1.Your statement's closing date
- Where to look
- The top of a credit card statement, usually in the line that names the statement period — the last date of that period is the closing date. It is not the payment due date, which sits further down.
- What to do
- Write both dates down once. They repeat every month.
- Why it matters
- The closing date decides which statement a purchase lands on. Buy the day before it, and the bill is due in a few weeks. Buy the day after, and the same purchase sits on next month's statement instead.
2.The minimum payment box
- Where to look
- The payment summary, beside "minimum payment due". Many statements print a line next to it about paying only the minimum.
- What to do
- Read that line before you pay the minimum, and check it against what you owe in full.
- Why it matters
- The minimum is the floor the lender will accept, not a plan for clearing the balance.
3.The unit price on the shelf tag
- Where to look
- The small print on the shelf label, usually a price per kilo, per litre or per 100 g — not the big number.
- What to do
- Compare unit prices between sizes and brands, including the one on offer.
- Why it matters
- The bigger pack is not always the cheaper one per unit, and a discount sticker on the pack price does not tell you which is.
Keep it on hand: screenshot this page, or save it with your statements. There is nothing to download and no email to leave.