Posted by admin on Aug 30, 2010 in Articles | 0 comments
Virtually every bank or lending institution in the world offers credit cards as one of their many services. But banks, like any business, are in it for the profits. So how do banks benefit from offering you a credit card? From the high interest for the high risk clients to no or low interest credit cards, there is more to the story than meets the eye.
How Credit Card Distributors Make Money
There are two main methods that a credit card distributor makes money. The first, and most obvious, is through interest that is charged on any unpaid balance.
If you think about what a credit card is — a revolving line of credit — you’ll realize that what the distributing bank is doing is essentially pre-approving you for an unsecured loan amount equal to your credit line.
Unlike a conventional loan, you don’t need to provide a reason for the loan nor do you need to provide collateral. And unlike most loans, you can pay a portion of the “loan” off and instantly borrow that amount again if you so desire it.
But like a conventional loan, you pay interest on any amount of the unpaid credit. That interest can be viewed as the equivalent of a markup on a product. In essence, the bank is selling you, let’s say $5,000. That $5,000 costs the bank exactly that amount. So to make money on it, they “mark it up” via interest.
Each day that the loan remains unpaid, you are charged interest at a predetermined rate. For example, a credit card with $5,000 charged to it that has an interest rate of 17 percent will cost you about $2.33 after one day. Now you owe $5,002.33. You are now being charged 17 percent on the increased balance, so the second day you’ll owe a little more.
By transferring a $5,000 balance to a low interest credit card with a 3 percent interest rate, your first day’s charge would be cut down to a measly $0.41. Over the period of a month — the amount of time that typically passes between payments — the savings is much larger. Over the period of time it takes to pay off the entire balance, the savings becomes much more significant.
So why would a bank offer you such a low interest rate on a credit card if it cuts into their profits so much?
There is a second method that a credit card distributor utilizes to make money on credit cards, and that is through a fee that is charged to merchants who accept credit card payments. Merchants pay a processing fee to the various credit card companies for the right to accept credits cards. Part of this fee goes to the distributing bank. In essence, the more you use your credit card, the more money the bank makes.
If you show a record of always paying your bills on time (thus improving your credit score) and use your credit card often, then most banks are willing to give you a lower rate in order to prevent you from transferring the balance to a competing bank.
Having a high credit score gives you the power to demand low interest credit cards, which in turn can save you untold amounts of money. If you are a responsible credit card user, ask your bank to lower your rate. If they refuse, start shopping for a low interest credit card elsewhere.
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Posted by admin on Aug 27, 2010 in Articles | 0 comments
Today, even more then ever before, it has become increasingly inconvenient and very dangerous to carry large amounts of cash with you where ever you may go. Which makes carrying a credit card a simple way to pay your daily expenses without the hidden dangers of carrying cash.
But, the repayment of your charges is not quite as simple as swiping your card through a machine. Although there are many credit card companies out there that offer low interest rate cards , there are slight differences in the different kinds of low rate cards available which will work differently.
Get a Fixed Rate
As always, you should read the fine print when you are shopping for a low rate, a slight difference is the way a card type is being phrased can mean something completely different. When you are shopping for one, select one with a fixed rate.
Although this does not mean the rate stays the same forever, you do get a warning when the rate changes, often a period of fifteen days precedes the actual change rate. A rule of thumb when selecting a card is that the card with a fixed rate is better than that with a variable rate. A variable rate card has a rate that can change regularly and this can really have an impact on your payments and your wallet.
Credit History Factor
It is not only easier to apply for a credit card when you have good credit history but it also makes it easier for you to choose the best low rate. By looking back at your credit history and spending habits you can get a good assumption of what type of card can benefit you better. The first thing you need to look at is how good you are at repaying your credit card debt.
If you have been late with payments in the past then you should looking for a higher interest rate but a lower late fee rate. This type of card could save you money if you have a habit of making late monthly payments.
A good idea when selecting a low rate is to go through all the fees and monthly payments you will have to face. Besides looking at the interest rate, you should also look at the over-the-limit fees and interest on cash advances you might be forced to make. A credit card with a slightly higher rate but more flexible fees in other areas might be a much better choice for you rather than the first low rate credit card that turns up in your mailbox.
