Credit cards, while a dangerous tool to use at times, can be extremely helpful (in saving money and with other things) if used safely and smartly. And there are many perks that you could take advantage of with certain cards. Take a look at some that you may be over looking:

1. Extended Warranties: many qualifying credit cards will actually extend the original warranty of your purchases free of charge. If your credit card works like this, you don’t have to worry about purchasing an extended warranty from the manufacturer. All you have to do is keep the store receipt and your original warranty when you shop with your card in case something happens to the item.
   

   All American Express cards offer extended warranties of up to one additional year on warranties of five years or less. Also, MasterCard offers the same extension for Platinum, Gold, and World cardmembers.

2. Price Protection: if you purchase an item with an eligible card but then see a print add for less than what you paid for the item, your credit card could reimburse you the difference up to several hundred dollars. Just file a claim and keep the receipt and the print ad you found.
   

   Visa offers price protection on eligible items in the United States, providing you see a printed advertisement for less than your purchase price within 60 days. Coverage is limited up to $1,000 per year total, and up to $250 for each individual item.

3. Dispute and Fraud Protection: ever been overcharged by a merchant and had to go to battle over the questionable charges? If you have an eligible credit card, you can actually have them dispute the charges directly with the merchant. Also, most cards offer 0% liability if your card is lost or stolen, so you can dispute and be reimbursed for charges you didn’t make.
   

   American Express, Visa, and MasterCard all offer dispute resolution and fraud protection. If you made a purchase and were overcharged, you’ll have to try to resolve the problem with the merchant first. However, if that doesn’t work, contact your credit card company with a solid claim. If you explain the situation to a customer service representative on the phone, be sure to follow up with a letter or email and cite all the details.

4. Car Rental Insurance: when you rent a car, you can decline the rental company’s insurance if you have a credit card that will cover you if you get into an accident. Just do some research to see what kind of damage your card would cover for certain rentals.
   

   All Visa cards offer rental car insurance coverage, and most MasterCard, Discover, and American Express cardmembers are covered as well. Be advised, however, that to be eligible for this perk, you usually must be the primary renter of the car and pay for the car with that specific credit card.

5. Trip Cancellation Insurance: if you need to cancel a trip for whatever reason, certain cards will protect you and refund you up to a certain amount.
   

   Citi cards will protect you against forfeited, nonrefundable tickets, or tickets you won’t be able to use if your trip is cancelled or interrupted by circumstances beyond your control. If you purchase plane, bus, or boat tickets with your eligible card, you may be refunded up to $1,500 in trip cancellation or trip interruption reimbursement protection.

Head over to Money Crashers’ 14 Best Credit Card Perks & Benefits You Never Knew You Had for more perks to keep in mind.