CREDIT CARD TERMS

When selecting a credit card, the following credit terms and conditions are important because they affect the total cost of credit:

"Annual Fee" A flat, yearly charge similar to a membership fee, usually $25 to $50 A flat, yearly charge similar to a membership fee, usually $25 to $50

"Annual Percentage Rate" The APR is the measure of the cost of credit expressed as a yearly rate. The APR is the measure of the cost of credit expressed as a yearly rate.

"Finance Charge" The dollar amount you pay to use credit, includes interest costs and all charges associated with the transaction. The dollar amount you pay to use credit, includes interest costs and all charges associated with the transaction.

"Grace Period or Free Period" The grace period is the number of days you have before a credit card company starts charging interest on new purchases. Not all credit cards have a grace period. The grace period is the number of days you have before a credit card company starts charging interest on new purchases. Not all credit cards have a grace period.

"Periodic Rate" The interest rate the card issuer applies to your outstanding account balance to figure the finance charge for each billing cycle. The interest rate the card issuer applies to your outstanding account balance to figure the finance charge for each billing cycle.

"Transaction Fees" Some credit card issuers charge a fee for a cash advance, a late payment or going over your credit limit. Sometimes there is a monthly fee if you did not use the card. Some credit card issuers charge a fee for a cash advance, a late payment or going over your credit limit. Sometimes there is a monthly fee if you did not use the card.

"Calculation of Finance Charges" It is very important to know how the interest rate is calculated to compare and select the best credit terms. The credit card issuer will use one of three methods. You can decide which method is best suited to your payment style. The method used can make a big difference in the total amount of money you pay in finance charges. This is especially important when the APR's are identical for several credit cards. There can be a significant difference in the total amount of finance charges depending on the balance computation method used. It is very important to know how the interest rate is calculated to compare and select the best credit terms. The credit card issuer will use one of three methods. You can decide which method is best suited to your payment style. The method used can make a big difference in the total amount of money you pay in finance charges. This is especially important when the APR's are identical for several credit cards. There can be a significant difference in the total amount of finance charges depending on the balance computation method used.

"Average Daily Balance Method" This is the most commonly used method. You are given credit for your payment from the day the credit card issuer receives it and the interest is calculated on the basis of the average amount owed during the previous month.

"Adjusted Balance Method" This method is the most beneficial to the consumer and produces the lowest finance charges. The balance is calculated by subtracting the payments and any refund credits from the balance you owe at the end of the previous billing period.

"Previous Balance Method" This is the most expensive method. The finance charge is calculated on the balance owed at the end of the previous billing cycle. Payments, credits and new purchases made in the current billing cycle are not included.

source: http://www.in.gov/dfi/education/choosecd.htm

EVALUATING CREDIT CARDS

When you evaluate various credit card options, consider the following factors as well:

• Compare the credit card interest rates. Look for a low interest rate card but remember the interest rate is not fixed so it can be adjusted either quarterly or by written notice by the bank or company. You may be able to negotiate with your bank for a lower interest rate.
  
• Compare how finance charges are calculated to help determine the total cost of credit.
  
• Look at all charges for each card. Some companies add other fees, such as late-payment fees if your payment arrives after the due date, or transaction fees every time you use the card. Grace periods vary as well. Companies generally start the grace period at the time the purchase is posted to your account. However with some cards, the grace period can start on the day of purchase.
  
• Decide what credit limit is appropriate for you. Determine the amount of money you can charge each month based on your income.
  
• The credit card you choose should be widely accepted to accommodate the majority of purchases you make. Fewer credit cards will make it is easier to keep track of your credit spending.
  
• Compare services and features, such as travel insurance, rebates, purchase protection plans, cash-back incentives or extended warranties. Evaluate these features in terms of the extra credit costs to you.
  
• Make sure the annual fees are reasonable. Not all credit cards require an annual fee. It is worth shopping around to get the lowest fee or no-fee, especially if you pay off your balance each month.

