Zero Balance

Almost everyone gets the offers in the mail for credit cards that claim to provide 0 percent interest. These offers are incredibly tempting, and on the surface they look like a good idea. You could transfer your outstanding balances, buy that big-ticket item youve had your eye on, and get free interest for up to a year. Sounds great, right? Well, beware because there are some hidden pitfalls with these cards that could spell disaster to your pocketbook and your credit rating.

0% APR is good for a limited time. Most of these credit card offers last for six to nine months, although some are good for up to a year. This means that you can transfer your balances and make purchases for one year with no interest added to your billing statement. However, at the end of this period, you will be charged interest that is calculated on your credit score and history, so dont get lazy and forget to check the calendar. If you buy a big-ticket item near the end of your free interest period, you may end up paying more interest on your credit card than you would have with in-store financing.

0% APR could be null and void if you make a mistake. There are stiff penalties on most of these credit cards that hold you to very high standards. For example, with some cards, if you are late even one day with your payment, you lose the 0% APR and are immediately moved to a penalty interest rate that can be as high as 24%.

0% APR could lead you to outrageously high interest. When the introductory period of free interest is over, you will begin to pay regular interest on your purchases and any outstanding balances. Be aware, however, that this rate may be much higher than you would get with another standard credit card. The average rates after the introductory free interest period is nineteen to twenty-one percent. So if you plan to transfer balances and pay them all off within a year, then go for it. But remember that if you have a job loss or medical emergency that keeps you from making a payment, you will be paying outrageously high interest from that point on.

Keeping your credit card debts in check should be your sole aim in life if you want to live a financially viable life, because if you dont the fall out of having a lot of debt on your credit cards can start to affect other parts of your life.

As much as credit cards are a handy spending tool, they are double the trouble if they are not taken care of and can give you problems that you could never have imagined when you first applied for the card.

Though credit cards are becoming a must have tool to have in this day and age, to book things such as concert tickets and theatre tickets over the phone or to buy goods at cheaper prices on the Internet, what you have top remember is that a credit card has a higher than normal APR attached to it, than other debt such as Personal Loans and Mortgages.

There are though a few simple and common sense practices that you can apply to your credit card and the way that you spend on it.

Firstly you can try and be a little choosier on the purchases that you make, we all know how handy the credit card is to use on purchases that you dont have the ready cash for, but to buy goods that your income can simply support is a bad practice, as it will only lead you in to debt interest charges being added to the already obscene cost of the item and by the time that you have eventually paid it off, theres a new model out and the one you have costs less than half the price new. Lesson: Avoid temptation.

This first practice could then lead to you only being able to afford to pay the minimum payments to your credit card, this has to be avoided also as it will leave you paying off debt for many a year and for goods again that are either past there sell by date or already in the back of your council refuge truck. Lesson: Pay more than the Minimum Payment.

Always check your credit card statement for any phantom payments taken from your card, though not a regular occurrence, mistakes can happen and it will also let you catch any fraud being applied to your credit card account. Lesson: Dont pay for something you havent bought.

There are few things that the credit card issuer will also change about your card and they can do so when they please, one is to raise your APR, if they do so be prepare to move to a credit card issuer who can offer you a better deal. Lesson: Switch to save.

Another is the raising of your credit limit, again when you are checking your statement check this as well, as the hope of the credit card company is that you get the false security of being better off than you are and that if the credit card issuer says I can have it, then I must be able to afford to spend it. Lesson: Stay within your means.

Keep on top of your credit card and dont let it get on top of you, by doing this you will master the card, rather than the MasterCard getting the better of you.

Just like there are a lot of flavors to ice cream or a great deal of genres in music and books, there are also a lot of types to choose from when it comes to credit cards. And because credit cards deal with money and finances, just the slightest variation can spell a whole lot of difference in terms of lifes comforts.

Basically, however, there are just two primary classifications of credit cards: the reward type of credit card and the non-reward type of credit card. But what do you think is best for you? Well, the definition of each type should give you a clue then if youre still unsure on which type of credit card you prefer to own.

