Thursday, April 29, 2010

Facts On A 0 Interest Credit Card

By Rheza Sulaiman

Credit cards are a well known type of financial product that enables individuals to purchase items on credit and pay for them later. As you would think there are many types of credit cards, all with different levels of interest. There are even credit cards with a 0% interest rate on them. Here are some facts on a 0 interest credit card that might be useful for you.

To begin with a credit card with no interest will tend to only offer this for a particular length of time. This can be from six months to eighteen months. After this the card will be subject to interest, so this is worth bearing in mind.

You need to know that the 0% interest is not for the life of the card. These interest free periods are normally for anything up to 18 months. If you have an outstanding balance on your card after this you will be charged interest, so keep this in mind.

It can really pay to take notice of what you are putting on your card with 0% interest. Only make large purchases that you know you can pay off within the interest free period. If you don't do this you could be hit by an interest charge at the end of the period.

There are different lenders that will offer a 0 interest credit card. If you are interested in one it pays to do a little research on them. So check them out online and find one that would be suitable for you.

Now that you know some more facts on a 0 interest credit card you might want to apply for one. Not only can they help you to save money, they can make large purchases easier to pay off.

About the Author:

Howard has an in depth website on Debt, Finance and Tips to Improve Your Personal Financial SituationClick Here

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Debt And Bankruptcy Advice For Older People

By Mallory Megan

Older people are suffering from the stress of the recession just as much as younger people. A number of them are not able to work because of physical and mental fragility, but still live in homes with mortgages. Some may have maxed out credit cards, but with no employment and minimal help from Medicare, social security checks, and retirement funds there seems to be little recourse.

There are many options for these people to consider. One is to lower the interest from credit cards. Lowering the interest rate to 10 percent from 30 percent result in an extra 200 dollars a month. To lower the rate, you must call the credit card issuer and make a request. If a bill has been paid on time and there are extenuating financial circumstances, there is a realistic chance that the creditor will lower the rate. It's a good idea to have a payment in mind when you call. It's always better to bring a lower payment plan to the playing field.

Professional intermediaries could be a good help. Credit counseling agencies or attorneys can negotiate a lower interest rate on your behalf.

If you do not already have one, look for an attorney, one with experience in bankruptcy would be best. This way you can get to know all of your options. Bankruptcy can absolve you of much of your debt, but it also affects your credit rating for ten years, rendering you virtually unable to obtain a car, place of residence or even a job in some cases.

One last thought is that it is not a good idea to just walk away from credit card debt. Ignoring the problem would mean collections actions, summons, lawsuits or eventually having the debt turn into taxable income. In today's economy it is crucial that you protect yourself and your assets. When collectors call, it is always wise to handle business.

About the Author:

Howard has an in depth website on Debt, Finance and Tips to Improve Your Personal Financial SituationClick Here

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Credit Cards Balance Transfers And How They Can Save Or Make You Money.

By Thomas Goldman

Credit cards balance transfers to new cards with zero interest rate are used in two main ways. One way can help you save money on other credit cards and the other way can actually make money.

The first approach is for people with balances on credit cards which are charging interest. If you transfer those balances to credit cards which charge zero interest (for an initial period) then you avoid having to pay any interest on those balances, so you can use all the repayments to pay down the balances themselves rather than paying any interest.

The second of these methods is to use the money available on the new account to put into an interest-bearing savings account, and thus accumulate a profit due to the interest you receive. Sometimes such approaches have been used for more risky investments such as new businesses. With about 90% of all new businesses failing this is of course extremely risky and should usually be avoided if possible.

Financial progress can be made using either of these two approaches. However one needs to be careful to check all details. For example sometimes the 0% initial interest applies only to purchases, and sometimes cash advances are treated differently. A different interest rate might be applied to cash advances and it might be applied from the date that the cash is obtained (not at the billing date as with purchases). Also it is sometimes the case that repayment monies are first applied to all other balances before starting being applied to the cash advance balances.

Also, the periods of no interest can vary, and might even be applied differently to different types of transactions on the card.

It is wise to carefully check all the details of a card and make sure you understand them well before you consider obtaining a new account.

Credit cards balance transfers, it used wisely and sensibly can be of great benefit to a persons finances as this article has shown, so see how you can use one to your benefit, soon!

About the Author:

Howard has an in depth website on Debt, Finance and Tips to Improve Your Personal Financial SituationClick Here

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Immediate Credit Card Debt Relief

By Glen Pearson

Credit card debt relief can be accomplished through several ways. First of all though is to accept the fact that paying a monthly payment that is more than 20% of the monthly income other than for a mortgage or rent spells trouble.

This is sending their credit card balances through the roof and putting them at risk everyday for a drastic dive in credit rating and financial security. There is help in the way of credit card debt consolidation. This form of debt management allows you to find relief from your credit card accounts while still avoiding bankruptcy and other drastic financial measures. When you take the time to consider debt consolidation you are offering yourself and your family the chance to get a hold of your credit card debt and find a way out.

