An annual fee for a credit card is kind of like a membership fee. It is a yearly fee that you pay for the ability to use that card. Before getting a credit card, you need to decide if getting one with an annual fee is smart for you.
What do you want from your credit card? If you like to build up points for airline tickets or some other reward, then you may have to choose a card with an annual fee. It can be worth it. If you use your credit card enough to get a couple of free airline tickets a year, then paying a $100 annual fee is not a bad deal. Essentially, you will be getting those airline tickets for $100 total - not too bad. Look at what you get for that fee in deciding whether or not it is worth it.
If, however, you don't want to pay an annual fee, there are many cards available without one. You may have to sacrifice on incentives, but you will save on the expense of paying to use a credit card. Also, if you do not use credit cards very often or if you keep them mainly for emergencies, then try to avoid paying an annual fee. It probably will not be worth the cost to you. However, make sure that you get a reasonable interest rate when choosing a card without an annual fee. You could end up paying a higher rate because of not having the fee. In fact, if you typically maintain a high balance on your card, the lower interest rate could easily justify the cost of the annual fee due to savings on interest finance charges.
Do some research before getting a credit card. Compare cards with annual fees and without to find the card that best suits your needs.