The reward type of credit allows you to earn reward points every time you use your credit card. The more money you spend using your reward type credit card, the more points you earn. You can redeem all sorts of prizes with the reward points you earn. The downside however to reward types of credit cards is the high interest rates they charge you.

On the other hand, there is what youd call the non reward type of credit cards. Non reward type of credit cards does not, obviously, offer you the chance to earn bonus or reward points. But they do however charge the credit card owner very low interest rates. One particular type of non-reward credit card should be the focus of our article today and thats the credit card that offers 0% intro rates.

Now, now, now, dont get blinded with the fact that there are the words zero percent (0%) attached to the term credit card because all is not what it seems! Im not saying that a 0% intro rate credit card is a curse or a blessing in disguise but only that you should know what youre getting into first before making any decision that could affect your life.

A 0% intro rate credit card basically allows you to enjoy a zero percent interest rate for a certain period of time. The length of that 0% interest period varies and depends on the credit card company youre planning to apply to. But after the period or promo expires, youll be back to the usual rates and those are the rates that you should start comparing.

If and when you do decide to go for a 0% intro rate credit card, just remember to ask what the rates would be after the promo period expires!

Tips on Getting More from Your Credit Card Rewards Program

Do you own a reward credit card or are you planning on applying for one? Many people own one or more reward credit cards on their account but not all of them are reaping the rewards they deserve. In this article, let’s discuss some tips on how you can get more from your credit card rewards program and how to make sure that you’ll be redeeming those well-deserved rewards:

Use your discount privileges. Most reward credit cards include discount privileges that are exclusive only to their card holders. Are you aware of the discount privileges your credit card provides? If not, then take the time to review the terms of your card or check online and make sure that you are maximizing the full potential of your credit card. For instance, some credit cards provide printable coupon codes online that you can use in purchasing from selected merchants. Usually, all you need to do is register online in order to access these printable discount coupons and get big savings.

Pay your balance in full each month. Reward credit cards usually come with higher interest rates than regular credit cards so you’ll want to make sure that you’re not carrying a balance over to the next billing cycle. Why would you pay for additional cost on the interest rates when you can avoid it by paying on time? If you need to pay for the interest rate each time, you may actually be paying more than what you earn from your reward credit card.

Stay true to your card’s terms and conditions. Did you know that not paying your bills on time, delaying on your payments or exceeding your credit limit can disqualify you from redeeming your rewards? Yes, most reward credit cards impose this rule on their card holders. If you’re not sure, take out your copy of your credit card’s terms and conditions and review the stipulations on this matter. To be sure that you’ll be eligible to claim your hard-earned points, always stay true to your credit card’s conditions.

Use your reward credit card wisely. To collect points and earn your rewards quickly, obviously you need to use your credit card. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean you need to go out of your way to make unnecessary purchases which can result to credit card debt. Remember, it is crucial for you to pay off your monthly balance regularly to avoid the interest and penalty fees. Exercise caution when using your reward credit card and don’t charge purchases on it just to collect your rewards.

Pay your utilities using your reward credit card. One way to rack up those points without making unnecessary purchases is to use your reward credit card in paying your monthly utilities. These include your electricity, cable, telephone, gasoline, and other services you’re subscribed to. You can also work as a family in collecting points on your reward credit card. If your family members need to make purchases, tell them to charge on your card and pay you the cash instead. This way, you can accumulate more points on your account without breaking your budget.

It would have been unthinkable just a decade ago, but now it is commonplace in the UK to hear of zero per cent credit cards. Brought about by fierce competition, both from UK and American lenders, and also by historically low interest rates, zero per cent credit cards have become extremely popular. Today, it is almost impossible to find a lender that does not offer some form of zero percent credit card. They simply have to if they want to compete in the business as it is run today. However, before you start signing up for a zero per cent credit card, you should be aware that there are different types of zero per cent card and you will need to be aware of what it is you want to use the card for before you decide which type is right for you.

The first thing to consider is a cash advance. These are typically charged at higher than normal interest rates and it is still extremely unusual to find a credit card that will give you a cash advance at zero per cent. So if you are looking for zero per cent cash, then it is unlikely that a credit card is going to give it to you.

