April 07, 2008
Best Credit Card
Options for the Best Credit Card
Consumers who want to maximize their options on a credit card should first find out all the terms and related costs associated with a particular card. For those who feel that the best credit card is one that is low-rate and no-frills, they should determine if the card has annual charges, as no-frills users do not need to pay such fees. Some upscale prestige cards, air-mile credit cards and similar rewards packages collect annual fees in exchange for perks, services and other rewards.
The definition of a best credit card varies depending on personal preference. Individuals currently have many options available in the market, including instant approval cards, cash back credit cards, low-interest credit cards and prepaid debit cards.
The percentage rate (APR) is another crucial element users must weigh before signing up for what they feel is the best credit card in the market, particularly those with balances, as lower interest rates mean lower payments for carriage and substantial savings.
Variable-card customers need to know if their plans feature minimum APRs, or ‘floors’ – the lowest-possible levels that interest rates could fall to, inclusive of any adjustment by the US Federal Reserve. A Bankrate.com poll indicated floors for 24% of variable-rate issuers surveyed, with 75% of that group already at minimum APRs through October 2001. This means that the interest rate on these cards will only go up in the future.
How long or short a grace period is for settling balances is another factor that customers seeking the best credit card should consider. Since interest charges kick in when the grace period lapses, a company offering longer grace periods means a more extended time for users to settle outstanding obligations without paying interest before their next card purchases are penalized.
Individuals seeking the best credit card deal should also be aware of all penalty policies covering missed payments, purchases exceeding the limit or balance transfers. First USA and other providers have a $35 ceiling for such transfers, while Citibank has a $50 cap.
Posted by creditcardsalon at 08:58 PM | Comments (0)
April 06, 2008
Bad Credit Card
"The Bad Credit Card That May Do Good."
Millions of people use credit cards all around the world. A huge chunk of those users made mistakes when dealing with their credit cards. The consequence of the errors is costly.
A lot end up in debt and most of the time these are the people who rant about the credit card being the devil. But fact of the matter is, this is not the case. When used properly, credit cards are very good financial tools.
Credit cards are not necessarily just for people who have large sums of money to use. There are some cards even for the financially challenged, and these are called the: “Bad Credit Cards.”
A bad credit card is just precisely that: a card with a very bad or low credit limit.
There are two types of credit cards: there is the secured and the unsecured credit cards.
This is the usual type of credit cards in the market and is fairly popular among the card shopping people. These are also the cards known to be more respected by other companies. These are also the cards known to send people to a very deep debt.
This is the type of credit card that should be avoided if the applicant is already in a financial mess.
The secured credit cards are the bad credit cards. These cards are grounded on the size of the account a person has. For example, if a person has a $1,000 balance, then that is all the credit a person is going to get. If there is a point where the balance reaches $0, then the person should go and “re-fill” the account.
The bank limits the credit to the money already present to avoid overspending, thus preventing even deeper debt. This will monitor the expenses of the person and will help the development of a financial recovery for some.
These credit cards are also known as “pre-paid credit cards” for there is only a fixed amount that can be used and the holder is the one who puts it there.
Posted by creditcardsalon at 05:55 PM | Comments (0)
October 06, 2007
Kill Your Credit Cards
Credit cards are kind of a drag once you get over the novelty of having one or more. By that time you are at your credit limit. Now instead of spending at a shopping spree, you are struggling to make the minimum payments every month.
Now you're also wondering why the balance keeps going up even though you are not using the credit cards to buy anything anymore. Not that you do not want to buy stuff with your credit cards, but when you try they come up declined.
The reason your balance is getting bigger is because you are being charged an exorbitant interest rate on your credit card balance, and then interest on the interest, plus any of the various fees you might be getting charged. You are in debt and you need to get out!
High credit card balances are bad because you are paying outgoing interest that puts a hole in your finances. What you should have is incoming interest to build your savings. This is hard to do when you do not have any savings, and harder to do when debt is giving your money an outflow rather than an inflow.
Once you get them paid, close the accounts because we have an almost certain inevitable tendency to use our full credit balances when we have them available. That is why credit card debt is so common, and why credit card companies are making such good money. Do not let them make it from you anymore. Kill your credit cards! If you need to use credit cards to make payments, banks and credit unions now have debit-charge cards available that are linked to checking accounts so that you do not have to borrow money or get charged interest to pay bills.