Read each contract carefully before you sign so that you understand all the costs and conditions. Shop for a credit card the same way you would shop for any good or service. Try to negotiate for the options and conditions you want at the lowest cost available.

source: http://www.in.gov/dfi/education/choosecd.htm

Financial Planning For Credit Card Users

Credit cards can be an excellent tool to help you manage your finances. But sometimes we make poor choices, or sometimes the events in life take us beyond our expectations and we are left to foot the bill. Perhaps you have had a few months of extra, unexpected expenses that you are now paying for. What can you do?

If you are faced with several large credit card bills, a UK personal loan is one choice for you to consider. Many people are selecting a UK personal loan to add to their financial portfolio and you might want to consider using one to deal with those credit card bills. Here's how.

Gather together all of your credit card bills and add up the amount that you owe. Factor in the extra expenses you haven't heard on your credit cards since you receive those bills. Add to that about ten or twenty per cent, which is the "whoops, I forgot about that" factor. Then, with that figure, start shopping around. There are many UK personal loan institutions that want to do business with you.

Get the loan and pay off your credit card bills. If you think that you may still use your credit cards or, you may want to hide them away so that you reduce the temptation to use them.

Now, instead of having several credit card bills at a high interest rate due by the end of the month, you now have one bill that is due once a month at a lower rate. This is called consolidation. At first glance it may not seem obvious why you'd want to do this but there are two reasons:

The first reason is that you will save a lot of money on interest rates. In fact, some UK personal loan interest rates might be as much as half of regular credit card interest rates.

The second reason is that you will get one bill with a fixed amount due every month rather than several bills with several amounts due throughout the month. This will help you budget.

Credit cards can be an excellent tool to help you manage your finances and by the things you want or need. But when things go a ride and your bills get out of hand, which happens to be even the best of us, choosing a UK personal loan as a way to consolidate those bills will help you reduce your interest rates and set up a fixed amount of payment. Reduced interest rates will ultimately increase the amount of money you keep and a fixed amount due every month will help you plan your budget.

About The Author

Mark Lambie is the founder of http://www.loan-source.co.uk a website providing free secured loan quotes. Apply today to find out how much we can save you.

Variable Life Insurance & Annuities: Investment Scandals in Waiting

We humans are as creative on the "Dark Side" of commercial activity as we are in developing beneficial new products and services. In the face of huge financial benefits, however, some corporate executives can't resist taking an extra dessert even before their shareholders have finished dinner. Some scandals have more of an impact on investors than others, and most produce unwarranted layers of government regulation and control that stifle honest creativity.

Plain vanilla fraud and theft are less worrisome to me than situations where the general acceptance of misinformation or "business as usual" practices allows inherently bad product ideas and blatant mismanagement to become accepted by regulatory authorities, financial professionals, and myopically gullible consumers. Here are some candidates for future "Blockbuster Scandal Awards" (B S Awards, if you will): Variable Life Insurance & Annuities, Wrap Fee Managed Investment Accounts, Portfolio Window Dressing, Asset Allocation Mutual Funds, and Obscene Executive Compensation.

1) Variable Insurance and Annuities: Variable products are a relatively new thing in the insurance industry, circa 1980 or so. Before that, the conventional wisdom labeled the Shock Market much too risky for Life Insurance Policy and Annuity Contract guaranteed benefits. In fact, these benefits had been "guaranteed" for so long that it became a generic expectation of anyone in the market for either. So why did the State Insurance departments cave in to the Variable Product lobby? And what is not emphasized as these products are marketed to potential insureds and annuitants?

As if the 8% sales commission on Straight Life Annuities wasn't enough, the addition of Mutual Fund bonuses made the Variable Annuity irresistible... to financial professionals. Similarly, this product is so lucrative for the companies that they manipulate their rates to become more competitive. Since the introduction of variable benefits, there have been more insurance company failures and scandals, and not just a few disappointed recipients of reduced annuity payments. What's in your retirement plan?

2)Wrap Fee Investment Accounts: From the very beginnings of wealth, the very wealthy employed Investment Managers to protect and to grow their portfolios. Most Investment Managers had just a few huge clients that they tended to while the rest of the fledging financial industry focused on property protection and estate creation through life insurance. Most of today's (salaried) Investment Managers are employed by Financial Institutions to supervise thousands of Mutual Funds for millions of investors of all financial shapes and sizes. There are more Equity Mutual Funds than there are individual Equities on the New York Stock Exchange. Most investors today will employ many Investment Managers and never actually speak to any of them.