Zero per cent purchases however, is something you might have a better chance of getting. There are now a number of cards on the market place that offer customers zero percent on new purchases. So if you would like to for example buy something large and expensive, and cannot get a good financing deal to fund the purchase, then perhaps buying it on a zero per cent on purchases credit card would be a good way to go. You will be charged no interest at all, and will have the entire interest free period, usually of six to nine months to pay back the amount without incurring any interest charges.

Probably the most common form of zero per cent for a credit purchase is on balance transfers. So if you find yourself paying a lot of interest on existing credit card balances, then you could look into transferring this balance onto a new credit card that offers you zero percent to do so. This has the potential of saving you hundreds of pounds in interest payments.

Finally, if you are one of those customers that are in the habit of paying off your credit card bill in full every month, then you will not need a zero per cent card at all. This is because you already pay no interest. In this case you would be better of looking for a card that offers some cash back or other form of reward rather than a zero per cent interest.

Now is probably the best time to take a closer look at an interest free credit card. More and more credit card companies and banks are now starting to draw back from offering such large introductory 0 per cent deals. More credit card companies are increasingly coming under pressure to reduce the amount of 0% credit card they offer due to the fact they do not make any profit from them.

People used to think that they had enough on their benefits with their credit cards. They thought that the rewards they get and the low interest they have is already enough to last a lifetime.

However, there are instances when they get to have the chance of seeing promotions like 0% APR. Now, this is really something. But the question is, is it true? Is there a great probability that credit card companies can actually offer a 0% APR?

For most financial experts, they contend that it is, indeed, possible. In fact, credit card companies would definitely go for this kind of scheme just to get the consumers on their hook.

That sounds too good to be true, indeed. But the question is how come they can offer something so good just like that?

Normally, 0% annual percentage rate or APR lasts only for 6 months. The countdown starts from the day the credit card is claimed.

In most instances, 0% APR are attractive to people who would want to have a balance transfer. This is because they would want to consolidate all of their debts into one payment only. And because they have a huge pile of debt, they would rather go to a credit company that can offer them lower interest rates.

With things like 0% APR credit card, who can resist them?

Moreover, with the 6-month timeframe, people will get to have the chance of paying their standing debts for a whole six month-period only. That would be a lot of savings.

But then again, 0% APR credit cards are not at all beneficial to everybody. As they say, there is always an exception to the rule. This refers to those who do not accumulate interest charges simply because they have outstanding balance. So, they wouldnt feel the necessity of getting a 0% APR credit card.

The best credit cards for these types of people are those that offer rewards and cash backs instead of lower rates.

All of these boil down to one point, that people must be aware on how these wonderful offers can provide them the benefit that they want.

Indeed, there are lots of rewards and 0% APR credit card out there. But if it will not work for those who do not really them because of the mentioned situations, then its best not to have them at all. Besides, the best 0% reward is not to have a credit card at all.

On most days I love my work as a financial advisor to my wide variety of clients. I love helping people take a serious look at their financial situation and helping them make wise financial decisions. I get frustrated, however, when my clients “put the buggy before the horse” so to speak and start worrying about things like credit problems before they have even applied for credit. I have had countless conversations about the importance of filling out a credit card application as the first step toward building credit.

It is shocking how many people forget about the credit card application as a necessary means to the end of actually having a credit card and being able to build up their credit card situation. So quite frequently I have to sit down with a client and work through the process of filling out a credit card application before we can move any further in our discussion about the importance of building up good credit for the rest of their lives.

The process of applying for credit can be rather overwhelming if you have no idea what kind of credit to apply for or what kind of credit card deals to avoid. If you’re anything like the average citizen, you receive countless credit card applications in the mail each week. How can you determine what really is a good deal and what is beneficial for your future? I’d encourage everyone to take their pile of credit card applications and make a visit to a financial advisor as soon as possible. Allow a professional to assist you in the decision making process.

The next step is just to fill out the credit card applications that you have chosen to go with and see which ones you are approved for. You might have a little trouble getting approved for your first credit card, but you’ll never know unless you actually fill out the credit card application to be approved. This is one of the simpliest yet most overlooked steps in the process of becoming people for whom getting credit isn’t an issue. So start at the beginning and do what it takes to get good credit.