Do this and you will have extra money available every month that you can spend rather than paying down on a recurring credit card bill that gives you no benefit. You can also decide to save that money in an interest bearing account. Having savings will restore your peace of mind with the feeling of security rather than your previous stress caused by debt.
Once you get in the habit of not borrowing money and saving money instead, you will have that incoming interest which will give you a brighter future. First you have to get out of the dreary dilemma of debt, and unless you have borrowed from or gambled with the mob, credit cards are the worst kind.
Posted by creditcardsalon at 09:06 AM | Comments (0)
June 04, 2006
Offline Credit Card Payments
Any smart business owner knows that accepting credit cards as a payment option will dramatically increase revenues. Not only do credit cards offer customers the convenience and ease of not having to carry around cash or checks, it lends a sense of professionalism to your establishment as well. The process of applying to become a credit card merchant can be a bit confusing and frustrating, so let's take a look at how it all works.
The Credit Card Account
Since most of the merchant accounts are offered by a third party vendor, you are not obligated to use any specific bank or institution. You are free to choose the one that offers the options that will work best for you and your company.
What you do need to pay attention to are the fees. These fees will come in three different forms. First, the initial setup fee (pretty self-explanatory), moving on to the percentage fee (the provider will take a percentage of each transaction based on amount of sale), and then ending with the monthly service fee. Read the fine print of any contract before signing it. Pay attention to all three fee categories, not just one.
Also, look for contract obligations. Some providers will offer you great deals but will want you to sign on with them for a long period of time. You need to be aware of what, if any, penalties will be charged for getting out of the contract if things don't work out.
How Do I Actually Get Paid
Obviously, this is pretty important. If a customer has used a credit card, no money has actually changed hands. Since more and more customers are now using credit cards, how that money gets into your account and how fast has become vitally important.
Any of the reputable merchant account providers will provide the business owner with payment into their account within the first 24 to 48 hours of the initial transaction. Whether that customer has a balance on that card is not a concern of yours. The bank will pay you anyway.
If the customer disputes the said transaction, the bank is usually under no obligation to pay the business owner, especially if that dispute has been deemed acceptable. If a business owner has a high number of legitimacy claims against them, the provider may just drop them. The majority of the time, though, things go as planned and the money shows up in your account within a day or two.
Posted by creditcardsalon at 11:37 AM | Comments (0)
June 02, 2006
How Credit Card Charges Are Processed
It's a fact that businesses offering credit cards as a payment option are more likely to have higher revenues than businesses that don't. So, if you're a business owner and you are thinking of jumping on this bandwagon to higher profits, understanding the process before you make any decisions would be beneficial. Knowing just how your customer's charges go from point A, your store or business, to point B, your bank account can give you tips as to what to look for in a processing company.
The Process...
If you own a business in which the customer can present you with the actual card, like stores and restaurants, then you can physically take the card and swipe it through your card terminal. If you own a business that is online, your customer enters their own information into your form. Mail order and call center-based businesses usually have computer-based terminals for entering charge card data.
The second step is authorization. The key for reducing any problems during the initial phase is to make sure you are using technology that allows for real-time authorizations. This software will immediately send the card number and amount to the card processor and the processor immediately approves or denies the sale. This is critical for cutting back on charge-backs and card errors.
Third, you will need to complete the transaction. At the end of the business day, any credit card charges will need to be processed. This procedure is called batching and can be done either by hand or on your credit card terminal. Once this is done, the credit card processor will send each credit card company represented in the batch the transaction that took place. Once this is done, each credit card company will debit the cardholder's account. This ends this part of the transaction and all that is left is for the monies to be transferred into your account. This usually takes place pretty quickly, often within two to four business days.
Safety Issues
Since the process can take a few days to complete, knowing that your money is safe and will actually be credited to your account is a key concern. Many credit card processing companies have protection policies in place that will absolve you of any responsibility should you be a victim of credit card fraud as long as you followed their authorization procedures 100%. Before you decide on which processing company to go with, check out their safety policies, particularly if you are an Internet company. You will want as much protection as you can get.
Posted by creditcardsalon at 03:03 PM | Comments (0)
May 26, 2006
Introduction to Credit Cards
It's hard to imagine doing business today without credit cards. If you are among the relatively few who do not own a credit card, the chances are good that you have a great deal of difficulty rent a car or reserving a hotel room. So, just what are these little plastic cards and how do they work? Let's start by explaining the basics.