Enter the personally managed investment portfolio product offered by most major Financial Institutions. For a single fee, you receive the personal services of a professional Investment Manager, and a portfolio specifically designed for you. Except, of course, that you get neither. You get precisely the same portfolio as everybody else, and all at once regardless of price... a Mutual Fund with individual statements. But of course, you can speak to the manager any time you like, change your asset allocation, set aside a reserve for an upcoming expenditure, etc. Yeah, sure you can!

Note that "Flat Fee" managed accounts are quite different and may actually be separately and personally managed.

3)Portfolio Window Dressing: Every quarter, every year, we hear about the adjustments that portfolio managers are making as they attempt to look smart to their largest clients. Now in a discipline (Investing) that they all officially recognize as a long-term commitment to some specific strategy or plan, why do the Masters of the Universe spend so much time manipulating their short-term performance numbers? And why is this considered business as usual instead of common fraud?

4)Asset Allocation Mutual Funds: I look at Asset Allocation a bit differently than most professionals seem to and I regulate and monitor a portfolio's structure using the cost basis of securities rather than their Market Value. But how, logically, can a one-size-fits-all Mutual Fund be the right mix for all investors? Here's a definition found on the Internet: "A mutual fund that rotates among stocks, bonds, and money market securities to maximize return on investment and minimize risk". And a definition of Asset Allocation from a similar source: "The practice of distributing a certain percentage of a portfolio between different types of investment assets, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, cash, real estate, options, etc. By diversifying an individual's asset base, one hopes to create a favorable risk/reward ratio for a portfolio".

In reality, Asset Allocation is a structure-planning tool that determines what percentage of an Investment Portfolio is to be invested for Growth in Equity securities and what percentage is to be invested for income production. The proper allocation is a function of the investor's age, marital status, financial position, employment status, retirement plans, expenditure needs, risk tolerance, family responsibilities, etc. Diversification occurs within the two (just two) asset classes. One size fits all... who's kidding whom?

5) Corporate Executive Compensation: I strongly believe that everyone has the right to become filthy rich, legally of course. I respect anyone who gets there honestly because their success creates jobs, opportunities, wealth, and a higher standard of living for everyone. But, once they sell shares of their successful enterprises to the public, they have a responsibility to share future profits and growth. Obscene executive suite compensation (right down to the chauffeured limousines) is simply stealing from shareholders.

With every new Scandal, a voracious Media and a hypocritical Congress exacerbate the fear of shocked investors and call for more regulation of the very entities whose success, freedom, viability, and competitiveness they should be nurturing. Ironically, politicians are always the most outspoken critics... probably because of their familiarity with cover-ups and improprieties. But no one ever questions the integrity of the Financial Institutions that invent, produce, price, and promote products and services that do far more long-term harm than the few (albeit serious and sensational) incidents of corporate wrong doing.

Four of the five candidates for this year's Blockbuster Scandal (B S) Award were created on Wall Street. The fifth is ignored by it. Which one bothers you most?

About The Author
Steve Selengut
http://www.sancoservices.com
http://www.valuestockbuylistprogram.com
Professional Portfolio Management since 1979
Author of: "The Brainwashing of the American Investor: The Book that Wall Street Does Not Want YOU to Read", and "A Millionaire's Secret Investment Strategy"

What are Gold Credit Cards?

Gold credit cards are special privilege cards that are traditionally offered by credit card companies either to high earners or to their loyal customers who have a good credit history. Traditionally they are considered to be status symbol because they are associated with high annual income, which offer added services and benefits.

Gold credit cards are beneficial if you are a high spender seeking associated benefits such as free air miles, cash back, reward points etc. These credit cards give you the added advantage of high or no credit limit. Though generally the credit limit is quite high still it depends on your annual income and your credit rating. Companies will certainly not offer a gold card to people with a bad credit history or to those who have low income.

The credit card companies will generally offer a better service and many more benefits to these privileged customers. Additionally, they have lower interest rates as compared to that of standard credit cards. Generally, there are low or no annual fees on Gold credit cards. View your statements, pay your card balance and transfer balances. There is an online fraud guarantee, so you're not responsible for any unauthorized purchases.