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 21, 2010 in Articles | 0 comments
The low interest credit cards are equivalent to the cheap credit cards that are considered as most famous credit cards due to 0% introductory annual percentage rate. This offer may last 12 months. If you plan to pay full balance off prior to 0% then intro offer expires, and then this tender can be ideal state. If you are carrying balance every month, then low fixed annual percentage rate interest rate may be better option. Selecting 0% intro rate might be the mistake suppose it changes to the high interest charge after promotional offer get expires. This is a cause why it is important to understand what interest rate is after introductory period get expires. The customers who make a decision to go with promotional offer then they can make use of money saved on the interest cost to speed up paying off loan much faster.
The low interest credit cards usually come with the high transfer rates & fees or else interest rates that are higher the prime rate after introductory time. The cash withdrawals might as well have the higher fees. You need to read terms and conditions very carefully. Check all fees & future interest charge prior to signing up. In order to make best use of low interest card, you must make big purchases by using it & pay off balance at time of introductory period. You may finish up paying small interest charge but it will be good than taking store credit for high interest charge. If you have 0% INTEREST rate offer, then you are paying nothing for whole introductory period. By using low interest credit card elegantly during introductory period will definitely assist you save money on large purchases.
What are conditions in order to maintain very low interest?
Even if introductory rate can extend for period of three months to year, interest rate can be hiked rate much superior than prime rate at time of this period. This is usually done seeing you miss out any monthly sum or if you go beyond your credit limit. In order to use benefits of low interest card to maximum, do not let the above situations happen.
Pros & Cons for switching the credit cards
In order to take benefit of low interest cards lots of people switch to credit cards that are rolling on their balances to new ones to keep the interest rates low. And this will absolutely save you money & work your advantage. But switching credit cards may be long process & frequent switching may reflect very badly on your report. Usually you must keep a few long rank accounts with the prime or else low interest charges after introductory period when you switch to other cards.
If you are besieged with the bills and the credit card debts, then why not combine your loans in 1 loan. This can save enormous sum of money on the interest cost. It cam make monthly expenditure more convenient and will alleviate financial problems, which come with having much credit that you cannot afford. This is excellent chance to start process of getting better your credit rank.
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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 Jul 21, 2010 in Articles | 0 comments
There are many different kinds of credit cards on the market today and the most sought after is the low APR credit card and with good reason. Low APR credit cards will give you the lowest interest rates throughout the year, saving you money.
In the process of finding the best low APR credit card, be sure to look for one that is suitable for you. Take a look at some of the credit cards that are on offer, so you know which ones are available to you. The low APR credit cards offer a wide range of extras including reward schemes where you get a percentage of cash back on purchases at grocery stores, bookstores and in some cases even on gasoline. You will find the cash back offers normally range between one percent and five percent.
The APR is the Annual Percentage Rate. This rate takes into account set up fees, interest rate and other factors included in the lenders agreement. It is the rate charged that you would be obliged to pay over a one year period on your low interest credit cards. It is good for the borrower as you can calculate just how much you are going to pay and if the rate offered is within your budget. The APR will vary between lenders, depending on how competitive the lender is. Lenders looking to attract new customers for their low APR credit cards may offer the best introductory rates. If you are taking out a secured loan against your property, then the APR is normally calculated in relation to the sum you are borrowing in comparison to your property’s value. This means you may not qualify to get the lower rates on offer. Also if you have had difficulty obtaining credit, or a poor credit rating in the past, then it is unlikely you will be offered the low interest credit cards.
Some low interest credit cards offer a permanent low rate. Other low APR credit cards give you an introductory offer where you get a lower rate for a fixed period of time, maybe six to nine months. As an example you may get a card with a six months 5% APR, then a 12% APR thereafter. This means for the first six months you will only be charged an annual interest rate of 5% on your balance, or purchases. However any purchases or balances that are outstanding after six months will be charged at a rate of 12%.
A low APR credit card is used by many people to make large purchases. They take advantage of the low rate offered, so they can have a few months to pay off the balance. Using your low interest credit cards this way can save you quite a lot of money. It is important however to fully read and understand the terms of the introductory rate offered. You don’t want to end up by paying interest or fees you don’t need to.
The best offer that a lender will give you is of course 0% APR rather than just the low interest credit cards. Many offer this for an introductory period only. Don’t just jump in and sign an agreement with a company because they offer 0% APR. Always take into consideration what their normal rate is going to be. It is this rate you are going to pay interest on, so you don’t want the permanent APR to be too high.
If you already have credit cards it may still be well worth looking at changing to another low APR credit card. Many lenders will let you transfer the balance from your current low APR credit cards to a new card. You may be able to save a lot of money by doing this, if the rates are lower than you are currently paying. There is nothing to stop you changing every time your low interest credit cards introductory rate is about to finish, and is well worth considering.
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