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Cash back credit cards are very attractive to customers and many will feel that they should just accept the first cash back credit card they are offered, particularly if they are in a position of paying off all of their credit card bill in full each month and therefore being best able to take advantage of a cash back offer. However, there is no excuse these days for simply accepting the first offer you come across when it comes to cash back credit cards and you really should take the time and effort to get yourself a good deal.

Cash back credit cards are no longer the rarity that they once were. There was a time when cash back credit cards were seen as literally free money and people took the stance that of, you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. However, times have changed and increasingly, cash back credit cards are not looked at as a free gift from credit cards but simply the most appropriate form of credit card for customers who spend a lot on their credit card and pay off their bill in full every month.

This is because if you pay your bill off in full every month, you will not be charged any interest at all on your purchases and therefore, lower interest rates and even 0% rates will be of no benefit to you. Credit card companies realised this when they were trying to increase the number of their customers who paid off their bills in full each month. There is also the fact that every time you use your credit card, whether or not you ever have to pay any interest on the transaction, you are earning the credit card company money as they will be paid for processing the transaction through their payment system.

Therefore, the cash back credit card is not a generous free gift that the credit card company is throwing your way out of the kindness of their heart, but merely the best way to attract to themselves the type of customers who stand to earn them a lot of money in the long run.

From this perspective, there is no reason for you to sell yourself short and just accept the first cash back credit card you are offered without a second thought. You should take a little time and look online at what the competitors are offering. In many cases you will be able to find credit cards online that offer significantly better cash back rates than the one you have been offered in the mail. In this case, you would do well to spend a few short minutes on line filling in the applications and getting one of these cash back credit cards instead.

Peter Kenny is a writer for creditcards-gb
For additional articles and an extensive resource for everything about credit cards, please visit us at www.creditcards-gb.co.uk and www.creditcards2go4.com

Submitted with Article Distributor.

The idea of a balance transfer deal was introduced to the UK in the year 2000 by innovative online bank Egg plc, who offered customers a bait of 0% interest for six months on balances they transferred from another credit card.

The feature was an instant hit, and more and more card issuers began to offer similar deals as competition for customers grew more intense. Before long, it seemed that every card available had 0% deals of ever-increasing lengths.

It didn’t take long for savvy cardholders to spot a pretty major flaw in the credit industry’s thinking though. With so many cards offering 0% deals, what’s to stop people from becoming serial balance transferers, moving their debt to a new card as the 0% period expires? And so the game of credit card surfing began.

People began to systematically switch their balances to card after card, and if they were organised enough to make sure their balance was moved off a card before the interest charges kicked in, then they could avoid paying interest on their debt for as long as there were new cards available to apply for. In effect, the credit card industry was collectively extending millions of pounds of interest free credit over an indefinite period - not a situation they either intended or appreciated.

People could take advantages of balance transfers in other ways, too. Some cards allowed a transfer to a bank account rather than another credit card. It was therefore possible to transfer the entire credit limit of a new card to a high interest savings account, leave it there for the length of the 0% deal period, and then clear the card balance and pocket the interest earnings.

All this added up to a major headache for credit card issuers - the tables had been turned, and their customers were now costing millions of pounds every month to support. This had to change, and so it fell to Egg plc to again introduce a new card feature : the balance transfer fee.

In May 2005, Egg announced that all balance transfers would now attract a ‘handling fee’ of 2% of the amount transferred. The charge would be capped at £50. Other card issuers quickly followed suit, and now most balance transfer deals have such a charge.

So what does this mean for credit card users?

Firstly, before applying for a new balance transfer card, check in the small print whether or not a fee will be imposed. This should be made clear in all advertisements and on the application form, but the credit card industry has a history of subtly hiding unattractive features while accentuating the eye-catching ones, so pay careful attention.

If there is a fee, make sure that there’s an upper limit mentioned. While the maximum £50 fee may still, depending on the size of your balance, make it worthwhile to take advantage of the offer, cards with no maximum charge are much less attractive.

To sum up, the balance transfer game isn’t as straightforward as it once was. There are still ways to save money by taking the maximum advantage of the offers available, but cardholders need to be more wary than before.