Gold credit cards main features:

Payment protection plan protects in case of involuntary unemployment, accidental injury or sickness.

Card protection Plan protects your account in case of loss or theft of your card.

You can share it with family and friends. Thus avail a greater flexibility and convenience.

It provides complete travel insurance up to £250,000

A number of travel benefits.

A word of caution is necessary here. You will have to spend a lot to make it work for you. As with all credit, you will reap the benefits when you are able to afford the repayments, however, the moment you fail you may land yourself in a financial trouble. Missing your monthly payments would mean penalty fee and costs plus a dwindling credit rating, creating problems in future.

About the author:
Joseph Kenny writes for the credit card comparison sites http://www.credit-cards-info.com/ and http://www.creditcards121.com/, here you can compare credit cards and find the latest offers available.


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Do I Need That Credit Card?

Nowadays almost everyone has one, almost everyone has used one and many more are looking to change theirs. What are they? The answer would be a credit card.

You might ask yourself do I really need a credit card?

Credit cards have many advantages, the first one being that they give you the luxury of buy now, pay later. Avid shoppers can even get a number of incentives due to redeemable reward points, free air miles, cash back on purchases and more, all through a reward credit card.

Online

The internet has changed the way retailers sell, add to it the luxury of credit card use and what you get is the complete convenience of shopping directly from the comfort of home. The credit card company should cover you and you will not be held liable for fraudulent use of your credit card online. You should check the terms and conditions of your credit card agreement for these details.

Abroad

Moreover, you can make purchases using your credit card when you go abroad without having to care about the hassles of currency exchange because that is for your credit card to think about. Plus many credit cards offer payment protection. A major drawback of this would be that it will cost you extra every time that you use the card abroad, normally a flat rate of around 3% on the transaction cost will be added to your credit card balance.

Emergencies

Credit cards prove to be a boon when you think of emergency situations. God forbid, you meet with an accident. You do not have enough money at that moment. What will you do? Wait for an angel? Well, you do not need that. You can always rely on your credit card and pay for those expenses. Moreover, there are some credit cards that provide you insurance.

Affinity Cards

There are also credit cards through which you can forward money to your favorite charity or organization you are affiliated to and want to contribute monetarily. Thus, the more you will spend through your affinity card the more money will go to your affiliate.

People wrongly accuse credit cards of making spendthrifts out of them. However, this wonder can actually help you save a lot. Moreover, if you have bad credit history a credit builder product like unsecured credit card or bad credit- credit card can actually help you payback your debt and build back good credit rating.


About the author:
Joseph Kenny writes for the credit card comparison sites http://www.credit-cards-info.com/ and http://www.creditcards121.com/, here you can compare credit cards and find the latest offers available.


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How To Get The Best Credit Card?

Different people have different needs. Depending on who you are and your circumstances, the best credit card deal for you will vary. I will take you through the things you should be looking for, but for the best current deals I suggest you check Money Savings Expert regularly (http://www.moneysavingexpert.com).

Credit cards allow you to spend a certain amount of money at an interest rate that will be charged every month. The spending amount that is available to you can be seen differently. Some see it as an additional amount to spend, some see it as a ‘risk-free' borrowing opportunity. Credit card spending is not a ‘free' spending opportunity, as you will need to pay this money back. This money does not work like a loan, as the amount available to you is not all cash. However, it can be treated as a ‘loan' and this concept will be explained later.

Other very important concepts that have to be understood before getting a credit card, is 0% offers. There are two kinds of 0% offers: on purchases and on balance transfers. The first one allows you to spend the money provided to you by the credit card without paying any interest for a certain amount of time. So, for example, if the credit card gives you a limit of £500 for three months, then you can spend £500 against this credit card and not be charged interest for the first three months since the credit card was opened. However, once this period of time expires, you will be charged the credit card interest rate. This interest differs depending on the credit card, so if you intend to pay this interest, then you ought to look for the lowest interest rate available. Paying interest can be avoided, unless you have already overspent too much and are using credit cards to pay off other credit card interest. In this case you should call some of the debt consolidation companies and try to get some your credit card debt written off. Another reason why you might be in the position of paying interest is because you forgot when your ‘0% free time' ended. If this is the case, you will be informed about this with your first bank statement. Transfer your balance to a different bank or pay the debt off and avoid any further interest payments.

