Friday, November 30, 2007

The Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards: Get Yours Now!


Have you read your credit card statement lately? Do you know what your annual percentage rate is? How about your annual fee? You may be surprised to learn that your current card is not the bargain you once thought it was. If you are tired of paying fees and big monthly payments then shopping for a new credit card is a must. Some balance transfer cards are better than others; here are some things for you to look for with your new card:

Low Introductory Rate - If you are paying a high interest rate for your current credit card you can save yourself plenty of money by shopping for a card with a low introductory rate. Yes, there are still many balance transfer credit cards available that will give to you a rate as low as 0% for twelve months. By obtaining one of these cards you could save yourself hundreds of dollars per month and pay off your outstanding balance faster.

Transfer Fees - Balance transfer credit cards may charge you a small fee to make a transfer. Still, there are some cards that charge no fee on the initial balance transfer upon applying. It may be to your advantage to pay the transfer fee especially if you are going from a high annual percentage rate card to a low percentage rate card. Crunch some numbers to find out which card works best for you.

Save on Annual Fees - To secure your business, many balance transfer credit card issuers such as Chase and Citibank charge no annual fee. This can be a nice alternative for you especially if you have been paying $35, $50, $85, or more for your current card annually.

Get Rewards - A nice option for many consumers are those balance transfer credit cards that reward you for using that card. Depending on the plan, you can quickly accumulate airline miles, hotel stay credits, take a cruise, rent a car, accumulate points toward receiving free gifts, and more. Some cards, such as the Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards Card, will even give to you bonus points upon your first purchase of any amount!

Get Rebates - Like a typical reward card certain balance transfer credit cards will give to you cash rebates toward the purchase of a new or used car or toward repairs on your current car. The Citi Drivers Edge Platinum Select MasterCard is an example of one such card making this offer.

Perhaps the best thing for you today is that choosing a new credit card is to your advantage. Never before have terms, fees, and benefits been this good. There is no telling how long any offer will last, but if you act now you can obtain a balance transfer card that works best for you. To find your next card, searching online makes comparing all of the best credit card offers a breeze.

Ed Vegliante runs www.credit-card-surplus.com , a credit card directory enabling the consumer to compare and apply for credit card offers including Balance Transfer Credit Cards .

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Monday, November 26, 2007

Balance Transfer Credit Cards And Their Rewards

If you haven't been credit card shopping recently, you'd be amazed at the variety offered today. In addition to the different interest rates, the extent of rewards or perks offered is vast. There are cards offered to fit everyone's needs. Good credit, bad credit, in between, 0% APR introductory offers, sky miles, cash back,... just to name a few.

Of course the financial experts would tell you to watch that credit card debt, pay off the balance every month so you don't have to pay interest. If you do have high balances the experts would also tell you to take out a loan on your home so you could get a lower interest rate and tax advantage too. But that's not always realistic or possible for some. Perhaps they just bought their first home and the equity is limited. There could be a number of reasons why the professional financial advice just won't work. So what to do?

What if you just purchased your first home and your credit cards had balances with interest being accrued each month? Then say you like to travel, but you have these bills. Could you plan a trip in the not too distant future? I believe you could.

Most of the credit card companies today have 0% APR introductory offers. This rate is good for six to twelve months and many times is valid for balance transfers and purchases. In addition, many offer rewards such as air miles.

First figure out the most you could pay each month on these accounts combined. Apply for a card that offers 0% APR for twelve months and transfer the balances that are accruing interest to this new account. Now remember, you're saving interest each month. Then you could use the credit card as much as possible for daily expenses, keeping track of and setting that amount aside each day. At the end of the month, you should pay the amount determined which you could afford on the balance transferred and then pay the entire amount charged for the monthly expenses.

By doing this, you would be paying off the older balance with a 0% interest rate and earning rewards at the same time. At the end of the twelve months you may very well have enough points to take that planned trip. Your credit card balance should be paid off almost completely.

When things seem out of reach, you can achieve them, as long as you have a plan.

Bradley Carson is an internet marketer. http://cards-king.com/

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Free Credit Cards and Balance Transfers Allow You to Manage Your Debt Wisely

If you're being squeezed by the high interest rates and fees charged by your credit companies, it might be time to rethink your financial strategy. In today's marketplace, credit card companies compete for your business. You can take advantage of free credit cards and balance transfer options to make purchases, manage your credit card debt, and avoid paying high interest rates and fees.

The first key to taking charge of your credit card debt is to understand the options available to you. Free credit cards not only offer you a cushion of financial security, but when used wisely, they can also help you lower or erase the interest rates you're currently paying. In effect, the money you spend each month on interest charges becomes money you can use to pay down your debt or to spend as you see fit.

As an example, if you have a $7,000 balance on a credit card that charges 18 percent APR, and you're paying $210 (3 percent) per month, it will take you over 18 years to pay off the debt. In the process, you will have paid $6,698 in interest!

If, however, you took advantage of the balance transfer option on free credit cards with a 2.99 percent APR, your $7,000 debt will be paid off in a little under 11 years, with a total of $611 paid in interest charges. That's a savings of $6,087!

