How To Get a Low Interest Credit CardWritten by Tom Coleman
Consumers often have first credit card that they ever applied for, never really analizing how interest rate affects their payments, but many other options exist and can help consumers decrease their payments and achieve financial stability.With interest rates on some credit cards rising to over 23%, even low balance credit card debt can be crippling. One of first research elements a prospective borrower should look at is interest rate on transferred debt. This interest rate is often lower than usual interest rate for credit card, and can be an especially good deal for borrowers who have debt already. Another element to consider is interest rate on new purchases – this rate will be main concern in years to come, as this new credit card will probably become most heavily used. Borrowers often worry about annual fees, but these are often temporary. Getting a credit card with low interest rates will save a borrower significant sums, usually much more than annual fee. Plus, once good credit is established, annual fee may later be waived. Another interest rate will usually apply, as well – rate for cash advances. Cash advances are usually limited to a couple hundred dollars, but credit card companies often insist that when paying back balance, credit portion must be paid back first, then portion that cash advance applies to. So if you are going to keep a balance on your credit card, be aware that cash advance interest rates are higher than regular interest rates. Cash advances can be incredibly helpful in emergencies, though, when a credit card cannot be used.
| | Winning the Credit GameWritten by Cecily Backstrom
Everywhere we go, word credit can be found, shining huge dollar signs in front of our very eyes. Everyday we receive solicitation and promotions offering us credit. Credit actually makes financial world go round, yet just mere mention of word can make many people very nervous. So why does credit get such a bad reputation?It's been my experience that credit falls into same category as politics and religion. People have very strong opinions about Credit. It has been around since beginning of mankind. People would borrow either goods or services, to be repaid at a later date with interest. There's nothing wrong with that. And like anything else, it can be used, or abused. There are programs that allow you to borrow from your IRA, or you can borrow from equity that had built up in your home. Credit card companies often offer promotions to borrow money at a lowered rate of interest for a predetermined period. It's all good news for consumer. One of simplest ways to borrow money to use a Credit Card. The choices available are plentiful, with a variety of interest charges, annual fees, loyalty programs, and reward systems. Many companies offer 6 months no interest credit. This is often an excellent way of saving money as you are basically given an interest free loan for those months. It's even more valuable if you are able to transfer some of card debt from a different company into interest free loan. The best advice is to make sure you always have money in bank, or in a savings account, to pay off your card when you are taking advantage of interest free promotion.
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