Debt consolidation offers a loan that is used to cover all the credit card debt you have and pay off those balances. This doesn't have anything to do with whether or not you close those accounts, but this should be a strategy talked about with your credit counselor. There are good and negative aspects to this tactic. Once you have your accounts gathered, listed and negotiated you are able to put an amount on the loan you will need to consolidate them.

Don't lose your cool when negotiating with the creditors, but don't be shy either. Be firm and yet not disagreeable about this. You will find that some will be willing to lower the interest rates and the payment. Some will even get rid of the late charges and other fees. They will know this is better for them rather than deal with organizations and bankruptcy where they may lose a lot more.

One thing you should remember is not to fork out money for this service. This should come free for the privilege and chance to do business with you. If you are doing this online, there are ways to check them. One way is to check their page rank with Google. The longer they have been in business bodes better than those who are just in and out of the business.

Make sure you are asking questions as needed and working closely with your credit counselor to find the right loan for you. Then you will wrap up your experience by learning about the borrowing process and learning tactics to avoid getting into the same situation in the future. This truly will help you find a brighter financial future and help you make the financial choices you can be proud of.

About the Author:

Howard has an in depth website on Debt, Finance and Tips to Improve Your Personal Financial SituationClick Here

Friday, April 2, 2010

The 6 Deadly Myths In The Debt Consolidation Area That Most Of The People Dont Know And Are Afecting Their Credit, Discover Them Now.

By Miguel Pancardo

Yeah, these myths has been spread very fast, and there are some trues you really need to know, once of the best examples is that you need a professional agency to do it for you, even they can help you to do it, you can do it for yourself. I did it so can you!, our next step will be to revel the truth from some of the most common myths about credit repair and debt consolidation issues.

Myth 1: I need help...I can't do it myself

We need help once in a while why not, but credit repair and debt consolidation is not one of those areas, it is an area where you can do it by yourself. Back in the days when I saw my credit report for first time I saw some "bad marks" on it (you know some late payments and stuff) I start freaking out and remember to think "there is no way I can do this by myself I will need some professional help" nevertheless I did it myself how? easy I got educated that is the key. And now you are going to get the best education possible on this subject, about how to consolidate your debt, repair your credit, maintain your credit score etc... while I was studying my credit report I realize about some big mistakes by either the creditor, the credit bureau and even both!!. This were not mine at all, I found several mistakes in multiple accounts and making some research turns out that anywhere from 75% to 90% of the credit reports contain errors.

This is the Myth # 2: You can not fix your bad credit.

Wrong. Just because you have bad credit doesn't mean that you can't repair it. It may take longer to fix, but it is repairable. There are many fast ways to restore your credit, build positive lines of credit, and get yourself back on the right track to good credit. If you think a 520 is bad-it is. I was turned down by every credit card I applied for. I even got denied at Banana Republic in front of 20 people at Christmas time. Yeah, no fun If I can do it, then so can you. It's a matter of becoming educated and this videos will show you how to get your credit back.

The myth # 3: One credit Score is all you have.

You have 3 credit scores, not just one, each one of this credit scores is from the major credit reporting agencies. all 3 will show different scores, that is why when applying for a credit one company may use one report while other company may use a different one, it is always a good idea to get the 3 reports from the different bureaus because they can have serious diferences.

The 4 Myth: If you check you credit this will lower your score.

There are two types of inquiries that will appear on your credit report: hard and soft inquiries. Hard inquiries are from companies you wish to get credit from. These will affect your credit score. Soft inquiries are usually when you check your credit report online or from companies obtaining your information for promotional purposes. Soft inquiries don't affect your score.

Myth 5: Shopping Around For a Loan Will Lower Your Score

Another very common myth, if you are looking for a credit (mortgage, car loan, home loan) from several vendors, this inquiries will appear on your credit report just once, nevertheless this only applies if the same kind of inquiries are made within 14 days of each other. Just remember that this does not apply for credit cards.

Myth # 6: If I remove all the negative items my credit score will improve.

This is a partial true, because as a matter of fact erasing your bad marks is just one part of the whole solution, what will boost your credit score is building "positive credit". Can you still remember those days were you were turned down from a credit card company because you did not have credit? actually what they were trying to say is that you did not have build a "positive credit" with credit card companies.

"How to reduce the interest rate in your credit card with just one phone call"

It's actually quite simple. How to do it you ask? Break out your telephone, call them, and ask to reduce your interest rate. Mention that you have sitting in front of you, a credit card with a lower interest rate. Possibly a zero percent interest rate for 6 months, which then turns into a 8% rate. If your current rate is 22%. A simple call will lower it. Mention that you are looking to balance transfer unless they lower your interest rate. Be nice to the operator. If they cannot drop the interest rate, speak to the supervisor. In most cases, after speaking with the supervisor they will drop your rate. To threaten to leave is the key.

About the Author:



Howard has an in depth website on Debt, Finance and Tips to Improve Your Personal Financial SituationClick Here