3 Reasons to Open a New Credit Card for Your Holiday Shopping

It could pay to get a new card before you start shopping.

The holiday season is often a time when shopping kicks into high gear. Before you start spending money on gifts, decorations, and supplies for entertaining, it may be worth taking a look at the credit cards in your wallet.

That's because there are three good reasons opening a new card for your holiday shopping might make a whole lot of sense. Here's what they are.

1. To get better purchase protection

If you're buying big-ticket items over the holiday season, credit cards can help you protect your investment. That's because some cards offer great purchase protection features such as insurance against theft or damage, price drop protection, or an extended manufacturer warranty.

If your current cards don't offer many -- or any -- of these great consumer protection perks, then you may want to consider switching to a credit card that does. That way, you'll have added protections if something goes wrong with the items you purchase or if you find them at a lower cost after buying.

2. To take advantage of a 0% APR introductory rate

The holidays can be an expensive time of year and not everyone can afford to pay for all of their gifts and other expenses up front. While it's ideal to save up so you don't have to take on debt to buy items for the festive season, it may be late to get started with that this year.

If you'll end up needing to borrow money, getting a new credit card could be a good way to avoid interest charges. That's because some cards offer 0% APR intro rates. If you qualify for one, you may be able to get several months to pay for your purchases interest free.

Before opting for one of these cards, you'll want to know exactly how long the intro rate lasts. And try to make sure you can pay off the card in full before the 0% rate ends. Otherwise, you could end up paying interest at a high rate. But if you can swing it, signing up for one of these cards could make it possible for you to cover your holiday costs without adding interest to the bill.

3. To get a card tailored to your spending needs

Finally, you might be able to snag a card that provides bonus rewards for the spending you're going to do the most. If you're planning to buy a whole bunch of presents from big box stores, for example, then you may want to sign up for a card that offers extra rewards for purchases from those stores.

By getting a rewards card that's well matched to your holiday spending, you can reduce the costs of your gifts by getting back a percentage of what you spend.

If you're hoping to take advantage of any of these benefits, start researching the best credit cards now so you can sign up before you do your holiday shopping. Then you'll be ready to go with the right card in your wallet.