Michael Strauss is an expert writer on consumer credit issues, and is a contributing author for Card Sense UK, where you can read more about balance transfer credit cards and cards without transfer fees.

Have you been denied a loan? Have you been offered one at an unbelievably high rate of interest? Are you having trouble getting a new credit card? If these things have happened to you you’ve got bad credit!

What is bad? Can you fix it?

The most important indicator of poor credit is a low credit rating, otherwise known as a low FICO score. A score of 650 or lower will give you problems while 500 is abysmal. Fico is a number that is calculated, taking into account your total debt, the number and length of late payments, and some other factors. This number is calculated by three main credit reporting agencies and is then made available to lenders and to the individuals themselves.

Improving your credit rating is difficult but definitely possible and is certainly worthwhile. The first steps are personal and have to do with your own habits and tendencies. If you have trouble with self-discipline or if you find it impossible or difficult to keep financial commitments you may want to seek some kind of counseling, perhaps from a credit repair specialist.

But there are other things that you can do that are definitely in your control.

You can begin by getting a copy of your credit reports from all 3 credit reporting agencies: Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax. By law these must be available to you for free once per year. They contain a list of all your debts and indicate problems, such as the number of payments late by over 30 days. The agencies may charge for the actual FICO score but you can sometimes get that for free as well. Review the documents with a fine tooth comb and list all mistakes. Involve a credit repair specialist, if necessary.

Estimates of credit report errors range from 85 to 40%. Some, such as an incorrect age or address are easy to fix but some mistakes take a little more attention. If accounts are shown as open even though you had closed them, or if debts are listed that were incurred by a different person, you should make note, gather your proof and contact the credit reporting agency and politely insist that the information be corrected. Be aware that they will not simply take your word for it but will check it out themselves, so be sure to be honest with them.

Next, make a detailed and realistic budget. Include all monthly obligations and add in a buffer to take care of unexpected expenses. Determine to keep to that budget. Then call all your creditors and tell them what you have done and ask for a reduction of the debt. Be polite at all costs. If necessary, ask for a supervisor. They may not immediately grant your request but as you keep making steady payments they may respond more favorably when you make a follow-up call a few months later. Keep notes of the agreements and keep your word.

Cut up and return as many of your old credit cards as possible. Keep paying on the outstanding balance until the account is eliminated or you can convince the creditor to forgive the remaining debt. Make sure that you try to make more than minimum payments. You can spread this policy out or concentrate on one card at a time. As a credit card’s balance drop keep up the larger payments and when that card is retired apply all your resources to the next card. But make sure to keep up with your minimums on all cards while doing this. Some experts advise that you pay off home loans first and then concentrate on small amount, high APR debt. Pay off these accounts first and then move on to debts of larger amounts.

When applying for a new card, you have some options. You can obtain a secured card, no matter what your credit rating is. You can use it just like any credit card but the limit is determined by how much you actually put into the account. This card should be for emergencies only.

Other, specific kinds of credit cards, such as gas cards or department store cards may be easier to get and if you use them responsibly you can start to see an improvement in your FICO score.

Fixing credit worthiness is less like a repair and more like mending. When you repair something you quickly replace whatever is broken and make it like new. When something mends, the process is much slower and takes a lot of patience. But if you stick with it your credit can be mended just as surely as a broken arm can be mended. So take the first steps now. Have a conversation with yourself and follow the steps outlined in this article.

Stick with it!

Neil Beaton
http://www.a1-mortgage-4-u.com

Restoring credit worthiness: difficult but possible! This is a tough love article. The advice on restoring your credit worthiness, if followed, will enable you, over time, to havemuch better financial prospects.

Cheap credit cards are considered to be equivalent to low interest credit cards. However, not all low interest rate credit cards are cheap. Either such cards can have a fixed rate of interest through out the tenure of your balance or they can have a fluctuating rate of interest. Which one is actually cheaper?

