Nobody enjoys piling up debt, but there are many good reasons that credit cards continue to grow in popularity each year. Life's a whole lot tougher when you pay as you go, and doing so may adversely impact your lifestyle.

Be Ready for an Emergency

Sometimes emergencies arise, and you need cash in a hurry. Credit cards are the easiest way to handle the crisis. There's no need to borrow money from a relative or to go without food when you whip out the plastic and solve the problem nearly instantly.

Life is known for throwing unexpected curveballs at people. Being ready with a line of credit is one sure way to avoid dealing with the situation as if you have no control. It's easy enough to settle the problem now and handle the payments later. Those are the times when having a card is most beneficial.

Get Cash Back and Earn Extra Rewards

People already spend vast sums of money, so why not earn a bit of a bonus? Cashback programs and other reward systems take some of the stings away from paying interest. For those folks who pay off their balances every month in full, it's mostly the same as earning free cash.

Most card companies compete on the rewards they provide, so don't be shy about looking for alternatives. There may be an excellent deal that will help you get more from your spending. Cashback programs are simple to use and generate reasonable returns when used effectively.

Eliminate Hassle and Inconvenience

There's a reason that writing checks or paying with dollar bills went out of style. Nobody has time to manage loose change or to write out paper IOUs when a simple swipe will suffice. Not only that, there's no way to pay for something online using cash! Anyone who plans on buying online (and that includes everybody) will benefit from the advantages of buyer protection. Credit accounts are a solid choice when purchasing from unknown buyers.

There's protection for the transaction, which comes in handy when there's a dispute over deliveries or product quality. Anyone who uses a credit card has immediate protection and may dispute any order they please. That's a bonus when dealing with potentially untrusted suppliers. That convenience is one of the reasons that e-commerce has exploded so quickly. People trust that they can get their money back if something goes wrong with an online transaction.

Master Your Budget

Using a credit card is an excellent way to manage your budget. Instead of dealing with lots of smaller bills, it may be more convenient to put them all one card and then pay the consolidated invoice each month. Combine that idea with the concept of earning cashback rewards to run a ruthlessly efficient monthly budget.

If some unexpected expenses arrive one month, it's possible to use the credit card to pay it and then pay a smaller, budgeted amount each month. That strategy is likely to keep a budget in line, without the risk of one unfortunate event causing other late payments.

Establish a High Credit Score

How customers handle their credit is a primary determinant of their credit rating. If they have a history of missed payments on their accounts, it will destroy their score. Anyone who's building credit again should consider taking out one card and managing it flawlessly. Making all payments for a year or longer will have a significant boost on the overall creditworthiness of the person.

Managing card accounts is easier than ever, and most people do it exclusively online through an app or website. Most portals also provide a high level of self-help service potential. Customers no longer have to remain in the dark when they can learn every aspect of their information in a second. It's also easy to link accounts to make payments.

Gone are the days when using a credit card was a scary or unusual thing. Now, not doing so is the odder choice. It's inconvenient to carry cash only or to use debit cards for every transaction. Times will arise when you may run short of needed money, and the extra credit line also always comes in handy.

Make Your Life Easier

Having a card or two will make things more convenient. For some people, it's better to juggle a credit line or two to ensure they get what they need in a month. Others use a credit card and squeeze as much extra money out of the system as they can. Either way, almost all consumers find much use in the system.

Whether you're shopping online or looking for a way to consolidate some other debt, a new account might be in order. Find the best deal and get the most out of your next credit account. Life is hard enough; why make it any worse without a card?