When you receive offers of free credit cards and balance transfer offers, it's important to read the fine print. Sometimes, the initial low interest rate will jump to a high interest rate after six months. Other times, though, the low interest rate will be maintained throughout the life of the loan.

Increasingly, consumers are seeing the wisdom in using free credit cards and balance transfer to manage their debt. While it takes some time and diligence to keep track of the various offers and to use balance transfers to your advantage, the benefits are well worth it.

Balance transfer is also a good tool to use if you've gone over your credit limit on one of your credit cards. Many credit card companies charge outlandish monthly fees when the cardholder exceeds his or her credit limit. By anticipating this problem and having free credit cards available that offer balance transfers, you can easily transfer a portion of your initial credit card debt to a second card, thereby avoiding penalty fees.

Free credit cards and balance transfer options are important components of financial health, and can allow you to manage your debt painlessly.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Visit this FinancingInvesting Website and Majon's FinancingInvesting directory.

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Balance Transfer - This Card Is Not Like The Other

As another way to get your business, many card issuers offer balance transfers. This can give you some leverage as a consumer and a opportunity to save some interest. Most credit cards offer a 0% APR for 6 to 12 months with no transfer fees. This is sometimes referred to as the teaser rate.

A balance transfer can be a good way for a you to consolidate debt. You can take your outstanding balance on one or two or more cards and transfer it to a card with a lower rate. Once approved, you would have all your payables on one credit card and essentially had taken two or more interest rates and transformed them into one lower rate.

If you want to carry on a balance, look for the credit card that offers the best interest rate or the annual fee offer. However, if you intend to pay for the credit every month, then look on the one that offers the lowest interest rate. Take note of the new rate after the introductory offer is over. Is it going to higher than what your have now? Are there any other fees involved? Make sure. Also does the introductory offer apply to balance transfers and purchases?

You can choose the credit card that offers the lowest annual percentage rate (APR). APR's could either be a "fixed" or a "variable" rate. Fixed rates do not change as the name implies but is higher. Variable rates changes depending on the economic trends. I usually avoid anything that's variable but you should explore your own options carefully. This is to be taken into consideration if you're deciding on carrying a balance and for how long.

Other factors involved in your decision for a balance transfer might be the rewards (reward points)or cash back a card offers. You may want to look into something you purchase often, like airline miles or gas rebates if you drive more than usual. Other cards even offer cash back for paying home utilities and mortgage, like the Citi? Home Rebate Platinum Select? MasterCard?. There is much competition for your money and if you take time to explore your options, you can turn some disadvantages on your present credit card balance back your way.

 Matt Yetter is webmaster of http://www.kingcreditcard.com. You can find other articles and information about credit and financing at http://www.kingcreditcard.com/articles.php

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Balance Transfers Can Help You Stop Putting Money Down The Drain!

Balance Transfers Can Help You Stop Putting Money Down The Drain!

 by: Claire Bowes

As you probably know, interest rates are at all time low right now and if you arent getting the best deal from your credit card company then they owe it to you to either lower your rate, or you owe it to yourself to find a better deal. You see, credit card companies need your business in order to succeed and if you refuse to pay a penny more than you have to then youll be doing yourself and others a big favour indeed. By doing this, youll avoid paying more than you should and the companies will stop treating its clients inappropriately.

Now that this is clear, we will talk about the essentials of balance transfers, how they work and how you can ensure that you get the absolute best possible deal.

  1. First and foremost, understand what a balance transfer http://www.the-credit-card-centre.co.uk/balance-transfers.html is. A balance transfer is when you transfer the balance from one card to another in order to get a better interest rate than the one that you are currently getting.

  2. Second, to find the absolute best deals, look to transfer balances on cards where the initial interest rate is 0% and the amount after that is lower than the one you have now. For instance, if youre a cardholder that has an interest rate of 27.4% on a 1000 balance and you only pay 150 a month for 6 months, you will not pay off the balance in 6 months. Instead you will pay 247 worth of interest and your balance after 6 months will be 346. In contrast, if you had a 0% card and make the same monthly payment then your balance will be reduced to 100 at the end of the 6 month period, a tremendous saving!

  3. Third, dont throw those offers that you receive in the mail away. If you have great credit then youll likely have credit card companies vying for your attention. Just use this power to your advantage and find the very best 0% deal for you.

  4. If no good deals seem apparent, then you have to find your own deals. You can do this by conducting a thorough search on the internet to see if you can find a 0% card offer.

  5. Once youve done this, request information and then review it carefully. Pay close attention to the rate after the initial introductory period is over. For instance, if you have two choices of cards with 0% interest rates http://www.the-credit-card-centre.co.uk/0%-credit-cards.html for 6 months and one charges an interest rate of 15.00% after the initial period and one that charges 11.00% after the initial period then by all means choose the second one because it is by far the better deal overall.

