| |
| |
|
|
Credit Information |
|
How a Credit Card Can Be Your Friend
We have all heard countless stories of people over their heads with credit card debt-maxing out every card they own, then only being able to afford the minimum monthly payment. High interest payments shackle people to their debt for years, not to mention the significant income drain the finance charges have on their families. It is unfortunate that many Americans must live with this reality, since with some financial discipline, this delimma is avoidable. When a spending plan is developed and followed, a credit card becomes no more dangerous than any other form of payment. When credit card bills are paid in full each month, credit card fees and finance charges do not accumulate. With a little extra bookkeeping from a spending plan, a credit card is transformed from being a burden to a very rewarding financial partner-since it provides the following advantages over other forms of payment: · Rewards Programs. Many credit card companies offer loyalty programs to reward those customers who use their cards more. Rewards usually come in the form of points or cash. Depending on the company, the points can be redeemed for things like restaurant gift certificates, hotel stays, airfare, vacation packages and more. Cash cards typically pay a 1% rebate on your purchases, which makes for an extra $180 a year on monthly spending of $1,500. This level of spending is easily achieved by putting all your purchases on a credit card (including utility bill payments). There are even cards that pay more than 1% for particular types of purchases like groceries or gas, such as Citi's Dividend Platinum Select card. · Perpetual 0% Loan. When you use a credit card, you are using the bank's money to pay the store instead of yours-for free. While you're waiting for your statement to arrive, your money can continue to work for you in an interest- bearing account, such as ING Direct's Orange Savings. Unlike a debit card that continually reduces your account balance, using a credit card preserves your entire bank account balance for earning interest until your statement's due date. That's an extra $35.25 a year based on a $1,500 balance at today's rate of 2.35%*. · Fraud Protection. If your credit card number is used fraudulently, by law your maximum liability is $50. This is not true of a debit card. A perpetrator can easily use your debit card as "credit" transaction in retail stores or online. This type of transaction does not require a PIN number to be entered, and is especially dangerous since a thief can clean out your entire bank account in short order. · Loss Protection. Unlike cash which is gone for good if lost, a credit card can be replaced within days of reporting it to the issuing bank. In the meantime, you're protected against unauthorized use by anyone who finds the lost card. · Warranty Coverage. Many MasterCard credit cards warrant your purchases above and beyond that offered by the product's manufacturer. Your purchases made with one of these cards get an extra level of protection for free. See MasterCard's website (http://www.mastercard.com) for the full scoop on their coverage terms. · Purchase Protection. Another benefit MasterCard offers on most of their cards. With their Purchase Assurance plan, your purchases are automatically insured against damage or theft for the first 90 days, also at no additional cost to you. With all of these benefits over other forms of payment, credit cards can easily become your favorite way to pay. Instead of dreading your credit card bill each month, it can become a pleasant reminder of your money mastery. Copyright 2005, Jim Hood Jim Hood is senior contributing editor at the Discount Shopping Service Guide. He frequently writes credit card offer reviews and articles on money-saving strategies for shopping online. * Rate quoted from ING Direct on January 4, 2005.
MORE RESOURCES:
Credit - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Understanding Your Credit Score When you apply for credit one of the first things almost all credit officers do is check your credit score. Although not all of those officers explained to us what a credit score is, we are all rated according to it and the offers we receive were all dependent on that score. The Advantages of Credit Cards There are many evils associated with credit cards, but there are benefits that are hard to ignore. One benefit is having the credit card company act in your behalf to recover funds from a disputed transaction. Bad Credit? No Credit? Yeah, Its a Problem. Many companies use the slogan "Bad Credit? No Credit? No Problem!" The truth is that it is in fact a problem and there is no easy way to correct it. It takes a lot of time and effort to obtain credit when you do not have any and even longer to fix bad credit. Guide to Credit Terms Listed below is a useful guide to credit card terms. It is a list of definitions of credit card terms that may or may not be familiar to you. The Exact Action To Take When You Find Errors In Your Credit Report There are times when you may be turned down for credit and you do not understand why.According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report if you have been denied credit because of negative items on your credit report within 60 days of the request for credit, if you are unemployed but looking for work, are on state benefits, or believe that your credit report is incorrect because of fraud. How to Get Credit Reporting Agencies to Help You The process of clearing credit can be laborious and frustrating. Understanding your rights empowers you and saves you time and effort. Credit Reporting: How Does It Work? In order to determine a consumer's credit worthiness, creditors and lending institutions have come to depend on credit reporting agencies. Credit reporting agencies supply individual reports that provide consumer specific information for lending purposes. Understanding Credit Card Penalties Because most of us have one or two credit cards and we use them every day, understanding credit card penalties and fees is a significant issue since one time or another we have paid a penalty for some reason. Every user of a credit card must first understand that every charge on the credit card represent a loan which must be repaid. Beware of Bogus Credit Repair Companies! So-called "credit repair" companies claim they can remove negative information from credit reports. Advertising as "Credit Advisors," "Credit Rating Correction Services" or "Credit Consultants," they trumpet variations on this message: "Turned down because of bad credit? We can help!" Many of these companies charge hundreds if not thousands of dollars for the promise to "clean up" bad credit reports. Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Your Credit Report Your credit report is a very powerful report that essential controls what you can and cannot do in your life. Unfortunately many people aren't aware of what a credit report actually is and what information is contained on the report. What Are The Most Common Credit Card Mistakes? Now in a world with so many easy to get credit cards it can be easy for someone who is a first time credit card holder, or even someone who has several credit cards in the past to make mistakes when using the card.One of the most common mistakes when using credit cards is to use the credit card to make purchases of things you are not really able to afford. Fun with Credit Cards For those of us who know how to use them properly, credit cards can actually be quite fun and lucrative. To those who do not know how to use them properly, I would say that you should stop reading this column right about now, or at least I would advise you not to try any of this stuff at home. Credit Report And Correction Techniques The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and Trans Union are similar and feature a "Credit Score", which is created from credit report data submitted to them about you. Their report includes where you live, your bill-paying habits, and bankruptcy and arrest information. Useful Tips on Using Credit Cards Here are some useful tips on using credit cards. Whether you shop online, by telephone or by mail, a credit card can make buying many things much easier; but when you use a credit card, it's important to keep track of your spending. How To Choose Your Credit Card Application The articles and tips provided on this site are intended to help you access credit card offers that suit your lifestyle. By providing you with some basic information, we are confident that you will be able to easily identify which are the best credit cards for you. How Can A Qualified Mortgage Consultant Help Boost Your Credit Scores? Consumers interested in purchasing or refinancing a home will pay an interest rate based on current market conditions and their ability to pay back the loan. The borrower's income and debt ratios are taken into consideration by the lender, as well as the predictability factor provided by credit scoring. Legislators Ponder New Credit Protection Laws Legislators in Washington, D.C. All You Wanted to Know of Bad Credit Martin Henderson is in a fix these days. Because of his failure to repay a loan he had taken a few years back, he has been adjudged as a bad credit case. How did a Thief get my Name? Don't be a Victim of Identity Theft How do these people get my name? If you have a credit card, your name is sold to third parties, if you do not want this to happen, you must contact your credit card companies to inform them that you do not want your information sold. Check the privacy notice that comes with your bill. Credit Report Hassles There is no end to the amount of pain that your credit report can cause you. If you have a bad credit history this is something that can follow you around and wreak havoc on your life without you even knowing it.
|
||||||||||||||||||||
