All posts tagged APR

Why is it hard to eliminate credit card debt

By blogger on

The problem with credit card debt is that it is very easy to get into but hard to get out. (some people associate it with a bad marriage, and it is really similar to it). To get into a credit card debt is even easier than any other debt, because the plastic is just there in out wallet all the time, as an easy solution, and we tend to use it as a “quick fix. Credit card debt reduction is although a different story, to get out of credit card debt you need discipline and planning to reduce your outgoings and change your attitude towards your spendings.

Getting to a stage when you realize that you must eliminate your credit card debt before it gets out of control is kind of scary experience. When you realize that you need to find a solution because there is no other way out, and you cannot carry on piling up interest on your debt. How do you start to reduce credit card debt? You can start with preventing it from increasing and paying off the capital or getting a lower interest credit scheme, therefore reducing your total credit card debt (credit plus monthly interest). Sound simple, doesn’t it?

Not really. The truth is that it is not at all simple and people easily get confused by the number of offers thrown at them, and we still have so many people with credit card debt related issues. If it was that simple, all those people would have already gone ahead and finally eliminated them or at least reduced them significantly. You an find loads of information on how to reduce credit card debt, but still nothing much seems to provide you with the “easy” button you are really looking for. Your problem still seems to persist or just gets worse with time. Once you can overcome the confusion and can dig to the bottom of the problems, credit card debt can be resolved easily. As mentioned, there is plenty of advice available on how to reduce credit card debt and some of these resources are originated by professionals who are experts on the credit card debt consolidation field. All you have to do is follow the advice and put them in practice. In the end of the day the only person who will benefit from eliminating credit card debt is you alone.

Other than following the step by step instructions of your credit card debt consolidation plan, there are more methods to eliminate credit card debt. You can always seek assistance either at your own credit card company or an independent credit card debt specialist. Remember: Your credit card company wants their money back, so most of the times they are ready to compromise, give you a lower APR or freeze the interest if you agree a credit card debt consolidation plan.

Remember: if you are not confident enough to negotiate a deal with your credit card company, there are many companies who are willing to support you and also offer free credit card debt consolidation consultation.

Chase Continental Presidents Club Credit Card

By blogger on

There is no doubt about how important to people the credit card has become over recent years. Saving can be difficult to do but we are all happy to have debts and the credit card does enable us to have things when we want them and quite often when we need them.

When you think about it, there aren’t that many credit cards that are household names but the Chase credit card is one of them. As with other well know credit cards like Visa and MasterCard, it can be used wherever you are in the world making it a truly global credit card. But it doesn’t stop there as the company responsible for the Chase credit card also has other service cards to help with travel, vehicles, gas and a special one for students. So the Chase credit card has many uses and is a reliable companion for you everywhere you go. For many people that work long hours, the internet is often the only way they can do any personal shopping. Aside from making it easy for the customer to maintain their account online, Chase credit card lets you check your balance and pay your bills through a secure web site.

For some people, the ease with which they can go online to manage their account is the only excuse they need to own a Chase credit card. No membership fees, low APR’s and special deals make for an attractive credit card package.

Reward programs to thank the Chase user are quite normal with all the various Chase credit cards. I suppose it is up to you which type of card you decide upon as they are designed to suit different types of people. Once you have accumulated enough points you can cash them in as it were, for anything that is shown in the catalogue. There is bound to be a reward just for you including trips if that is what you like. Chase credit cards know that if they look after their customers they won’t lose them; a philosophy that many companies could learn from. Ok so the gifts are great but how many companies will give you excellent customer support twenty four hours a day? This service comes into its own if there is a case of a lost or believed stolen credit card, when you need a replacement, fast!

If you are thinking about transferring your balance then this is the way to do it with a guaranteed six month zero percent interest rate which also incorporates current purchase balances as well. If you pay your bill in its entirety each month then you will not have to pay any interim interest. Apart from the catalogue gifts, Chase will also give cash rewards to holders that purchase goods with the card. Many people are put off of transferring balance because there is usually a fee but Chase has waived this charge and it can even be done securely on their web site.

Washington Mutual Credit Card Review

By blogger on

Washington Mutual is one of the largest banks of America and it offers an amazing variety of cards. The first and the foremost is the Washington Mutual Platinum Card which comes with instant approval so now you don’t have to wait for days to know the status of your application, you get to know instantly whether your application for a Washington Mutual Platinum Card is approved or not. As a measure of protection against the unauthorized services which are on a rise, the Washington Mutual Platinum Card comes with $0 fraud liability on unauthorized purchases so you don’t have to spend sleepless nights in case that happens.

Without any annual fee and discounts from popular retailers available online this card is hard to resist. The promotional balance transfer APR is as low as 0% for the first 12 billing cycles as it is the introductory period and after that the APR for purchases varies from 9.99% to 19.99%. The Washington Mutual Platinum Card also gives you a grace period of 25 days if the new balance is paid fully by the due date of the payment and the balance is calculated according to the method of the two-cycle average daily balance which includes new purchases too. With the Washington Mutual Platinum Card you are charged a minimum of $1 as a finance charge and 1% of each purchase as the transaction fee for the purchases that you make outside the U.S. and its territories. The Washington Mutual Platinum Card charges 3% for each balance transfer ranging from a minimum of $5 to a maximum of $75 and 3% of the advance i.e. a minimum of $10 is charged from you as your cash advance fee. If you are late in paying the bill, a late fee varying from $19 to $39 is charged depending on your balance and if you exceed your set credit line during any billing cycle an overlimit fee of $35 is charged from you.

