| |
| |
|
Credit Information |
| Home Page | Category Map | Category Home | Help |
|
Simplifying Your Search For a New Credit Card
Today, selecting the proper credit card can be a bit confusing to say the least. There are literally hundreds of offers from the major institutions eagerly competing for your business. The easiest way to shop for a credit card is to break them down into categories. There are seven major categories that all credit cards fall into. Each category is listed and explained below. Once you identify the proper category, simply narrow down the offers to the ones that best suite your particular needs and lifestyle. General Purpose/Low Interest Credit Cards: These cards are great general purpose credit cards for those not interested in all the special features and costs associated with CashBack or Rewards cards. They feature either a low introductory interest rate, and/or a low fixed rate. General purpose credit cards are usually favored by those who tend to carry a monthly balance on their cards. A lower interest rate can add up to substantial savings on finance charges, and be of more value than cards offering high rewards, or cash back. If you are planning a large purchase, a low introductory APR may be just what you need. You can stretch out your payments over the length of the introductory period, and save a bundle on finance charges. Cash Back/Rebate Credit Cards: Cash Back credit cards give you cash or rebate incentives every time you use the card. The amount given is usually a percentage of your total purchases excluding interest and finance charges. Cash back credit cards should be considered by those who tend to pay off their entire balance every month, and therefore would not realize the benefits offered by low interest rate cards. Cash back cards are always hard to beat, but others may favor a rewards program offering goods and services in place of cash. The card you choose will depend upon your particular needs and lifestyle. Reward Credit Cards: Reward credit cards give you points every time they are used to make purchases. The points that you accumulate can later be redeemed for goods and services. Cards offering reward points are most attractive to those who tend not to carry a monthly balance. If you pay off all or most of your balance each month, a low interest rate will be of little consequence, making reward cards the perfect solution for reaping some extra benefits out of your spending dollars. There are many cards in this category that give special rewards as incentives to shop at specific retailers. Check the terms of each card to find the one that will best suit your needs. Airline Miles/Travel Credit Cards: If you're an airline traveler, you should look into credit cards that offer Frequent Flier miles. You earn Mileage points as you spend on your credit card. You also earn mileage points for the miles you fly. If you took a round trip to Orlando from Washington DC you would earn 1516 mile points. If you bought the ticket on your card you would earn even more! Most Frequent Flier credit cards will give you 5,000-10,000 free miles as a sign-up bonus, as well as discounts on car rentals, free hotel upgrades, and many other perks. Be aware that there may be caps on the amount of miles you can earn in a year, as well as expiration dates for unused miles. Business Credit Cards: If you own a small business then you should consider a business credit card. With a business credit card, you can make purchases under your business name, allowing you to separate your business and personal expenses. Business cards can in some cases carry a higher limit than a personal card, and additional cards may be issued to executives, or employees. Most institutions offer business cardholders a special categorized statement that makes it easier to manage your company's finances and spending habits. Student Credit Cards: Student credit cards are available to actively enrolled College students. They are ideal for building a credit history, and teaching the principles of financial management. After graduation, the credit history established with a student credit card can be a great help when buying that first new car, or even applying for a mortgage. It pays to start early and establish yourself as a responsible person by paying your bills on time. A student credit card usually carries some restrictions not found on ordinary credit cards. A co-signer is sometimes required on the account, and in such cases, permission from the co-signer must be obtained before the credit line can be increased. Bad/No Credit Credit Cards: If you have bad credit, or simply no credit history at all, there are alternatives to help you build/rebuild your credit. Many institutions offer secured, or pre-paid credit cards to individuals seeking to build or rebuild their credit. A secured credit card requires that you supply the institution with some type of collateral such as a car, home, boat, or cash. They will issue you a credit card secured by the value of this collateral. It functions just like a regular credit card, except that if you default the bank can seize the collateral. Another solution is a Pre-Paid credit card or "Debit" card. Pre-Paid cards require that you deposit funds into the card's account in advance of making any purchases. When a purchase is made, the funds are deducted from the account balance. This is not really considered a credit card since no credit is actually being granted by the institution. Debit cards are a great alternative to carrying cash, and are hence much safer. © Written By: Michael Casamento Michael Casamento is the founder of the Credit Card Safari web site, offering quick and easy comparisons of the latest credit card offers from top financial institutions. For more information visit:http://www.creditcardsafari.com This article may be freely reproduced so long as the aboveresource box is included in its entirety.