  6. Read and then reread the credit cardholder agreement a couple of times. Make sure that you understand all of the jargon and if you dont, find someone that does before you sign it. Review it closely to make sure that you are getting the best deal possible. For instance, when evaluating deals, you should ask yourself these questions:

    1. How long does the introductory rate last?

    2. What will be the rate after the teaser expires?

    3. What are the cards annual fees? Can they be waived?

    4. Are there any transfer fees that you should be aware of?

    5. Are there any perks that are offered? (Ex. frequent flier miles, free gifts, etc).

  7. Once youve decided on an offer, fill out your application fully and get it in the mail as soon as you can.

  8. Once you get the offer, make sure that it is a 0% teaser rate and if it isnt, then contact the company right away. If they arent open to doing so then tell them that youre cancelling the card and look for another company that delivers what they promise. Your primary goal is avoid the old bait and switch while simultaneously saving money on interest.

  9. While waiting for your new card, make sure that you continue to pay on your old card to avoid glitches in your credit report and once you receive notification that the transfer has been made, make sure you contact the old company and make sure that they received the payoff amount.

  10. After the teaser rate is up, dont be afraid to jump from one credit card to another after the teaser expires. You see, there is absolutely nothing wrong with surfing cards and taking advantage of 0% offers whenever you possibly can. Just keep finding and researching great deals.

Thats it my friend. Credit card transfers dont have to be so confusing and daunting. If you follow the above mentioned steps then you can and will win the balance transfer rate and stop throwing your hard earned money down the drain.Claire Bowes is a successful freelance writer and owner of the Credit Card Centre http://www.the-credit-card-centre.co.uk/ where you will find further advice and tips on the best credit card deals http://www.the-credit-card-centre.co.uk/best-credit-cards.html , balance transfers and 0% credit cards http://www.the-credit-card-centre.co.uk/0%-credit-cards.html .

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How Balance Transfers Can Help You Stop Putting Money Down the Drain!

As you probably know, interest rates are at all time low right now and if you aren't getting the best deal from your
credit card company then they owe it to you to either lower your rate, or you owe it to yourself to find a better deal.
You see, credit card companies need your business in order to succeed and if you refuse to pay a penny more than you
have to then you'll be doing yourself and others a big favour indeed. By doing this, you'll avoid paying more than you should and the companies will stop treating its clients inappropriately.

Now that this is clear, we will talk about the essentials of balance transfers, how they work and how you can ensure that you get the absolute best possible deal.

1. First and foremost, understand what a balance transfer is. A balance transfer is when you transfer the balance from one card to another in order to get a better interest rate than the one that you are currently getting.

2. Second, to find the absolute best deals, look to transfer balances on cards where the initial interest rate is 0% and the amount after that is lower than the one you have now. For instance, if you're a cardholder that has an interest rate of 27.4% on a 1000 balance and you only pay
150 a month for 6 months, you will not pay off the balance in 6 months. Instead you will pay 247 worth of interest and your balance after 6 months will be 346. In contrast, if you had a 0% card and make the same monthly payment then your balance will be reduced to 100 at the end of the 6
month period, a tremendous saving!

3. Third, don't throw those offers that you receive in the mail away. If you have great credit then you'll likely have
credit card companies vying for your attention. Just use this power to your advantage and find the very best 0% deal
for you.

4. If no good deals seem apparent, then you have to find your own deals. You can do this by conducting a thorough search on the internet to see if you can find a 0% card offer.

5. Once you've done this, request information and then review it carefully. Pay close attention to the rate after
the initial introductory period is over. For instance, if you have two choices of cards with 0% interest rates for 6 months and one charges an interest rate of 15.00% after the initial period and one that charges 11.00% after the initial period then by all means choose the second one
because it is by far the better deal overall.

6. Read and then reread the credit cardholder agreement a couple of times. Make sure that you understand all of the
jargon and if you don't, find someone that does before you sign it. Review it closely to make sure that you are getting the best deal possible. For instance, when
evaluating deals, you should ask yourself these questions:

a. How long does the introductory rate last?
b. What will be the rate after the teaser expires?
c. What are the cards annual fees? Can they be waived?
d. Are there any transfer fees that you should be aware of?
e. Are there any perks that are offered? (Ex. frequent flier miles, free gifts, etc).

7. Once you've decided on an offer, fill out your application fully and get it in the mail as soon as you can.

8. Once you get the offer, make sure that it is a 0% teaser rate and if it isn't, then contact the company right away. If they aren't open to doing so then tell them that you're cancelling the card and look for another company that delivers what they promise. Your primary goal is avoid the old "bait and switch" while simultaneously saving money on interest.

9. While waiting for your new card, make sure that you continue to pay on your old card to avoid glitches in your credit report and once you receive notification that the transfer has been made, make sure you contact the old company and make sure that they received the payoff amount.

10. After the teaser rate is up, don't be afraid to jump from one credit card to another after the teaser expires. You see, there is absolutely nothing wrong with surfing cards and taking advantage of 0% offers whenever you possibly can. Just keep finding and researching great deals.

That's it my friend. Credit card transfers don't have to be so confusing and daunting. If you follow the above
mentioned steps then you can and will win the balance transfer rate and stop throwing your hard earned money down
the drain.
Claire Bowes is a successful freelance writer and owner of http://www.the-credit-card-centre.co.ukwhere you will find further advice and tips on the best credit card deals.

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