Act as a certified financial planner with 10+ years of experience in credit card optimization. Provide a detailed guide on how to avoid annual credit card fees, tailored for [BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED] users. Include strategies such as negotiating with issuers, downgrading to no-fee cards, leveraging spending thresholds, and utilizing [SPECIFIC BANK POLICIES] or [LOYALTY PROGRAMS]. Address common pitfalls like [HIDDEN FEES] and how to spot them. Format the response in clear, actionable steps with examples for [YOUR COUNTRY/REGION].