For those of you who don't have interest payments, you can take advantage of the 0% purchasing and make some money. You need a good credit history record to make this work and you also need to be disciplined. The easiest method is to do all of your normal spending against the credit card, while putting the money that is coming in into an interest-earning savings account. For example, if your credit card company lets you borrow £2,000, and you have £1,000 coming in as a salary every month, then put the £1,000 into a savings account and do all of your purchasing with a credit card. There are a few things to watch out for: credit card companies will charge you for cash withdrawals; your cash limit is much lower then the full available credit; and choose a savings account from which you can withdraw easily. At the end of the 0% purchase period, you will need to return all the money that you have spent against your credit card. You should have that amount available in the savings account by then, plus interest. The interest gained is your earnings for this transaction. You can earn even more if you chose a credit card with a cashback deal. This deal will pay you interest on all of your purchases made with the card. However, you should remember, that this is a money-making technique, rather then a ‘spend more' opportunity. There is a more complicated trick of making money from credit cards, details of which are outlined by Money Saving Expert (2006).

If you are making money from the credit cards, there is no need for you to get card protection insurance, as you should have enough money to pay off the credit card debt at any time. At the end of the 0% purchasing period, you can also transfer the balance to a different card provider. This is known as 0% balance transfer, but you will be charged a fee for these transactions, usually around 2%. However, these fees vary, so you need to check the conditions. There are a few things to watch out for: the credit limit offered by your bank also includes your purchases. For example, if the new credit card offers you a £2,000 limit, with 0% balance transfer for 12 months and 0% on purchases for three months, and you have transferred £1,500 from your old credit card, you only have £500 to spend on this credit card. The second thing to watch out for is your credit score. "Most lenders' scoring systems aren't sophisticated enough to detect that you're playing this free-cash game. Yet multiple applications, especially at the same time, coupled with high outstanding debts, even at 0%, will diminish your ability to get competitive credit, so the most important thing is to spread card applications out" (Money Savings Expert, 2006).

However, if you are in the position where you are already fighting the interest payments, as has been mentioned before, the best thing to do is to call debt consolidation experts. In any circumstances it is best to pay off the most expensive credit and store cards first (i.e the ones that charge the highest interest rates). Furthermore, avoid opening any new credit cards to pay off the debt. Instead transfer your high-interest debt to lower interest rate credit cards. For example, if your credit card interest rate is 16%, while your store card rate is 25% per month, transfer the store card balance over to the credit card.

Whatever your circumstances, when you do open a new credit card always look for the longest 0% balance transfer and 0% purchase period, lowest transfer fee and interest rate charged afterwards. The limit offered to you will not only depend on your salary and credit rating, but also on the company that you go with.

Finally, do not forget – don't play the credit card game if you cannot control it or have a high debt already.

References

Money Savings Experts 2006 "Card Trick" [Available from]: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1076883546,34894 (Accessed on: 10/11/06)

Money Savings Experts 2006 "Card Card Shuffle" [Available from]: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1102335753,51771 (Accessed on: 10/11/06)

Money Savings Experts 2006 "Credit Card Newbie MoneySavers Guide" [Available from]: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1103212597,43859, (Accessed on: 10/11/06)

Copyright © 2006 Verena Veneeva

About The Author
This article was written by Verena Veneeva professional writer working for http://www.coursework4you.co.uk

You are free to reprint this article; however should you do so you must place a hyperlink to http://www.coursework4you.co.uk

Making Low Rate Credit Cards Possible

While plenty of cardholders around the world suffer from unpaid debts due to unsurpassable high interest rates, there are also some who enjoy low rated credit cards plus other benefits. Are there secrets on how to acquire a low interest rate credit cards or owning one that offers rewards?

Several people claim that credit cards are no other than a heavy yoke to their pocket. They would express their heartfelt hate to the credit companies and banks that do not in any way lower their rates though they maintain a good standing and credibility with them. How could these things go possibly true and untrue?

