Ready to check out for the coming Black Friday sale? I confess my online carts are ready with the items I have been eyeing and planning to get for a few months now. Because I didn’t need them right away, I held off for 10.10 and then 11.11 but the discounts during these sales were not really giving, so I did not bite.

But for Black Friday, retailers are grabbing the chance to push their products right before the holidays so the prices are quite attractive. If you are planning to make any purchases tomorrow and through the weekend, consider these tips when paying with your credit card.

#1 Know your cut-off dates

The trick with credit cards is postponing payments as long as you can, without paying any interest. If you are not carrying any balance, then this tip will work for you. Your cut-off date is the date when your credit card will soon generate your statement, so anything you spend after that will be billed in the next cycle. This means you can have nearly two months of interest-free credit before you have to make any payments. So if you don’t know your cut-off dates, get a copy of your statement and confirm it now.

#2 Catch up on discounts from credit cards

Not all credit cards are created equal, as some will grant you exclusive discounts so it’s important to know which one will give you the lowest possible checkout price. For example, Citibank is offering $30 off when you spend at least $100 on Amazon on November 30. But then BDO suddenly offered $40 off when you spend at least $100, also on Amazon, from November 23 to 27. In this case, knowledge is not just power but money saved too.

Watch more News on iWantTFC

#3 Collect rebates when you can

The holidays are that time of the year when people spend, and credit card companies know this. Expect them to launch promotions designed to make you spend more using their credit card versus others. In exchange, you can earn tiered rebates, meaning the more you spend, the bigger the rewards. BPI has an ongoing promotion for MasterCard and Visa where spending at least P75,000 will earn you P1,500 rebates while P200,000 or more will give you P5,000 rewards value.

#4 Push back payment dates when you can

Buy Now, Pay Later schemes are also aplenty. Nearly all credit cards have some variation on this, and I’ve seen some that will let you pay from 3 months to 4 months to 6 months after your purchase. That’s a great way to make your payments after all the holiday-related purchases, and maybe even just in time for your quarterly bonus (if there is one). Make sure to read the terms and conditions to avoid any penalties or interest charges.

#5 You can also choose “gives” that keep giving

Installment terms remain the most popular payment scheme among Filipinos, and you can say yes if the deal is a good one. Things to check: is the cash price the same as the installment price? Sometimes the cash price is better but there are also times when the installment price is better. Never hurts to ask so you can pick the best option for you. Ask also for zero percent installment schemes, and I would choose this if available. The payment terms are usually shorter – between 3 to 12 months, instead of as long as 24 months, but the no interest will save you money. Plus when you need to pay for something for two years, think twice if that’s out of your budget. Check for gifts with purchase too. Buying a new TV can come with a free rack, or speakers, or an electric fan. The point is to get as much bang for your buck as you can.

• With sale signs everywhere, watch that you don’t end up in debt