Be Careful with Credit Cards

Ask yourself: does the credit card work for you or do you work for your credit card? Most people’s response to that question will depend on how they treat their “plastic friend” as credit cards are often known. As many people with burned fingers will tell you, they didn’t realize that things had gotten so bad until too late, because most credit card offers try so much to sound like they are actually running a charity. Well, they aren’t.

However, this is not an anti credit card campaign. They have their plus points – in the USA, for example, if you want to rent a vehicle, you must have a (major) credit card. But, think about this situation:

You get an offer in the mail that sounds great, perhaps it’s a new television or fridge. But it costs $2,000. You have a credit card with a $5,000 limit, so you go out and buy the item right away. Often, this is how your repayment schedule will work out. Most credit cards charge a minimum percentage of the total balance (typically 2 percent) per month. Assuming the interest rate is 18 percent and you choose to repay the minimum amount of $40, $30 of that will go towards interest and only $10 will come off the $2,000!

Sounds scary? It doesn’t have to be. The moral of the illustration is to use the credit card very, very carefully.

Credit Cards Dos and Don’ts

There is a lot of truth in the advice that credit cards are not a substitute for not having money. Every time you use a credit card this should be the theme song playing in your mind. Moreover, you would do good to remember the following too:

Dos.

1] Always plan for the purchases that you need and those that you only want. You need the essentials, but you only want everything else. The ability to make a distinction might assist you plan more sensibly.

2] If you are caught up in financial difficulties, it’s always a good idea to talk to the credit card issuer who might adjust your repayments. If you simply default, that only builds up a bad credit history for you and you could find yourself being refused credit in the future.

3] Unless it is an emergency, staying within your credit limits will help you a lot. If you must spend over the limit, ensure you are within manageable levels, say within 30 percent.

4] If your mailbox is full of information on credit cards with more favourable deals than you currently are enjoying, you may approach your issuer for a better deal. They want to keep you as their customer, so they will listen.

Dont’s

1] Do not use your credit card to purchase household goods. It is too expensive in the long run.

2] Do not only pay the minimum amount necessary. You will end up paying exorbitant amounts of interest. The quicker you can clear the debt the better.

3] Never use the credit card to purchase products you can’t afford.

About the Author:

What Are Low Interest Rate Credit Cards?

If a credit card is used cleverly, it is one of the most powerful financial tools. But not everybody can afford to pay the expensive interest rates that most credit card issuers charge. This is where low interest rate credit cards can assist people who plan to maintain a balance on their account and not to repay the full amount monthly. however, what does interest or APR stands for when talking about low interest rate credit cards?

Basically, APR is the charge for credit as a yearly interest rate. APR stands for “Annual Percentage Rate” and may be used to compare different credit and loan offers. The APR on credit cards is most often worked out monthly based on the current amount on the credit card.

The monthly interest is worked out as if the current card amount would stay the same over a year; the interest on the amount over a year (APR) is calculated and divided by 12 to give the monthly interest. It is a necessity that all lenders tell the client what their APR is before signing any agreement.

Although the arrangements and terms do vary from one lender to another, it is better for people to get low interest rate credit cards because the lower the APR, the better the deal for those who like to spend more money shopping wherever and whenever they want.

Why should you choose low interest rate credit cards? Low APR credit cards are a good choice for those people who prefer stricter financial budgeting. The APR determines the balance over a period of time, it being the most important attribute of a credit card.

As far as low interest rate credit cards go, the amount of interest one must pay on his or her credit card amount is determined by its APR. So, the lower the APR is, the better it is him or her because it means they have to pay less interest. APR’s on low interest rate credit cards can be either ‘fixed’ or ‘variable’.

If you are intending to have low interest rate credit cards, there are many cards that offer low APRs to be found online. These low interest rate credit cards are selected using a factoring scheme that organized these cards by computing a number of their attributes to place the best deals at the top.

One of the questions one should to pose when searching for low interest rate credit cards concerns the charges: whether they vary or are fixed. If these charges are variable, they might affect the repayments and if these rate are fixed, the repayments remain the same. Searching for low interest rate credit cards should also include inquiries on the possibility of any charges that are not included in the APR like optional payment protection insurance or an annual charge.

If there are any, make sure that you know what they are and when you must pay them. Lastly, looking for low interest rate credit cards should include questions on the terms and conditions of the credit and how these conditions affect you.

If you are looking for low interest rate credit cards, you could begin looking for a scheme that could help you save hundreds in interest with a low interest credit card and low cost processing. Most low interest rate credit cards offer 0% APR for the first months on purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers.

Low interest rate credit cards can offer rebates on certain items purchased. They also offer $0 liability on unauthorized purchases, and no annual fees. Some low interest rate credit cards have very good introductory rates for purchases. They sometimes offer good deals if one carries high balances on other cards and need to transfer the balance.

Indeed, having low interest rate credit cards can be useful and convenient, and can even assist build a strong credit history that will help you with future activities like home-buying, paying for higher education, and even getting a job. But, before you apply for low interest rate credit cards, think about the advantages and disadvantages especially with regard to the current financial situation you are in.

About the Author: