| By :
Molly Wider
These days we can become so concerned about not going into debt that we forget the upside to charge cards and lines of credit. Sometimes the plans you have for yourself or your family warrant borrowing money to get them. The trick is to borrow for things that will return more value than it has cost to get them. An educational expense to earn a certificate or degree is almost always a great investment, even if you have to borrow to get it. That degree should reward you with a better job, better benefits, more promotions, and-best of all-more money. So borrow, although always carefully, to get that education and improve your future. A home or improvements to a home are also almost always worth borrowing for. One trick to buying a new home is to not fall in love and buy a home you haven't checked out. Hidden problems like faulty wiring, rotting infrastructure, or basement flooding, to name just a few potential issues, can cost you a fortune after you buy. Be sure you have a home inspection, especially if you're a first time buyer. Home improvements also deserve serious consideration-and a budget. Don't put a $10,000 bathroom into a $50,000 home. Renovations should fit in with the current style and price plus a 10% upgrade. That way, the new changes will give your home a great facelift, but won't look out of place with what's already there. Sometimes you may want to invest. Perhaps you're thinking of a second home, or even RRSPs, or perhaps investing in your own, or another, business venture. In all cases, the key is to do your homework, and remember that eventually you have to repay whatever you borrow. You should have an emergency fund, but sometimes you may have to rely on borrowing against your line of credit for something unexpected. This isn't the greatest plan, but if it gets you and your family through a financial difficulty, borrowing may be the best option. Lines of credit can be useful borrowing strategies, especially if you're consolidating high-interest credit cards or other loans into a lower-interest line of credit. Of course, simply rolling the credit cards into the line of credit to free them up for more overspending won't solve your problem. The trick here is to have enough discipline to cut up those credit cards until the line of credit is paid off. Credit can be useful if you put it to work for you-and not against you. So be sure to use your credit wisely, and to better your fortune.
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