% foreign exchange transaction fee, which offsets all my rewards. Capital One is one of the few cards that do not charge any foreign exchange transactions at all. Fortunately, consumers know that these fees are deceptive, like me, refuse to use credit cards while traveling. American Express and other companies seem to have received this information as customers become increasingly dissatisfied.

Recently, American Express announced that they will reduce these fees, but only in their Platinum and Centurion cards. Citigroup also announced that they will cancel these fees on some credit cards. Choose a free card during your trip and refuse your credit card company to accept your money.

5. Get a huge registration bonus

The big-handed people get a lot of rewards every month, but the rest of us must be more creative. Real credit card experts have learned two simple lessons from the economic problems of the past few years.

The airline needs to unload the goods. Troubled airlines have become so desperate that they are willing to sell millions of frequent flight miles to banks in exchange for chilled cash to create additional returns for consumers.

Anything that appeals to you. Banks are eager to find new, reputable customers, so they have been offering unprecedented signing bonuses to attract them. For example, a bank recently provided 75,000 miles to American Airlines to apply for a credit card.

The result is a lucrative asset for credit cardholders who can wait patiently for the best deals. Because if you open a new account often, your credit rating will be affected, and experts always keep their credit rating before pulling the trigger.

Tip: When you open a retail store credit card, don't accept a 10% discount on small purchases offered by the cashier. Apply cautiously and only apply to credit cards with special registration bonuses to maintain your credit rating.

6. Cancel your card

If you want to find a new cable or internet service provider, you are lucky if you have one or two other companies to choose from. On the other hand, if you want to change your credit card, you can have hundreds of different options.

Even customers with a lower credit rating can expect their mailbox to be filled with credit card solicitation. Although these things are tempting, remember that you don't want to change your credit card like a sock. Too many of these activities can affect your credit score and make it difficult for you to track your expenses.

That is to say, sometimes changes are needed, either for better customer service or for better rates and credit card offers. If your bank can't meet your needs for any reason, you should not hesitate to end the relationship and move on.

Tip: When you transfer your spending to another card, try to keep your dormant account open until the annual fee expires. This will maximize the average length of your credit history and increase your credit score.