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Two Things You Need To Know About Prepaid Debit Cards According to the September 2004 issue of the Nilson Report, around $588 billion dollars worth of debit cards were bought in the United States in 2003. By 2008 that volume is expected to grow to $1. Credit Card Benefits and Drawbacks Credit cards have both benefits and drawbacks. It is wise to consider both before applying for a credit card. Guide to Credit Terms Listed below is a useful guide to credit card terms. It is a list of definitions of credit card terms that may or may not be familiar to you. Credit Card Security Advice Which of the following is the biggest threat to your credit card security?a) Shopping online with a credit cardb) Shopping in a real store with your credit cardc) Ordering something over the phone with your credit cardThe answer may surprise you. It's b - shopping in a real store with a credit card. How Creditors Measure Your Credit Rating Creditors will measure your credit rating based on the following three main things.CapacityCollateralCharacterThe three "C's" show creditors your:"Capacity" or income to pay the debt"Collateral" or assets to secure the obligation"Character" shows your compliance to repay the debt1. Understanding Your Rights Under The Equal Credit Opportunity Act It wasn't all that long ago that lenders blatantly discriminated when it came to approving credit for women and minority groups. Women were actually asked personal and demeaning questions like, how many children do you plan to have in the future or are you on birth control?Despite the fact that they were entering the workforce in record numbers, single women were often required to get a cosigner or denied credit altogether. Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Your Credit Report Your credit report is a very powerful report that essential controls what you can and cannot do in your life. Unfortunately many people aren't aware of what a credit report actually is and what information is contained on the report. Credit and Banking Money Saving Services The first rule when applying for banking and credit services is to always read the fine print and to understand all of it. Read up, take it home, and analyze it, ask the banking manager questions. Your Credit Score Credit scores: all lenders use credit scores to determine interest rates and credit limits.The credit scoring system was developed in the early 1950's. ChexSystems: Who They Are and How it Affects You ChexSystems is a company that maintains a subscriber membership service used in the banking industry. The members consist mainly of Banks, and Credit Unions, but can include other types of Financial Institutions. Credit Report - How to Improve Your Credit Score One of the great mysteries of life is how the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union) score credit. They all have secret statistical formulas for determining your credit score, but they are unwilling to divulge exactly what, exactly, constitutes your score. Rate Tarts Losing Ability to Cherry Pick A "rate tart" is someone who switches from one zero per cent introductory credit card deal to another to avoid paying interest; however they may be set to become something of the past. Recently a number of the major credit card companies, including Egg, Barclays, the Royal Bank of Scotland and MBNA have introduced transfer charges for people who want to shift their outstanding credit card balances to a new card to take advantage of a zero per cent introductory rate. How to Get Credit Reporting Agencies to Help You The process of clearing credit can be laborious and frustrating. Understanding your rights empowers you and saves you time and effort. Student Credit Cards STUDENT CREDIT CARDS With graduate debt averaging over Ł12,000, the ability to spread the cost of further education using a student credit card is obviously attractive. Adding to their appeal is the fact that these cards are relatively easy to obtain. Understanding the Process of Credit Counseling Many of us have seen the advertisements on television. "Get out of debt fast!" "We can solve all your credit problems with only one call!" These sound really great but you know that, realistically, one call is not going to solve your credit problems. Bad Credit Credit Cards Chances are you've gotten your share of offers like this in the mailBad Credit Credit Card, Bad Credit Visa Cards and Credit Cards for People With Bad Credit. Re-establish your credit with a bad credit credit card, credit cards for people with bad credit or pre-approved Visa cards regardless of your bad credit history, some with low introductory rates and other perks. How to Improve Your Credit Rating So you got into debt, had problems but you got yourself back on your feet through hard work and sacrifice and how are you rewarded? A Bad Credit Rating.You would be forgiven for thinking thats not fair and why did you bother sorting yourself out if your hands are still tied when it comes to applying for anything financial? There are ways to improve your credit rating and get back on track completely. Credit and Loan Help for Mortgage Loans Mortgage loans are some of the most difficult loans to receive if you havebad credit because lenders focus heavily on your credit score and historyof making payments on time. However, there is credit and loan help forindividuals interested in home mortgage loans. Stop Credit Card Offers You can stop receiving credit card offers in the mail! It's really easy to do - just phone 1-888-567-8688 and follow the prompts and provide the requested information including Social Security number, date of birth, etc.Do this for every adult member of your household, including college students. SuperCharged Secret 4, Credit Card Utopia YOU SCRATCH MY BACK, AND I'LL BUY SOME MORE BEER!Let's just take a brief moment to recap:If you've been following along on this journey with me, learning the 5 Super-Charged secrets to Credit Card Utopia, then you now know 3 very important things:You now know how to take advantage of zero to low interest credit card offers.You now know that there is safety in numbers, and you know the magic "Who's Who" of the major credit card companies.
|
|
Category Home | Category Map | Contact Us | Home Page
Copyright © 2009-2010 ArticleFree.org. All Rights Reserved. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of the ArticleFree.org Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. |
