Posted by admin on Sep 5, 2010 in Articles | 0 comments
Low APR credit cards (APR means annual percentage rate) offer an attractive inducement for people to transfer current credit card balances to a new card and of course to a new financial institution. Because this is a highly effective marketing strategy for financial institutions, there is a lot of choice.
However, the sheer availability of low APR credit cards can present its own problems. How can you wade through so many possibilities to find the best real options for your particular needs? While an internet search will throw up hundreds of choices, without professional product knowledge it can be difficult to make a well considered decision.
A professional service that sorts through the various low APR credit cards on offer and presents a smaller but worthwhile selection can save you a lot of time. It can also protect you from making an expensive mistake. It would be especially beneficial if a reminder service was also offered to let you know when your introductory low rate period is coming to an end. This way you can transfer your balance to another low APR credit card to have to pay the normal interest rate.
Most of us wouldn’t even think about credit card hopping to avoid high interest charges, so this very service can get us thinking in a more financially beneficial direction. Even if we have seriously thought about it, time can easily get away from us and we can find ourselves out of the introductory period before we know it.
When considering low APR credit cards, look for those with the longest introductory periods, the lowest introductory interest rates (zero is best) and the lowest balance transfer costs. Once you have decided which one to apply for you can often apply online on a website offering these comprehensive services. Once approved, you can sign up for an alert to remind you to transfer the balance from your new card to another credit card offering an introductory low rate. This way you will hopefully never have to pay interest on your credit cards again.
By taking this simple step, you will be streets ahead financially and will be in a position to become debt free much sooner if you use your interest savings to pay off your credit card balance. Look for a good comprehensive all-in-one online service that will help you do this, and the process will be far easier than you can possibly imagine.
Low APR credit cards are a great way of keeping control of our finances. Remember that the banks are there to make money out of us, so we should at least attempt to save as much as we can while not spending too much time keeping tabs on what is happening behind the scenes. As always, careful financial planning is important in our daily finances, and there is no reason why we should not look after our bank balance in the same way as we look after our skin or our diets. It’s all part of living healthily.
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Posted by admin on Aug 24, 2010 in Articles | 0 comments
Low interest credit cards are always in high demand and currently credit card providers have provided a wide variety of low interest and 0% Annual Percentage Rate offers to keep pace within the strong competition in the card market. Some retailers are offering 0% APR credit cards, which include purchase rebates or discounts.
These cards are especially good for people who want or have to carry their monthly balance. It can also reduce your interest payments by hundreds of dollars per month to maybe thousands over a year’s time, and are therefore a good way of settling credit card debts. A major portion of the amount paid is applied to the principal thereby reducing debts more quickly.
In many ways they are useful if you want to maintain a revolving credit for purchases, cash advances or balance transfers. There is an major advantage for people with good credit, they can easily get good reduced interest rates.
Consumers can get all the convenience of charging items when they need them, and long term, they will pay less interest on those purchases. They are a great way to save money on whatever it is you’re buying, whether you using it to purchase day-to-day necessities, or more expensive items. When you’re paying for a lower interest rate on low interest, you are paying less, and therefore have an advantage. Always keep in mind that when the cards are not used correctly, it can lead to tremendous financial hardship. Through self discipline and living within your means and making your monthly payments you should not encounter any debt problems.
In general, the higher your credit score is, the better chance you have of obtaining a low interest credit card. If you have a good credit rating, you should not have much difficulty qualifying for low interest credit cards.
When you are ready to make that final decision and choose your card, always make sure that you know exactly what you are getting. Having a low interest card can be ideal although they can lead to a downfall if you don’t choose them carefully. If you do not have a low interest credit card in your wallet, you may be missing out on a great way to save yourself hundreds of dollars per year. If you are the type of consumer who carries an outstanding balance month to month, and so many of us do, you will benefit substantially from having low interest credit cards.
Nick Makaryk: Editor, Publisher, and Founder of Best Credit Cards. A Free Consumer Credit Card Comparison site helps consumers find the right credit card while avoiding high interest rates, charges, and no fees. Compare 0% Interest Credit Cards from Visa, Master Cards, Discover, American Express.
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Posted by admin on Aug 15, 2010 in Articles | 0 comments
We all know how great it is to have a credit card, we can purchase all kinds of luxury items for ourselves and then pay them off a little bit at a time every month as long as we do not mind paying the interest rates that are tacked on. With low rate credit cards, you will not be paying so much in interest payments, however, if you choose a credit card with 17 % APR then you will find yourself paying huge amounts of money in interest payments if you have any type of balance of your credit card.
The large credit card companies know this and are all fighting to give you a low APR credit card that will give you even more freedom, the problem is that you may have trouble choosing which one is best for you and your lifestyle.
