Aargh...Balance Transfers

I applied for a new credit card a couple weeks ago--one that would reward me with airline points for the money I spend. Well, I decided to transfer the balance from my other credit card to this new one. They said it would take 10 days. I thought no problem, that should be in time before my payment is due. I happened to look online today--one hour after a payment could be posted--and discovered the transfer hadn't been made. I probably racked up a late fee and some interest charges in addition to a black mark on my credit history. I'm not one to carry a balance on my credit cards, and I have a good credit rating because I always make payments in full on time. I just called the new credit card to report the problem. They assure me I can be reimbursed for the late fee if I send a copy of the bill. I'll believe it when it happens.

Lesson learned: Still make a minimum payment when you complete a credit card balance transfer.