| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Borrowing on a Credit Card
One of the easiest ways to borrow money of a financial institute is to use a Credit Card, available from all banks, building societies, and other financial organisations. The choices available are enormous, with a wide variety of interest charges, annual charges, loyalty schemes, and bonus points available. However there are two broad areas that you should look at: Annual Interest Rate Firstly if you do not intend to pay off your Credit Card bill at the end of each month, then you should look at the Annual Interest Rate (APR), this rate is typically between 13-17% at the moment, and you should be looking for a card that offers as low an interest rate as possible. You should also bear in mind that you are charged much higher rates of interest than other forms of borrowing money, so if you do not intend to pay of your bills for a long period of time, then you should seriously consider a different form of loan that is less expensive. Extra Benefits On the other hand if you do intend to pay off you credit card bill at the end of each month, then you should be more interested in the loyalty schemes that are on offer. These vary from being awarded points every time you purchase something (these points can than me used to purchased gifts or air miles etc), to simply being given 'Cashback' on everything you buy (typically 0.5%-1% of your purchase). You should also look at the level of service that your card company offers. They are obliged under law to offer certain protection to the consumer, but often they will increase this protection with other guarantees. Some offer extended warranties on electrical goods, extra travel insurance when you are on holiday, accidental damage insurance for any goods you buy, and even free commission on cash withdrawals when abroad. Also some companies charge an annual fee for using their card (especially business credit card accounts), so these fees should be weighed up against the cards benefits. Even if you usually do pay off your credit card bills at the end of each month, when you open a account you may be offered 6 months interest free credit. This is often an excellent way of saving money as you are basically given an interest free loan for 6 months. It is even more useful if you are allowed to transfer some credit card debt from a different company into the interest free offer. However there is a danger of becoming trapped in a bad debit cycle here, transferring your debt from card to card until it is completely unmanageable. The best advice is to make sure you always have enough money in the bank, or in a savings account, to pay off your debt when you are taking advantage of the interest free credit period. That way you benefit from earning interest on your savings in your bank, but as soon as the interest free credit period has expired, you can pay the entire bill off without being stung for high interest charges. So to summarize If you are not paying off your monthly credit card bills, look for a card that offers a low interest rate If you are paying off your monthly credit card bills, looking for additional card benefits Interest free credit periods are good news for saving money, but beware of being caught in a debt spiral Credit Cards are an expensive way of obtaining a loan or borrowing money, and you should investigate other cheaper forms if you intend to borrow money in the medium to long term. Alastair Taylor runs a website that tries to give the consumer the truth about how to save money on Financial matters as well as home improvement. Visit Whatprice to saves yourself time and money.
MORE RESOURCES: |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Minimize your Risk for Identity Theft Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the number of identity theft incidents reached 9. What Are the Most Common Ways to Commit Identity Theft or Fraud? It's the number one source of consumer complaints at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and unfortunately, it's one of the simplest crimes to commit. Identity theft involves information from your daily life, from shopping, bill-paying, and even applying for a job. 4 Steps You Can Take If Your Online Credit Card Application Has Been Refused Help! I've Been Turned DownYou received an envelope in the mail with a great offer for a low interest credit card. You read all the details, even the boring small print and decided that this card fit your needs to a tee. A Debt Mentality While working through my own debt situation, and helping others resolve their life issues regarding debt and credit, it never ceases to amaze me how similar the life stories are and how profound is the effect of debt on the way a person thinks about life, irregardless of how much money they have or don't have.I remember being in junior high school hearing my father say something to the effect of "you only have as much money as you have credit. How Credit Scoring Works The all important credit score! It determines the amount of loan you can get, it determines the interest rate at which you are charged for a loan, etc. Your credit score plays an important figure in your financial life. How To Avoid Becoming A Victim of Identity Theft With identity theft statistics currently at an all time high, and climbing, it just makes sense that we should all be doing everything we can to protect ourselves.One of the most prevalent yet overlooked ways your personal information and passwords may be being compromised is through the presence of Spyware on your computer. How To Repair Your Credit Report A credit report is run on a buyer when he or she needs to buy something that will take a long-term loan, such as an automobile or a house. The credit report can come from one of three agencies - Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union. Good vs. Bad Credit Debt Do you know the difference between good and bad credit debt? Most everyone seems to think that all debt is bad, but that is not always the case. In fact, there are some instances where good debt can actually help your financial situation. 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. 5 Steps You Can Take to Get Paid! There are always some companies that have past due invoices and can't seem to get them paid. They might be quietly waiting to get paid not wanting to contact the client for fear of appearing "desperate". Warning: Free Credit Report Imposter Websites Springing Up on the Web A recent amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies to provide consumers with a free copy of their credit report, upon request, once every 12 months.Access to the free credit reports has been phased in beginning last December in the West and will finally be nationwide by 1 September. Credit cards If gold medals were awarded for marketing consistency, the credit card industry would be the Sarah Hughes of the business world. Major players Visa and MasterCard, who have maintained their steady rates of spending and commitment to their positioning platforms for years, will stick to their established routines this year. New Law Provides Free Annual Credit Report As of Thursday, December 1, 2004, one-third of Americans will be able to access their credit reports from all three main agencies for free. Passed in late 2003, the Fair & Accurate Credit Transactions Act creates a central source consumers can use to obtain a free annual credit report. 3 Free Credit Reports For You If you were to tell someone that they can have a certain item for free, more than likely their response would be, "what's the catch?" In the case of credit reports there is no catch, you can now get a free copy of this report through the three credit reporting agencies: Equifax, TransUnions, and Experian. Let's take a look at the law and how you can benefit from it. How You Can Help Prevent Identity Theft How can I prevent Identity theft from happening to me? Never leave your receipt or slip in the ATM or gas pump. Pay attention to your habits, lock up or organize and file your bills, and bank statements. SuperCharged Secret 5, Credit Card Utopia LIVING IN CREDIT CARD UTOPIALet'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 4 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. All You Wanted to Know of Bad Credit Martin Henderson is in a fix these days. Because of his failure to repay a loan he had taken a few years back, he has been adjudged as a bad credit case. Fun with Credit Cards For those of us who know how to use them properly, credit cards can actually be quite fun and lucrative. To those who do not know how to use them properly, I would say that you should stop reading this column right about now, or at least I would advise you not to try any of this stuff at home. Trying to Land a Job? Poor Credit Scores May Hurt Your Chances Many employers are now looking at an applicant's credit report for hiring purposes. During an interview process a potential employer may request your written consent to access your credit report. Fair Credit Reporting Act: What You Should Know About It? The Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is designated to promote accuracy, fairness, and privacy of information in the files of every "consumer reporting agency" (CRA) or Credit Bureau. Learn what the law says and repair your credit today!Most CRA are credit bureaus that gather and sell information about you, such as if you pay your bills on time or have filed bankruptcy.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |