WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, Sports10 things to never charge

10 things to never charge

NATIONWIDE (ABC) -- Maybe it never occurred to you, but falling behind on your bill isn't the only way to be hurt by your credit card.

What you buy with the plastic can also cost you in ways other than money.

ABC's Linsey Davis tells us what the credit companies don't want to see on your statement.

Putting your plastic back in your pocket won't just save you money. It could just save your credit.

Every time you utter the words "charge it," your credit card issuer could be assessing your spending behavior and drawing conclusions about your credit worthiness.

In the book "Credit Nation," you'll find a list of ten things you should not charge on your credit card.

The idea is that certain purchases you make can make you look desperate, unstable, or like you're looking for an escape from financial worries.

That part of the list includes adult toys, marriage counseling, cash advances, lottery tickets, traffic tickets, personal pampering, and alcohol.

Some other things to keep in mind: If you didn't use your credit card at a 99-cent store or at Wal-Mart in the past, don't start now.

Also: Retreading your tires can look like a desperate move if you used to buy new tires.

And income taxes: whenever you use your credit card to pay another bill, like your taxes, it raises a red flag.

And another thing you can't afford to "not" pay attention to the kind of credit card you're using.

Peter Pham from CEO Bill Shrink.com says "We are finding 95% of people are just not on the right credit card. And just getting on the credit card that is based on their spending patterns, that is based on things they buy, how much debt they are carrying, how much they are paying off each month, we're seeing about $1,000 a year in credit card savings."

Billshrink.com is one website that claims to have your back...or at least your wallet. The website asks a few questions about your spending habits and tells you what you need to know.

"What are all the interest rates and fees, that add up over the course of three years. And if you do pay off your credit card every month, find the credit card that pays you the most amount of money." says Pham.

The bottom line: learn how to make "cents" out of plastic.

You may even end up with a little more paper.

Online Reporter: Ashley Gatz