All credit card companies, except otherwise for some that chooses not to, apply the APR or known as the Annual Percentage Rate. APR is the interest being charged by the credit company to the borrowers. This interest rate includes other fees and add-on costs that is part of the transaction. There are other companies that associate APR with the penalties due to late payments, transaction fees and other forms. The APR may serve as the ground rate in which a lender can compare with other companies. There are provisions that mandate credit card companies to show the APR to customers so that the latter may have enough reason to whether go for the said credit line or not depending on the rate. In general, 12 % per annum is the accepted APR that is being asked from the client. However this rate may be changed and made higher but then it will need the approval of the authority. There are banks that convert APR into monthly rates but when compounded, the rate is just equivalent to the APR.

There are still a lot of fees that a credit company may ask from the client. APR is just one of plenty yields that they ask one to pay. But then, these additive rates maybe prevented or are scraped out by you through your company.

There is one possible way to get a low interest rate credit card. That is to look for a card with low APR and offers constant rating as long as your account is active. Here are some pointers in which one may use in order to find a good rate or better yet low interest rate credit cards.

-Beginners must seek for banks or any lending companies that offers low APR and penalty rates. These will help you check on whether you can possibly pay your balances or not. You can also ask the company if the interest rates that they have are constant from the activation of the account. If not, ask if the fluctuations or inflations are small enough that you can bear. Old card holders may call their credit card companies and ask whether they can convert the rates into a lower one. If not, tell them to cancel the account and try to temporarily transfer the balance into your other accounts and then open another with low interest rates.

-Keep yourself updated with the press releases of the Federal Reserve Board. This will help you know the current average accepted rate as compared to your accumulated earnings.

-Maintain a good credibility with your bank. Payment must be done ahead or on time to prevent penalties and to further solicit trust from your credit card company. Many good payers are being cared for by the lending companies.

When all these things does not work for you, then try some other ways without compromising your money and without dumping yourself into a pile of debt.

About The Author
Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information checkout http://www.firstglobalcreditcard.com and http://edblogonline.info.

Keeping Track Of Credit Card Spending

Credit card spending can be hard to keep track off if you are not disciplined, but it is important to monitor your spending in order to stop yourself getting into huge debt. If you are having trouble keeping tracking of what you spend on your credit cards, then here are some useful tips to help you control your spending.

Take stock and stop spending

Before you do anything, you should stop spending on your credit card and look at the situation you are currently in. Whether you have virtually no balance or a large debt, it is important to see exactly how much you have spent. This is the first step to managing your spending.

Make notes on your spending

Once you know what the situation is, start using your credit card as you normally do and monitor your spending. Take notes every time you spend money on your credit card, and look at how much you spend and what you spend it on. By dividing what you spend into categories you can see the areas that you are spending the most money, and where you can cut back on your spending.

Transfer balances

If you have a number of credit cards, then transfer the balances onto the lowest interest cards if possible. This will reduce the amount that you are paying in interest on your balances.

Get rid of cards

Once you have paid off some of your balances, then you can get rid of some of the cards that you have. You should make sure that you have only one or two credit cards, as this will help you to more easily keep track of spending.

Create a budget

Create a budget for yourself that you can stick to. If you look at how much you earn each month, and the subtract all the essential bills and spending from that, you will see how much money you have left to spend on extra things. Make sure that you stick to this budget, as it will help you to spend wisely and not get into debt.

Bank online

Banking online can really help you to keep track of your credit card spending. You can easily check your balance at any time of the day or night, and can instantly see what you have spent daily. Also, you can transfer your bank statements into an accounts program to better help you manage your money.

Credit cards for emergencies

Although spending on credit cards is a fact of life for most people, you should try and keep credit card spending to a minimum, and keep the cards handy for emergency situations. Also, try and save some money each month, as this will reduce the need for credit cards. Credit cards are a very useful financial tool, and if you monitor your spending properly then you will get the most out of your credit cards.

About The Author
Peter Kenny is a writer for creditcards-gb.co.uk Please visit us at Credit Cards and Credit Cards UK

Visit http://www.creditcards-gb.co.uk