Sometimes credit card issuers will make some changes about your credit card terms and conditions. And Usually it will be related to all kind of credit card fees. Congress is holding hearings on legislation that aims to reform credit card industry abuses. It might take some time for the new act comes out. While we may not see protections anytime soon, here are some top tips on how you can fight credit card fees.

Pay Attention on You Interest Rate

Credit card companies reserve the right to change your interest rate at any time and for any reason. They don’t have to let you know before they make the decision.

If you make a late payment or go over your credit limit, your credit card interest rate could skyrocket to over 30%. If you always carry balance on your credit cards, you’d better read your monthly statement carefully. Don’t make any mistake here.

Pay attention to your mail and notices from your credit card company. You may be mailed a notice of a rate increase and being given the choice to either close the account, or keep the card with the increased rate.

Negotiation is very important. If your rate increases, call and ask for a lower rate. If you have a good credit score and good payment history, don’t accept the rate increase. If the customer service representative doesn’t agree to cut your rate, you can request to close this account. Sometimes, put a little pressure on the other phone end works out great. If they insist on refusing your request, you can seek another credit card. At this time, you may also want to check your credit report. It is possible that your rate increased because your credit score dropped. Look for errors that should be corrected, or changes that you can make to improve your score.

Be Aware of Late Fees

If you make a late payment you’re usually charged a penalty that can be $39, not to mention your interest rate could increase.

Right now, credit card companies are allowed to mail billing statements out two weeks before the statement is due. That means you need to send in your payment before the due date. Sometimes companies even specify to the hour when a payment must be received in order to avoid late charges.

Make sure you follow the guidelines for late payments clearly. If you find that you just put your billing statements aside and forget about them, it may be worth your while to automate your payments. You can sign up for these services on your credit card’s web site. If possible, you’d better set up online payment. In this way, you can schedule the date on which your payment will be posted to your account. It’s very convenient and simple. All you need is your checking account route number and account number. The credit card issuer will deduct the amount you scheduled on time without a fee. Of course, you have to keep a close eye on how much money you have in your checking account. And if you find that you really need a last-minute fix, you may be able to pay by phone. Keep in mind you may be charged a few dollars, but it’s better than the alternative.

Be Aware of the Programs You Enrolled

Currently, the most popular program that every credit card issuer is trying to sell to you is payment protection plan. The names of this plan maybe vary by different credit card issuers. Normally the credit card issuers will charge you $0.85 for every $100 new balance. Some consumers enroll this kind of plan because of some free money credit card issuers paid. Chase is paying $20 for their consumers to enroll this program and claim that you can cancel this plan at any time. If you have cashed the check and enrolled the plan, you have to remember to cancel it at some time. You can find the phone number in you statement. There are many other programs in the market right now. You have to be aware of what program your credit card(s) enrolled. And remember to cancel them before it’s too late.

Generally, there is no easy way for you to get rid of credit card fees. You’d better read every monthly statement carefully.