The Washington Mutual Platinum Card also provides you with the unique and interactive Washington Mutual Credit online account management providing you an offer card whenever you visit the visit the site thereby increasing customer base and saving you from the trouble of searching and applying for a credit card.

Not very long ago the Washington Mutual took over the Provident Credit Card which was the erstwhile credit card giant and has grabbed up the ninth position in the credit card ranking in America since then and now it offers you three more cards to choose from one of them being the Providian Real Rewards Card. The Providian Real Rewards Card is different from others because it rewards you with points every time you use it and the rewards come in different forms thereby giving you freedom of choice. So with Providian Real Rewards Card you can use your rewards for purchasing flight tickets or as restaurant coupons.

Another card offered by the Washington Mutual is the Providian Cash Back Card which gives you cash back on any purchase you make thereby giving you ample opportunity to get your money back with each purchase made by you.

Comparing 0 APR Credit Cards

By blogger on

With all the introductory 0 APR credit cards popping up all over the internet in emails, on websites as advertisements and even in the regular mail through flyers, it is very hard to decide which credit card company is really offering the better deal in the long run. The introductory offers all look great but what happens after they expire? Do not take the introductory offer for 0 APR credit cards at face value. Above all, do a bit of research before you make your decision.

There are so many different 0 APR credit cards being offered that you can become overwhelmed. Today, you can find several companies offering 0 APR credit cards and other incentives to get you to apply for their credit cards.

The four most popular offers today include:

Citi Platinum Select Card You must have excellent credit or you will not be approved for this 0 APR credit card. The card offers 0% APR on balance transfers and purchases for your first 12 months. There is no annual fee, you can manage your account online, and there is zero liability on unauthorized purchases.

Chase Platinum Credit Card – With the Chase Platinum credit card you can be approved for their 0 APR credit cards but you must have at least good credit. You’ll get 0% interest on all purchases and balance transfers for up to 12 months. However in some cases 3 months is all you get for 0% on balance transfers (your credit history comes into play). Regardless, you won’t have to pay an annual fee and you can also access your account online. Whether you qualify for 3 months or 12 months of 0% interest, you will be paying a competitively low APR after the introductory special.

Discover Platinum Card With this 0 APR credit card you will receive the 0% introductory special for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers, with no annual fee and 5% cashback on purchases made at certain stores such as bookstores, gasoline stations, and restaurants. You’ll also get 1% cashback on all other purchases and the cash rewards will never expire as long as you are a cardholder, and in some cases, you can even double your cashback bonuses. Keep in mind, that you will need to have excellent credit to qualify for this offer.

Blue from American Express is one of American Express’ 0 APR credit cards that will give you 0% for up to 15 months, no annual fee, a credit card reward program as well as online account access. Once again, you must have excellent credit to be approved.

This is the information that you will first see when you visit the websites for these card offers while you are searching for the best deal on 0 APR credit cards, however, you should never apply with this information only. Be sure to learn if any of the points or cashback options have expiration dates, and above all, always be sure to thoroughly investigate the card offer’s terms and conditions before applying.

How a Credit Card Debt Relief Program Works

By blogger on

The first step toward taking control of your financial situation is to complete a realistic assessment of how much money you make and how much money you spend. Prioritize them and make sure you can pay the basics: housing, food and consumables, health care, insurance, travel and education. Write down all your expenses to track your spending patterns and separate the necessary expenses. Find out what interest rates (APR) you pay on each credit card. And be prepared you might be astonished. You may want to consider using a debt management group in order to consolidate your debt.

We encourage you to do some homework before making a decision on which company to use. Begin with checking out a few companies with the Better Business Bureau online. This will help you determine their past history. Find out what services the competitors provide, what success rate they have and what it will cost you. Credit card debt relief programs generally work with unsecured debts that are not tied to an asset like your home or auto.

A debt settlement program can provide credit card debt help through professional negotiations with your creditors. The outcome can be a debt reduction of 40 60% off what you owe. The program length is generally 12 36 months depending on the amount of monthly payments that fit your budget. There is a 48 month program available but not advised because creditors may not want to wait that long to receive total payment. They can also help you if youre in a bad credit debt consolidation. Credit card debt reduction programs also charge fees but they are negotiable with most companies. A debt settlement program does not show up on your credit report. But it will have an adverse affect on your credit score. How adverse of an affect depends on your present credit score.

A debt consolidation and management program may also be a viable option for consolidation debt help. They are generally non-profit organizations but they also charge fees. They can consolidate your debt into a single monthly payment. Their monthly payments are generally higher than those in a credit card debt relief program. Debt consolidation and management programs do report to the credit bureau as managing your credit situation for debts entered into the program. This will have an adverse affect on your credit score since credit is based on your ability to pay your own debts on time. Consolidation debt help plans also offer loans in order to consolidate your debt. They also work with bad credit debt consolidation.

You may require some essential investigation and basic steps on how to eliminate credit card debt. After you make your decision try to stick with it. Debt consolidation and management program can be just as effective as a debt settlement program. You will need to weigh the comparisons between the two popular plans. There are pros and cons with both to consider.

If you have any questions feel free to contact us about our credit card debt relief programs. One of our experienced and professional debt specialists would be glad to explain your options with no obligation. Our website is: www.creditresultsusa.com. Our staff will be available to assist you immediately.