What is a Credit Card? The dictionary defines a credit card as:
In other words, whatever you charge to your credit account has to be paid back within the credit cycle or an interest amount will be applied to the remaining balance.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Credit Cards
The obvious advantage to using a credit card is that it allows you to purchase some goods or services that you may not be able to pay for immediately. The credit cycle is usually about 30 days, and if the money is paid in that amount of time, there is no interest attached to the money borrowed. This sounds good in theory, but the bottom line is that most Americans don't pay off their balances on a monthly basis. This is where some of the disadvantages come into play.
Any amount that isn't paid off within the time of the monthly cycle will be subjected to an interest charge. Depending upon the rate charged by the specific card issuer, that interest rate can be huge. On top of that, many people will continue to charge things to their card and the balance and interest just continues to grow until they have no hope of ever paying the card off if they just make the minimum required payment.
Credit Requirements
Chances are that every few days you get a pre-approved credit card application with your name on it. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Well, read the fine print and you'll see that many of these offers come with heavy penalties that can add up to high interest rates and annual fees.
To get the best possible interest rate with no additional fees, the credit companies will look at your credit history for information. They will check to see that you are responsible with your credit and have paid your bills in a timely manner. Signs of stability and credit responsibility will go a long way in reducing the amount of interest that card company will charge you. Outstanding loans with late payments and too much available credit will work against you.
Although credit cards can be great in an emergency situation, they can easily get out of hand. Before you apply for one, decide in advance what you plan to use it for. If used with discretion, they can come in pretty handy.
Posted by creditcardsalon at 09:23 PM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2006
Your Credit History
Your credit history. Three simple words that can determine the outcome of our financial success. Your credit history influences any and all decisions that a company or institution will make when considering you as a credit risk. Because of its importance, knowing and understanding what your credit report says about you is vital.
Your Credit Report...
This all sounds pretty technical but what it boils down to is this, your credit score will influence all future financial decisions. That is why it is so vitally important that you keep track of your score and read your report regularly. Mistakes can and have been made. Keeping track of your report will help you to find these mistakes and resolve them in a timely manner.
What Your Score Means For You
Pretty much everything. As I mentioned above, your credit score will influence the decisions that companies make when you apply for credit. If your credit is less than perfect, you may be turned down or at least given a higher interest rate than someone who has a higher score. Problems can stay on your report for as long as two years even after they have been resolved.
What Influences Your Score
Your payment history is one of the main influences. Have you paid your bills on time? If you have routinely been late with payments, your score will be negatively affected.
How much outstanding debt you have is also a factor. This includes the outstanding balance on any loans you may have as well as the credit limits on any credit cards you may have. If you have multiple credit cards and these cards all have high credit limits, even if you don't carry a balance on these cards, the possibility still exists that you will someday charge all these cards to their limits. This possibility alone will negatively affect your credit score.
The length of your credit history is also a factor. Surprisingly, no credit history can work against you. With nothing to go on, the company has no idea as to just how you will handle your credit.
Obtaining Your Report
Since January of 2004, all credit bureaus are required to give you one copy of your credit report for free each year. Although the credit report is free, they can charge you for your FICO score. Contact any of the major credit bureaus either online or by phone and see what their policy is.
Posted by creditcardsalon at 04:00 PM | Comments (0)
May 23, 2006
Handling Your Credit Card Debt
If you don't pay attention, you can run up a staggering amount of credit card debt very quickly. In order to avoid that happening to you, follow these tips that are designed to keep credit card debt under control.
Credit Card Debt Management Tips
If at all possible, transfer your balance to a lower interest rate card. Many card companies now offer low or even zero percent interest on transferred balances for a specific period of time. Before you do this, however, make sure you know what the interest rate will go up to after the grace period is over.
If you have equity in your home, it is possible you could take out a home equity loan to consolidate your credit card debt into one monthly payment at a considerably lower interest rate. Only borrow the least amount of money you can to clear the card and pay attention to the closing costs. Think carefully before you do this though, since your home is the collateral and you could lose it if you default.
You could contact a free credit-counseling firm. They will negotiate lower interest rates and length of payments. They deal with the companies, but you still have to make your payments on time.
How To Use Credit Cards Wisely
Credit cards do make life a little easier as long as you use them responsibly. Here are some guidelines that should help you use these cards wisely.
A credit card is just like any other loan. It needs to be paid back. Don't overspend.
Pay attention to the balance on your card. Always know just what it is and make sure to stop using your card once it exceeds the amount that you can afford to pay in full at any given time.
Keep your receipts from every transaction and balance them with your monthly statement. This will help alleviate any charge errors.