Thinking about conquering your mountain of debt but too scared even to give your debt much thought? Read this real-world scenario of how one person erased 10,000 of credit card debt within a few years.

Ever wonder how some people deep in credit card debt manage to come out on top financially? This is the hypothetical but realistic story of Emily, one person who dug herself out of 10,000 in credit card debt in just a few years.

Never a big spender, Emily was shocked when she noticed that her two credit cards had a combined balance of 10,000. What happened?

* Emily took a lower-paying job when the economy went bust at the turn of the millennium.

* Hoping her lower income would be temporary, Emily didn’t sell her house to get one with a lower mortgage. She didn’t sell her expensive car to buy a cheaper one, since she would get much less than she had paid for it. In reality, the thought of driving a less-nice car was painful

* Emily paid only the minimum monthly credit card payment most months. She was paying interest, and interest on interest, buying the privilege of having the credit card company hold onto her debt another month.

* When one of Emily’s credit card balances got within a few hundred pounds of the credit limit, her interest rate on the card skyrocketed from 17 to 27% .

Loans: Emilys Salvation?
Emily considered taking out a loan to pay off her credit card debt. She owned a condominium whose property values had increased 40% since she bought it, so she could easily get a good low-interest second mortgage.

But a loan scared Emily: it would mean admitting her debt would not go away soon. Besides, Emily wanted to get rid of her debt, not trade (her unsecured debt for secured debt). Plus, she knew that if she ever couldn’t pay the second mortgage, she would lose her house, while failing to pay credit card bills would just mean a ruined credit rating.

For about a year, Emily argued with herself over whether to take out a loan to pay off her credit card. Then catastrophe hit: her beautiful car was totaled in an accident. While shopping for a new car with friends, Emily finally had to admit to herself that buying another car like the one she had had would be financial suicide.

Finding an Answer
Emily cried and cried as soon as she got home from the car dealership that day. It wasn’t just that she would have to admit that she wasn’t someone who could afford the car she had been driving. When Emily’s parents were her age, they had already bought a five-bedroom house; Emily’s one-bedroom condominium was already a stretch. If she ever got married to a man with the same financial picture as she had, she wasn’t sure they’d be able to afford children. Growing up, her parents had always told her she’d do better than they had. What went wrong?

Emily did not have to think hard about what went wrong. Her father had been able to pay for college with what he earned at summer jobs, and then got a manager-level job straight out of school. Between college and graduate school, Emily had accumulated 70,000 in student debt that she was still slowly paying off. Houses in Emily’s town, even adjusting for inflation, cost several times what they did when Emily’s parents bought one. Cars had leaped in price about as much. The only thing that hadn’t gone up was income.

Unable to cope with having less than her parents had, Emily had used her credit cards.

Solving the Problem
Emily knew that since her lack of financial skills had dug her into her rut, she would need outside help to dig herself back out.

She had heard about credit counseling services that took large chunks of the payments you made against your debt, so she was careful. She found a counseling agency that was a member of the Better Business Bureau, American Association of Debt Management Organizations and whose credit counselors are certified through the National Institute for Financial Counseling Education. Doing a quick search on the web, Emily verified that these were organizations with real standards and not just empty names.

Here’s what Emily got from the credit counseling service:

* Relief. Emily was relieved to learn that her 10,000 credit card debt is in fact about average for Americans. The credit counseling agency showed her that even if she didn’t have the advantages she hada decent job and home equityshe would be able to rid herself of her debt if she just faced up to it.

* Surprise. The agency urged her to put money away for a rainy day fund, even as her credit card interest mounted. But once she started saving, she felt amazing. She realized she had been under enormous stress from always being one paycheck away from poverty.

* Understanding. The counselor understood Emily’s reluctance to take out a loan, and helped her create a budget that would let her pay off her consolidated debt within a few years. Besides the car, all Emily had to give up were smaller expenses.

* Clarity. With her finances planned, Emily could think much more clearly about her financial situation. She figured out how much more money she would have to make to have her desired lifestyle, and aggressively pursued a new job. Starting fresh with her new coworkers, Emily focused on meeting people who were less materialisticand even met her fianc.

