Low APR Balance Transfer Credit Cards - Help You Save Money on Interest Charges

Balance transfer credit cards help you consolidate your credit card debt into one card, which enable you to save money on interest charges. The concept is simple enough, but you need to know how to move money owed from high interest credit cards to low APR balance transfer credit cards. These credit card companies also market these as a credit card with 'zero interest on balance transfer' as well as a 'cheap balance transfers credit card.'

First, assess your current credit situation. If your credit history has a consistent pattern of timely payments, you may well qualify for any of the low APR balance transfer credit cards. Transferring all or some of your outstanding balances to this card can help you to save thousands of dollars, annually, in interest charges. With planning and exercising discipline, you can bring down your large credit card balance. You can take advantage of the low APR, and apply all the money you save on the interest to the principal.

Many low APR balance transfer credit cards offer zero interest on balance transfers for a period ranging from six months to one year. They start to charge interest after the expiry of this period. It is imperative that you find out what interest they will be charging at that time. As of September 2005, most credit card companies typically charge APR of 10.24%, and this increases dramatically if you default on any agreement with your credit card company. You need to shop around to ensure that your cheap balance transfer credit card do not turn out to be expensive.

Many credit card companies offer zero interest on balance transfer, but charge a processing or a transaction fee. This could be as high as 4% of the balance being transferred. Look out for companies that charge a flat fee irrespective of the balance you transfer. Many companies charge a flat rate of $50 to $75 as processing or transaction fee.

Low APR balance transfer credit cards seem very attractive, but you need to look into some hype:

- Check the period of the low APR on balance. - Check the rate after this period expires. - Is there any balance-transfer fee? A flat 4% transaction fee means the higher balance you have the higher fee you pay. Look for companies charging a flat amount.

Balance transfer credit cards are indeed one of the best ways for you to slowly eliminate credit card debts due to high interest. The rest will be up to your discipline to wisely spend money on credit cards.

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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.

The Perils of Credit Card Balance Transfers

For people who could not seem to manage their finances, they end up getting into debts. This is especially true to those who have accumulated too many debts that they can no longer handle the problems anymore.

In reality, 81% of the households in the U.S. today have at least one credit card. But sad to say, out of this percentage, it was reported that the average credit card balance that they accumulate is $8, 387.

The point here is that if these people will not trim down the balances that they accumulate on their credit cards, chances are, they will really get into bigger trouble.

When that time comes, the only way to correct the problem is to employ drastic solutions such as credit card balance transfers.

Balance transfers simply means to transfer the remaining balance in the credit card to another card in order to eliminate the presence of a big interest rate. Usually, people opt for credit card balance transfers so that they can get a new card with lower interest rate.

The "low interest rate" features of most credit cards who offer balance transfers are actually known as teaser rates. These credit card companies offer much lower rates so as to entice people to transfer to them.

What these people do not know is that most credit card companies that offer low interest rates for balance transfers are actually applying the interest rate from the day the consumers had transferred their balances. This goes to show that with credit card balance transfers; there is actually no "interest-free" time.

Another thing is that the low interest rates that credit card companies usually offer when transferring balances are only good for a certain period of time, usually, within a 6-month period. That means when the allotted period is finished, the regular interest rate charges apply.

Moreover, the rules in credit card balance transfers, when it comes to late payments are much stricter. For instance, if a person fails to pay his or her due payment on time, the low interest rate is instantly replaced by a higher one.

What the consumers do not realize is that the low interest rates are only good on balance transfers, but once they have made some purchases, higher rates will be applied. These are all stipulated on the fine print. The problem is that most of the credit card users do not take highly of the things written on the fine print.

Another problem with most credit card users who opt for balance transfers is that they have this thinking that their debts are paid off. What they do not realize is that the process is simply transferring the balances and the debts remain the same. This is because most of the credit card companies that offer balance transfers use the phrase "pay off your balances on other cards" in their advertisements.

Therefore, the only best solution to this alarming condition is to do some homework. Not all credit card balance transfers have these dangerous hidden agenda. The important thing to do is to research on the rules of the company and identify if the low interest rates are not just teaser rates.

Best of all, if ever an individual was able to get some good credit card balance transfers with the best interest rates, it would be better if they stay out of debt and pay their monthly dues on time. In this way, they do not have to contemplate on the interest rates.

Besides, credit card users do not have to engage into balance transfers if they can manage their finances well. It is simply a matter of proper budgeting and lifestyle.

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