Pay your monthly bill on time. Even if it is just the minimum amount, it is still better than paying late. Not only will the charge card companies impost an interest penalty, your credit score could suffer also.
Don't take your cards with you when you go shopping. If you are going somewhere where you know you will have a hard time controlling your spending, don't take your card with you. Only take cash. It will keep your spending in check. The moral of this story is obvious, use your cards wisely. Otherwise you will find yourself in a hole that could take forever to dig yourself out of.
Posted by creditcardsalon at 11:47 AM | Comments (0)
May 22, 2006
Credit Card Numbers and What They Mean
Have you ever really looked at your credit card and tried to figure out what that huge string of numbers really means? Do these card issuers have so many customers that your account number has to be 16 digits long?
You may be surprised to know that all those numbers you see actually do stand for something, and it's not just who YOU are. Let's take a look.
The very first digit in the series will be a 3,4,5, 0r 6. This number designates the type of card as follows:
3 = a Travel & Entertainment Card like American Express or Diners Club.
4 = Visa and Visa-branded debit cards, cash cards, etc.
5 = MasterCard and MasterCard-branded debit cards, cash cards, etc.
6 = Discover
American Express and Diners Club use the second digit to identify the company. That means that Diners Club cards will start with either "36" or "38", and American Express cards will use either "34" or "37".
The remaining numbers in the series are used for different purposes depending upon the card type and issuer.
In most cases, the next group after the opening series of numbers represents the routing number of the card-issuing bank, the group after that is the user's account number, and the final digit is a check digit. The check digit is a number that is calculated by applying a special formula to all of the other numbers. The check digit is the result of that formula and is used as an anti-fraud check.
To keep things from getting too confusing, look at your card as you follow along for the next steps.
American Express
The American Express Card uses digits three and four for type (business or personal) and the currency of the cardholder's country of origin. The next digits from the fifth through the eleventh are account numbers. Digits twelve through fourteen indicate the card number within the account and the last digit is the check digit.
Visa
With Visa, digits two through six represent the bank number. Beginning with the seventh digit and running through the twelfth or the fifteenth represents the account number and the last number is the check digit. Since all Visa cards do not have the same amount of numbers in the sequence, the number of digits in a group may vary.
MasterCard
For MasterCard, the second digit, through to anywhere between the third and the sixth digit is the bank number. All remaining digits, except the check digit at the end of the series, identifies that cardholder's account. Now that we've gone over it all, you're probably wondering why you were ever wondering in the first place. Just remember though, knowledge is power. Some things are just fun to know.
Posted by creditcardsalon at 02:48 PM | Comments (0)
May 21, 2006
Why Does A Credit Card Expire and How Do You Renew It?
Besides the long string of numbers that identify your account, there is a short little series of numbers that makes up your card's expiration date. Most of us don't even pay any attention to that date, but you can bet that the credit card approval network knows exactly when your card expires, and for good reason. Actually, there are several reasons, so let's take a look.
Top Reasons Why a Credit Card Has an Expiration Date
Some institutions use an expiration date as a way of reconnecting with the cardholder. It gives the company and the user the opportunity to get together and discuss any issues or complaints that the customer may have. It also allows the card company to appear to care about you as a customer. They will send you a friendly reminder, kindly offering you the chance to renew with your same comfortable company. With all the competition out there, comfort and history can go a long way in keeping customers.
Cardholder security is another reason. This allows the company to check up on you and make sure you are who you say you are and nothing has changed. With identity theft being what it is today, this is a good thing. Some people have had credit cards opened in their names without their knowledge and charges have been made. If the card expires, the company will contact you and possibly warn you about current fraud trends.
The company may use the expiration date as a way to remind you they are there. For people who don't use their cards very often, this can be a gentle reminder of just what's in their wallet and, hopefully, remind you to use it.
Nearing The Expiration Date
It is actually quite easy to renew your card. About a month before your current card actually expires, a new one will suddenly appear in the mail to replace your expired one. This is great if you're in town. If you are going to be traveling, check your card before you go. If it will expire before you get back, call ahead and get your new one before you leave.
Once you have your new card, read the material that came with it. This may very well include a list of new and improved terms. If you find these terms to be new, but not improved, contact the card company. Do not use the card until you have received verification that the terms have been changed to your approval. If they refuse, you can always cancel the card. Trust me, it won't take long to find a replacement.
Posted by creditcardsalon at 01:06 PM | Comments (0)
