An Ethical Credit Card

 Credit Cards
Sep 272007
 


These days, all credit cards are not made alike. In addition to the dizzying array of options you have, including rates and rewards, there are actually credit card companies that look to do some good. The Co-operative Bank offers a wide variety of cards suited for many different people, and what they all have in common is that they come from a bank with a bona fide ethical policy. That is, they choose to do business in an ethical manner paying clear attention to matters both ecological and social.

The Co-operative Bank chooses to do business with companies that value human rights, do not invest in the arms trade, do not test products on animals, pay attention to ecological and environmental concerns and avoids the development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Additionally, the Co-operative Bank chooses to support social charities and seeks to eliminate all wasteful use of energy within their company.

They offer a wide variety of credit cards including one with 0% on purchases and balance transfers for six months as well as another that offers great travel benefits.  Most impressively, you can select a card that earns money for your chosen organisation as you spend as a percentage of your charge is donated to a good cause of your choice.

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Accept Credit Cards Today

 Credit Cards
Sep 042007
 

If you have an online business or even operate a retail shop, you really need to be able to process credit cards. In fact, you should really consider accepting a credit card to be one of the most important aspects of an online business. Your customers will expect to be able to pay via credit card since paying by cash or check can be such an inconvenience over the internet. Customers simply rely on using a credit card and you will left behind by your competitors if you cannot meet the needs of your patrons.

Therefore, you need to find a Credit Card Processor so you can accept cards for online purchases. Oftentimes, this processor is integrated directly into your shop’s software so that the checkout process is smooth and the operation is seamless. You also want to provide a secure server to process the credit card so that the customer’s date is safe.

Additionally, if you have a retail shop an affordable and reliable Merchant Processor is going to be part of accepting cards. If you only accept cash or checks you will be alienating a large segment of potential customers. A low cost processor with reasonable transaction fees will allow you to accept cards and insure that your retail business is able to accommodate all of your customers.

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The Best Credit Cards

 Credit Cards
Sep 022007
 


The best credit cards all have the same great credit card features that set them apart from the rest. Although there are hundreds of credit card offers available, there are only maybe 10-20 credit cards that you should seriously consider as the best credit cards. Here are three important features to look for when applying for credit cards:

1) No Annual Fee - You should always choose a credit card that doesn’t charge you an annual fee unless the credit card has an amazing feature/offer that you can’t live without (this very rarely happens). Why should you pay the credit card issuer to use the credit card when they make money every time you use it?

2) Interest Free Days - These are the maximum amount of days that you will not be charged interest on your credit card purchases. This is normally listed from statement date – usually 25 days.

In other words if you make a purchase on the first day of the month and receive your credit card statement at the end of that month (say on the 30th) you will have until the 25th of the next month until your will be charged interest on that purchase. If you use your credit card for every-day purchases, this feature is a must and will save you hundreds of dollars per year in credit card interest payments. Be sure to read the fine print carefully as they might add up all of the interest if you’re a day or two late.

If using a credit card that offers an interest free period, it is important that you pay-off the credit card in full, because interest is usually incurred from purchase date if you do not pay the credit card balance in full before the end of the interest free period.

3) Low APR (Annual Percentage Rate) - The annual percentage interest rate is another important feature that you must consider when selecting a credit card offer to apply for. The credit card industry is very competitive so you should be able to get a great APR. Try to get the lowest APR possible.

It is best if you can get the first year or at lest 6 months at 0% APY. Usually, this will be for credit card balance transfers or cash advance checks. Be sure these don’t cost you a large amount. Also, some of the better cards will give you this low interest rate on purchases as well for the promotional period.

This advice may not apply if you plan to pay your credit card balance in full, every month. But, if you plan to make bigger purchases you should be apply for a credit card that offers an APR that is roughly the same as what you would receive for a personal loan.

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Stop Receiving Credit Card Offers

 Credit Cards
Aug 142007
 

About a year ago, I was receiving credit card offers in the mail on a daily basis. I was both annoyed by all of this wasteful mail as well as frequently tempted to open up new accounts. I have several cards already, including a couple of nice year-long 0% cards, so I really didn’t need any more. I also was tired of having to shred this mail constantly and worried that one of the applications might get in the hands of the wrong people. I finally had enough of this and took steps to stop receiving credit card offers. Continue reading »

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What to Look For in a Credit Card

 Credit Cards, General
Jul 142007
 


If you’re in the market for a new credit card, you sure have your work cut out for you. The choices can be overwhelming and the offers can be confusing and sometimes misleading. To make sure you choose the right credit card for you there are a few key points to keep in mind in order to find the perfect credit card.

Before you are able to choose the right credit card for you, you have to answer a few questions about your credit needs and spending habits. First, of course, is what you plan on using your credit card for. Is this going to be for daily expenses, a large balance transfer, traveling, paying for college, etc. You’ll want to know if you plan on paying off the balance every month or if you plan on carrying a balance. You’ll want to know how good your credit rating is and how this might influence the decision of the credit card company.

Interest Rates – A good interest rate is probably the most important factor of any credit card. But, don’t let the number fool you. Sometimes, a credit card will offer a very attractive promotional rate only to be followed by an extremely high interest rate after only a few months. If you only plan on transferring a large balance and then paying off the card before the higher rate kicks in, then this fine. However, you might plan on using this card for monthly expenses and paying off the balance every month. In this case, a good interest rate might not be as important to you.

Cash Rewards – Nothing feels better than getting a little cash back from the credit card companies. Cash and other rewards can be a great incentive for using a particular credit card. If you are able to use this card for many of your everyday purchases the cash reward can really add up. Be sure to pay attention to the fine print. Many of these reward offers are only good at certain types of stores, or the cash reward is limited to a very small amount. Do your research on the best credit card cash reward plan before you commit to a card.