American Express understands these above and beyond other credit card companies that offer low APR credit cards because they also offer a 0% introductory offer for your first 15 months, which rises to a 3.99% fixed rate after that initial period. Many companies increase the APR to 17% and beyond after the introductory period expires. Citibank is offering individuals the chance to transfer their balances to a 0% APR for 12 months and a 5% cash back with some purchases such as grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies and even a 1% cash back at all other stores. JP Morgan offers a cash back program with 0% interest for 12 months on balance transfers. These low APR credit cards can be great as long as you read the fine print and learn how long the low APR will last and what it will be once the special interest rate expires.
Remember, just because a credit card company is offering a low APR credit card, this does not mean it will always be low. There are many factors that can change the APR, such as the introductory special expiring and economic indicators, which cause the interest rate to fluctuate.
Many credit card companies that offer a low APR credit card may only have the low APR for 3 months and if you are lucky, can be as long as 15 months. Before you apply for a low APR credit card be sure to read all the terms and conditions, look for such things as the end of the introductory special, balance transfer procedures, and if there are any other membership fees, or annual fees that will be applied to your low APR credit card.
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Posted by admin on Aug 6, 2010 in Articles | 0 comments
Comparing low APR credit cards to all the 0 APR Credit Cards can be a long and troublesome chore and you may still have problems deciding which one to choose from. When you see all of the various incentive programs, rewards, and, of course, the 0 APR feature you may think you should jump in and get that card before the offer expires. But are the benefits really worth the price you will have to pay after the introductory offer expires or are low APR credit cards instead a better choice?
First, look at the incentive programs offered by the various companies. If you do not travel all the time, then one with rewards of air miles is one you can ignore, and so on and so forth. If you are just trying to decide on a regular credit card without all the free incentives that you can earn and you just desire to learn if low APR credit cards or 0 APR Credit Cards are better, then you can now compare these two types of offers.
So ask yourself these questions:
-Do you wish to have a credit card to purchase something expensive that you cannot afford without putting it on credit?
-How long will the 0 APR last?
-After the introductory period ends, how will the APR change?
-Are there membership fees, annual fees, etc…?
If you really need to buy something expensive then the 0% APR can look very appetizing, however if you will not be able to pay off your purchase by the end of the introductory special, you may learn that you will be paying more in the long run with higher interest rates. If you buy something expensive with a low APR credit card, of course you will have to pay interest, but the APR will not rise drastically after the introductory special. This can make a big difference if you do not pay off the debt within the timeframe of the introductory offer only to be left with a much, much higher APR to pay off. The low APR credit cards have the advantage of a sustainable APR and may even save you more money over time.
Remember, the introductory special will not last forever, most credit cards companies have introductory APR offers that last from 3 months to as long as 15 months. Then you will go to a higher APR. Therefore, low APR credit cards might, in fact, be a better solution for some consumers.
The best way to decide is to calculate the big purchase that you wish to make, see how much balance you will have left on your card when the special APR is gone and then see if it is still lower than what you will pay with low ongoing low APR credit cards.
Most importantly, regarding any credit card offer, you need to learn to ask questions and read the fine print. Are there any other fees that apply with low APR credit cards? It is always best to choose a credit with lower fees, lower interest rates and of course one that will fit your needs. Low APR credit cards do not change once the introductory time period is over which is a very big plus.
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Posted by admin on Jul 24, 2010 in Articles | 0 comments
Low rate credit cards or as some know them as low APR credit cards can be very great for those individuals that carry a balance forward every month. The problem is that most people that really need or want low rate credit cards are unable to receive one because most credit card companies will only offer low rate credit cards to people with above average or excellent credit. This puts the majority of the population out of the market for low rate credit cards.
These low rate credit cards are out there, you can see them advertised on the television, on the internet and even in your email, but unfortunately, you may not qualify. The average rate for low rate credit cards is around 9 percent and some even go as low as 3.99 percent for certain individuals with an excellent credit rating. If you have credit that is less than appealing, you can always negotiate and possibly receive low rate credit cards if you have been employed with the same company for a certain amount of time, and the credit card company believes your income will stay steady.
However, many companies that offer low rate credit cards also have a pretty hefty annual fee or membership fee, which can be as high as $100. This can cost you more in the long run that owning a credit card with a higher APR from the start. Watch out for those introductory specials as well, just because the low rate looks wonderful, it may only be for 3 months and then the rate can go up drastically to up to 17%. You can always discuss these fees with the credit card company to see if they may waive this fee.
low rate credit cards may only be for an introductory period. You can even find a few with a 0% APR, the problem is once again that after the special there will be an increase. Some introductory specials for low rate credit cards are for 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, and in some rare cases 15 months. If you are sure you will be able to pay off your balance before this period is over then it would be a great deal, however, if you will have it paid off you may notice that you will be paying 17% APR on your balance.
Just because, there are low rate credit cards out there does not mean that everything will be cheaper, the balance transfers can be expensive as well at around 3%. So, be sure that you read all the terms and conditions carefully before you even apply for low rate credit cards, or choose your Low APR Credit Card.
Many low rate credit cards offer a variable or a fixed rate of interest. If you choose a fixed rate of credit, this means that the rate will stay the same, however, with a variable interest the rate can fluctuate.
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