Though her fianc has no better financial prospects, Emily’s confident they can afford to give their children all the essentials she had, even if in a smaller house.

After all, Emily knows that solid finances are just as good a shelter as a roof over your head.

It would have been unthinkable just a decade ago, but now it is common place in the UK to hear of zero per cent credit cards. Brought about by fierce competition, both from UK and American lenders, and also by historically low interest rates, zero per cent credit cards have become extremely popular. Today, it is almost impossible to find a lender that does not offer some form of zero percent credit card. They simply have to if they want to compete in the business as it is run today. However, before you start signing up for a zero per cent credit card, you should be aware that there are different types of zero per cent card and you will need to be aware of what it is you want to use the card for before you decide which type is right for you.

The first thing to consider is cash advances. These are typically charged at higher than normal interest rates and it is still extremely unusual to find a credit card that will give you a cash advance at zero per cent. So if you are looking for zero per cent cash, then it is unlikely that a credit card is going to give it to you.

Zero per cent purchases however, is something you might have a better chance of getting. There are now a number of cards on the market place that offer customers zero percent on new purchases. So if you would like to for example buy something large and expensive, and cannot get a good financing deal to fund the purchase, then perhaps buying it on a zero per cent on purchases credit card would be a good way to go. You will be charged no interest at all, and will have the entire interest free period, usually of six to nine months to pay back the amount without incurring any interest charges.

Probably the most common form of zero per cent for a credit purchase is on balance transfers. So if you find yourself paying a lot of interest on existing credit card balances, then you could look into transferring this balance onto a new credit card that offers you zero percent to do so. This has the potential of saving you hundreds of pounds in interest payments.

Finally, if you are one of those customers that is in the habit of paying off your credit card bill in full every month, then you will not need a zero per cent card at all. This is because you already pay no interest. In this case you would be better of looking for a card that offers some cash back or other form of reward rather than a zero per cent interest.

Getting the best deal on a credit card is not always about jumping from one 0% APR card to another and getting a bad name for you. As you will because the credit card companies are getting wise to this and are beginning to refuse serial jumpers their credit card application.

This though is not aimed at those who up until now have found it easy to get their hands on any credit card that they choose; this article is aimed at those who find it extremely difficult to get their hands on a credit card at all and can only dream of taking advantage of all the 0% interest deals that are out there.

Your low credit rating can affect your application

This is down to the fact that many potential credit card customers have such a low credit scoring that the credit card issuers; see them as too much of a credit risk. So they ultimately refuse issuing those with a low credit scoring the cards, as they only want those, who they see as profit making customers. This can even happen to you if you have no debt and never have had debt, as the credit card lenders only go on credit information that is held on you on their data bases. So if you have no credit history, they will more readily refuse you one of their cards.

What you have to remember though, is that you should not take your anger out on the credit card company as you have no divine right to expect them to let you borrow their cash just because you want it, they have to be sure that you are a worthy credit risk. To combat this, the first thing that you should not do is to apply again and again to different credit cards, credit agencies or banks for loans, this will only dig the hole deeper for yourself. The next time you apply for any type of credit it will be known that you have applied before and been rejected in the past, so they will find theyre answer easier to come by.

For credit card advice please visit here For credit card advice please visit here www.creditcards-gb.co.ukcreditcardadvice.htmlcredit card advice

Get your credit rating background

What you should do is contact a credit reference agency, to see where you are going wrong and maybe find the reason why the credit cards are not letting you handle theyre plastic. Ask the credit card company who have refused you, which credit reference agency they use, this will normally be one of two the main ones which are Equifax and Experian. Once you have ascertained which one it is, you can write to them asking for a detailed run down of your credit history. This will normally cost a couple of pounds, but will be a worthwhile practice to help you get your credit scoring back up.

Once that you have found out where you have gone wrong in the past, you can then begin working on getting your credit scoring up. You may wonder as how this can be done if you are not allowed credit, but by keeping your household bills up to date and paid on time, making sure that you can prove where you live, make sure that you are on the electoral role and make sure that you never lie on your application for credit. These are all simple things and if followed through, you will not only find that your credit rating will go up, you will also be able to build on it and be able to one day get the best credit card deals and when you want them.