What They Don't Tell You About Cash Advances, Balance Transfers, and Convenience Checks

The smart consumer selects a credit card by matching their lifestyle, spending and payment habits. Other consumers play the cash advances and balance transfer game, expecting short-term relief or hoping to gain a quick profit. After all the hidden fees, accumulated interest , and minimum payments due, the consumer will have to pay a higher percentage of the total borrowed amount back within a short-time period, or risk accumulating charges and increasing the balance tremendously. At this point, there is no reasonable rate of return that can fulfill any expectations.

When the consumer takes a cash advance, they almost never get a ?grace period?, even if the card normally has one; interest is charged as soon as they take the advance. Interest on cash advances are often charged at a higher rate than interest on a purchase. On an average, a cash advance fee is between 1% and 2% of the amount of the advance. Be real careful, many credit card companies have surcharges for cash advances, and or they charge a higher interest rate compared to charges that are made to purchase goods and services directly.

A balance transfer, often viewed as a cash advance by the credit card companies, is also subject to fees and interest as soon as the transfer is made.

For example:

Say you have a $1000 credit limit at 9% interest, and you take a cash advance of $100, and your interest rate on the cash advance is 25%. None of the payments will be applied to the higher interest rate until the complete amount from the regular charges is paid off.

CONVENIENCE CHECKS

Those unexpected checks issued by your bank that show up in the mail box at the right time. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but those are not ?FREE?. They are referred to as ?Convenience Checks?. Even the most tempting offer is wrapped with hidden fees and traps that make the risk far greater than the reward.

Unfortunately, the consumer has to deal with the same pitfalls as they do with cash advances and balance transfers. Convenience checks start accruing interest on the balance immediately from the time its redeemed, unlike credit card charges, which are interest free if the consumer pay the charges off before the due date.

Some credit card companies may charge hefty fees just to issue the check, usually around 2 to 5% of the check amount. (Read the check and any the offer letter carefully, in some cases the bank may not list the interest, so it?s best to consult with the bank before accepting the convenience check).

The ?BIGGEST DISADVANTAGE? is if your card has an existing balance, and you make a payment, the payment will be applied to the lower balance first, at the current interest rate, before the payment is applied to the convenience check balance. That means the balance will continue to accrue unpaid interest as long as the consumer uses the card to make purchases. Any sort of late payment or default will usually cancel the 0% promotional rate and will often cause most consumers to be charged back.

?MAKING BETTER DECISIONS WILL ENSURE MORE SOLID RETURN INVESTMENTS?.

Letonio Franklin is a debt negotiation for Franklin Debt Relief. FDR specializes in using credit card negotiation to reduce credit card debt. Visit Franklin Debt Relief for more information about their debt relief help services.

Take Advantage Of A Balance Transfer Credit Card

One of the more recent innovations in credit cards that has come around that is really helpful is a balance transfer credit card. This is a feature that is on most types of cards but it could really be to your advantage. Here are some ways that this card can help you and some tips on how to choose the right one.

The first thing you want to do is to select the type of card that is just right for you. Whether it be an air miles card, or a driver's credit card, or a rewards card, or even a business credit card, you should select which one will give you the greatest advantage. You can determine this by looking for the largest amount or type of purchases you make each month.

Once that is done, you want to start looking at the balance transfer options and compare them. You need to look at more than just to see if it says there is a 0% APR interest rate on balance transfers. All balance transfer options on different credit cards are not equal. Some will charge you as much as four percent of the transferred amount - even if there is 0% APR interest! Many balance transfer credit cards will not charge you to do this, so look around and find one that will not.

Balance transfer credit cards also have different lengths of time for the amount transferred that you can get the 0% APR interest. Some will give you that rate for only three months, but will allow you to have 0% APR interest on all your new purchases for a year or longer. Other credit cards (the best ones) will give you that great interest rate until it is paid off - an unbeatable feature on the best cards. If you can get this, and you have balances on other credit cards, this is the way to go.

Another thing that you want to watch for is just how long a time period do you have to be able to put existing debt on your new balance transfer credit card. It is very important that you find out about this because many cards will only allow you to use this feature when you apply for the card. You literally have to fill in the amount of all transfers, and the card information, when you apply. Transfers, on some cards, cannot be made after that.

Finally, as with any credit card offer, be sure that you also look at the interest rate. It will eventually be the rate you will be paying if you have outstanding balances. Get as low of an interest rate as possible, or, apply for a new balance transfer credit card before the introductory period on this card expires - especially if you still have outstanding debt. However, instead of fully charging up the old card when you make the transfers, be sure to destroy the old card and reduce your debt altogether - that way you are sure to get the best savings.

Joe Kenny writes for the Credit Card Guide, with some great 0% credit cards or compare credit cards, or search for 0% balance transfers deals

Balance Transfer Credit Card Facts and Myths

There are a number of balance transfer credit card facts and myths that are important to be cleared up. Understanding these facts and myths will help you to better keep your finances under control.

Myth: I can get arrested for continually transferring my credit card balances.

Legally, you can transfer your credit card balances as often as you want. So long as you are making your payments and not attempting to defraud your lender, the law does not concern itself with how you choose to handle you finances. It is, however, a bad practice to continually move your balance transfer credit card to another. This is because, in order to do this, you need to open up several credit card accounts. When it comes to your credit rating, having a large number of open accounts can lead to a bad credit rating.

Credit cards utilize what is known as "revolving credit." This credit is different from something such as a car payment, which is paid back in installments. Too much available revolving credit puts you in the high-risk category. The basic thought process behind this is that it would be too easy for you to acquire a great deal of revolving credit, use it all up, and then default on your payments. Therefore, using balance transfer credit cards to consolidate bills one time is a good idea, but it shouldn't be a routine practice.

Myth: The best balance transfer credit cards have a 0.00% APR.

While it is true that the best balance transfer credit cards should offer a 0.00% APR, there are more factors to consider when choosing the best card. For starters, you need to learn more about this special APR. Do you need to complete the balance transfer at the time of application in order to qualify for the 0.00% APR, or do you have a window of time during which you make transfers? Does the 0.00% APR last for the lifetime of the balance transfer, or will it rise to an above average APR within a few months? Does the balance transfer credit card offer other benefits, such as travel insurance and fraud protection? Does the card offer a low APR for purchases, as well, or is it best to use the balance transfer credit card only for transfers?

Myth: Balance transfer credit cards are the key to getting out of debt.

While balance transfer credit cards can assist you in taking control of your debt, they should not be considered your primary means of getting out of debt. Instead, you should look at the balance transfer credit card as one tool in your tool belt of obtaining financial freedom. You can consolidate all of your higher interest rate credit cards onto one balance transfer credit card, thereby paying less in finance charges. It also makes it easier for you to keep track of your debts and your bills because all of your payments will be made to just one credit card. Nonetheless, it takes responsibility, diligence, and proper planning to get out of debt - not just getting a balance transfer credit card.

Myth: Balance transfer credit cards are hard to find.

Many people mistakenly believe it is difficult to find a great balance transfer credit card, but this is not true. Many credit card companies offer special introductory rates in order to entice people to apply to their card. After all, the more money you transfer to their card, the more money they can potentially make on the finance charges you have to pay. In fact, you might even be able to make a card you currently have into a balance transfer credit card by calling the credit card company and asking them if they would be willing to give you a special deal. Many companies will waive fees and lower interest rates to keep you with them.

For more information on balance transfer credit card facts and myths, Bert Wills recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com.

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.