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Sometimes unexpected expenses arise, and they’re not always small.

I’m also self-employed, so my income varies monthly.

But I got a little help from a credit card feature I didn’t even know I had.

And it wasn’t even why I originally applied for the card.

What is an introductory purchase APR?

The credit card industry is both very profitable and highly competitive.

I didn’t do this without some planning.

Otherwise, the balance would start to accrue interest at the card’s standard rate.

You should also keep in mind that the balance will always be reported tothe major consumer credit bureaus.

While having a large outstanding balance will reduce yourcredit score, it should recover when you pay it off.

Finally, don’t forget tomake the minimum paymenteach month.

Failing to do so can trigger apenalty interest rate, which is far worse than the standard rate.

Setting up autopay is an easy way to ensure that the payments are made reliably.

Should you apply for a credit card just for its introductory purchase APR?

The Chase Freedom Unlimited offers competitive rewards, and the introductory financing offer was just gravy for me.