Buyer Protection – Many cards will offer protection while you travel including travel accident insurance, lost luggage, rental car damages and so forth. Others will offer some protection against loss or damage to other purchases you might make. If this important to you based on how you plan to use the card, consider what card offers the best buyer protection plan.

Remember that not all credit cards are made the same–and that’s a good thing. You have a lot of choices when it comes to choosing the right credit card and you can use this advantage to help you choose the perfect credit card for you.

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Credit Card Offers Added

 Credit Cards
Sep 302005
 


We have since eliminated this section of our site, please see the credit cards category for interesting articles and information.

We are pleased to announce that we have added a credit card offers section to this site. You can select the credit card that suites you and apply online.

Each credit credit page provides information on the credit card such as it’s important details like its APR, Intro APR (if applicable), annual fees and additional information. We also provide a basic review of the credit card and we rate credit card (out of 5).

Currently there is about 85 credit cards listed. Credit card information is added and updated on a regular basis, so be sure to check back often to get all the latest credit card information.

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Amazon.com Platinum Visa Credit Card

 Credit Cards
Sep 072005
 

The Amazon Platinum Visa credit card, issued by BankOne, offers great rewards and features. You get a $20 discount off of your first order at Amazon when you pay using this credit card and instant use of the discount after approval. Earn 3 reward points for every dollar spent at Amazon.com & 1 reward point for every dollar spent elsewhere.  

Continue reading »

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How To Maximize Credit Card Rewards

 Credit Cards
Aug 212005
 

In their quest to get you to sign up for their credit card, banks and financial institutions are coming up with more and higher incentives to entice you. Frequent flyer miles gave way to gas miles which opened the door for cash rebates and reward points to be used at ‘our fine member merchants’. When most other things are equal (APR, annual fees, fees for transfers et al), the style of reward points and how you can make use of them can be the deciding factor in which card you choose to put in your wallet. Continue reading »

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Making Sense Of Credit Card Fees

 Credit Cards
Aug 162005
 

In addition to the APR (annual percentage rate) and the finance charges, most credit cards have a number of ‘fees’ associated with their use. Some fees are unavoidable with a particular card (like an annual fee or a program participation fee), while others are triggered by certain circumstances. The most common fees are listed below. To get a better idea of what your credit card may cost to use over the course of a year, check your card’s terms and conditions and your user agreement to see which fees may apply to you. Continue reading »

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Credit Card Balance Transfers

 Credit Cards
Aug 142005
 

Credit card balance transfer is an important feature for many credit card users. It allows them to transfer their debts from one credit card to another. This is significant if their new card has a lower interest rate than their previous one. Continue reading »

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Cash Rebate Credit Card

 Credit Cards
Aug 122005
 

Cash rebate credit card offers allow you to get a cash rebate every time you use your credit card. More and more companies are beginning to offer cash rebate credit cards, as customers like the idea of getting something back every time they make a purchase. Continue reading »

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What To Look For In A Credit Card Offer

 Credit Cards
Aug 122005
 

When it comes to acquiring a credit card, there is a plethora of choices out there for any credit consumer. However this makes the process of browsing through the credit card offers and selecting the best one difficult for the average consumer.

To choose the best credit card offer you have to decide how you will be using your credit card and what options in a credit card contract are most important to you. You have to take into account such things as the APR, reward programs and security options, among other items before selecting the best credit card offer for you.

One important part of the credit card offer is the APR. The annual percentage rate (APR) tells you the interest that will be charged on your credit card balance. Finding a low interest rate can save you a lot of money in the long run.

The Apr must be taken in conjunction with other factors of the credit card offer. For example credit cards that offer a reward program often charge a higher interest rate than cards that don�t. If you are looking specifically for a card that allows you to earn air miles on your purchases, then you have the task of finding the low interest credit card that offers the reward program that meets your needs. In addition to low APR, credit card offers should have reasonable usage fees. Many credit card offers have zero annual fees.

Credit cards issuers are heavily relying on the reward programs in their credit card offer to reel in customers. These rewards are based on the amount of use of the credit card and include programs such as airline miles, cash back, department store items and even free gas for your automobile. Thus choosing the right reward program can allow you to work your way towards buying a new computer or getting a free ticket to the destination of your choice. Again these rewards should be taken in conjunction with the APR to find out if the credit card offer is worthwhile.

Another part of a credit card offer is its security features. Most credit card offers today guarantee a great deal of security measures for consumers. These include steps to prevent identity theft and lessening the liability of owners incase of unauthorized use of their credit card.

Different individuals will find different credit card offers best suited to their needs. There is no one best credit card offer for all consumers. Therefore it is important to know how you will be using your credit card and then to shop around to find the most suitable credit card offer.

Article by Jakob Jelling of CashBazar.com.

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How To Rebuild Your Credit With A Prepaid Debit Card

 Credit Cards
Apr 282005
 


Consumers today are up to their eyeballs in debt. And many people don’t realize it until their good credit has been devastated. Continue reading »

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What Is Credit Card & Debit Card Blocking?

 Credit Cards
Apr 212005
 

Have you ever been told you were over your credit card limit, or had your debit card declined, even though you knew you had available credit or money in your bank account? If this happened shortly after you stayed in a hotel or rented a car, the problem could have been card “blocking.” Continue reading »

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Credit Card Fraud Is Usually Preventable

 Credit Cards
Apr 032005
 

One of the worst things that can happen to you is credit card fraud. This is even worse if you don’t pay very much attention to your credit reports, since you may not find out about the fraud until there are very serious problems to deal with. Even if it’s possible to get out of paying for most of the fraudulent purchases that are made on your card, you will often have to pay for some of them – and you will have to go through the hassle of dealing with a stolen credit card if you’re not careful. Continue reading »

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