Personal Finance Journal

If you’ve begun to notice that the interest rate on your current card has increased or the terms or rewards are not as favorable as they use to be it might be time to look for a credit card balance transfer.

The credit card companies are changing quite a bit in order to comply with new rules as well as to acquire new customers. Sometimes, credit card companies don’t fully appreciate their current customers.  A transfer to another card, preferably with a 0% intro APR, might just be the thing you need to help get your finances back in your control.

To understand just how much you stand to save, BalanceTransfers.com has a handy balance transfer calculator that will allow you to enter in your current balance and APR in order to see your potential savings.  It’s quite an easy process and one that might even help you get your finances in order.

Using the services on the site you can easily scan for good deals on cards like 0% Chase credit cards or possibly a citibank balance transfer. These options and some other good deals will be listed as you search with the various details of each card. You can get a clear sense at how transferring your balances to a better, lower rate card can benefit your financial situation.  It’s easy to get complacent and settle on your current card, but in the long run, you’re much better off taking some time to find the best credit card for you.

An excellent resource for consumers looking for information on a Green Dot Card can be found on the company’s Facebook page.  A lot of companies are realizing that it’s imperative to use the social networking resources available to them such as Facebook and Twitter. Green Dot is no exception and have utilized their Facebook page to really help consumers easily find what they need to know.

I found I was able to quickly identify some key pieces of data about the company as well as a place to ask questions or find promos.  In fact, the page is a convenient spot to keep up on any special promos or offers. I was able to find a couple of different special offers including a $10 bonus as well as a way to save on the $5.95 monthly fee. You can also find ways to get a card for free, meaning obtaining a card without the $4.95 activation fee.

As companies continue to realize the importance of using the social networks available to them, it is also key for consumers to take advantage of this resource and check on these pages occasionally for any good deals or promotions that the company is trying to put forward.

We’ve recently covered the Green Dot Credit Card that you can buy and send money to reload your prepaid cards.  You can also buy a prepaid card from Green Dot and use this card to make purchases and pay bills just like you would any other traditional card. You can also withdraw fund from ATMs around the country without a surcharge.

The fees for a card like this can vary depending on where you buy the card and how you use it.  Most importantly, you want to make sure you fully understand the terms and conditions that govern your particular card. You will likely save some money if you purchase the card online. There is often a monthly maintenance fee that is applied to the card, but this may also be reduced or eliminated if you make a certain number of purchases.

Using your card is simple and can be used anywhere that a Mastercard or Visa debit card is accepted. You can reload your card in a number of ways, including from a bank account or via a retailer. If you choose to use direct deposit there is generally not a fee whereas via a retailer there is, usually about $4.95.  You are not required to have a bank account and there is no need for a credit check to acquire or use the card. Remember, the card is prepaid so you put money on it and then use the card against that balance.

Most people don’t need an excuse to use a credit card and the various incentives like cash back, rewards and frequent-flier miles make using a credit card all the more tempting and finding the right credit card all that much more important.

An interesting article in the NY Times brings up some good point to help you gauge the real value of a frequent-flier credit card, noting that “it may make more sense to change the credit card you use, not the airline you fly.”

The article goes on to list some of the changes that airlines have recently implemented with regards to frequent-flier miles and then asks some questions for you to think about regarding your credit card usage and flying habits.  It ultimately points out that “if you’re a big spending frequent traveler and think the value is still there in trading miles for upgrades, you may want to keep collecting miles via credit card spending. If you’re ready to switch to a new primary credit card, however, here are three other types of rewards cards that will probably be most appealing.”

Although it use to be the case that only large companies and Fortune 500 firms could have Visa gift cards with their logo or insignia, it is now possible to create your own card so that customers can buy a visa gift card with your own company logo or personalized image.

These cards are great ideas for customer prizes, employee bonuses or incentives, holiday gifts, sale incentives and much, much more. You can design your own logo, use your own image or photograph, or use one of the hundreds of designs available. There is no minimum order and your cards can be printed up and mailed out to you within 48 hours of your selection. This is a great way to add that special touch to make a gift card a much more personalized present.