Types of Cheap Credit Cards

Now, most armchair financial gurus will ‘know’ and advice you to opt for a fixed rate card. They will argue that such low, fixed rate credit cards will prove to be very cost-effective in the long run. A variable rate card may begin with lower interest in the first few years and then gradually its rate of interest will keep increasing over the next few years. This allows you to pay off increasing interest amounts as your salary increases. However, they believe, a fixed rate card is a better option because its interest rates do not jump alarmingly like the variable rate card. In addition, fixed rate cards are also cheap credit cards because the company will have to inform you before they increase the rates.

Unfortunately, the truth is very different. Discussing the pros and cons of low interest credit cards is quite another matter than actually having one in your wallet. You see, the practical realities dictate that you must choose a card that suits your lifestyle.

Good Credit for Cheap Credit Cards

For example, do you really manage to pay off your balances every month … all your balances, every month? If you do not clear pending dues every month, then you could land yourself in a tight financial spot, regardless of the fact that your interest rate is low or high, variable or fixed. However, if you have limited income then it might pay to use variable, low interest rate credit cards because in the initial years of your career, you need all the help you can get. Or if you have already sunk into the debt morass, you can use such variable rate and cheap credit cards to slowly lever yourself out of the debt.

The Details of Low Interest Credit Cards

Take time off to read the fine print in detail. Can your fixed rate card company suddenly jack up the rate of interest without your permission, or in the very least, without informing you? Is it actually a cheap card? Speak to sales representative, and other users of the card to get the full low down on the processing charges, annual fees, etc. Cards will penalize you stiffly for late payment or for going over your balance.

Low Interest Rate Credit Cards are Time Bound

And always remember one thing - low interest rate credit cards are not low interest forever. Such cards make low interest rates offers for a time period and you must always, but always, check the time period for such great rates. Almost certainly, the low interest offered by a card will jump up after some time, yes; interest rates for fixed rate cards will also go up. Even if you have been the model credit card user and never gone over your balance or never defaulted on a payment, the sad truth of life is that interest rates always go up after, say, 6 months.

So, if you really want cheap credit cards, don’t worry about variable or fixed rate of interest. Instead, pay off your debt on time every month and read the details before you sign up for a card. Low interest credit cards will jack up interest rates even if they are fixed or variable rate cards. Use low interest credit cards wisely - and some tips to make them work for you is to opt for a zero percent balance transfer, check if you can get air miles in exchange for points if you are a frequent traveler, or perhaps see if your local retailer partners with your card company. You need to use cheap credit cards judiciously in order to make them cost-effective for you.

For more information on a variety of cheap credit cards, Robert Alan recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com.

When you get the offer in the mail for a 0 APR credit card, you may be tempted to throw it out, thinking that it is too good to be true. But before you toss it in the circular file, take a good look at it. There are some distinct advantages to owning one of these 0 percent interest cards that could help you in ways you don’t know yet.

1. Transfer high interest credit card balances.
If you have a credit card that you use often but can’t seem to pay off, you can transfer the balance of this card to your new 0 APR card. If you are paying twenty percent interest on another card and have stopped using it because all you can afford to pay each month is the minimum balance, this is a great option for you. You can not only pay off your other balance, but you can also get your purchasing power back.

2. Consolidate all credit card debt to one card.
For people with several credit cards that are maxed out, consolidating them all onto one 0 APR card is the perfect way to pay down the debt quickly. Instead of your monthly payment going to the interest alone, you will be able to pay on the principle for the entire 0 APR introductory period.

3. Transfer high interest rate loan balances.
If you have a car loan that is at an exorbitant interest rate, this is your chance to pay off the loan with no interest. Pay it off at the bank with the 0 APR credit card and then make your interest free payments to the card to pay off this balance.

4. Make big ticket purchases with no interest financing.
Planning to buy some furniture or an appliance? Want to buy some plane tickets to Europe? Use your 0 APR credit card to finance the purchase of these items at 0 percent interest.

5. Improve your credit.
By paying your bill on time each month and paying off balances from other cards or loans, you improve your credit score and better your chances for getting future credit offers.

Rebecca Spitzer recommends Find Credit Cards for comparing 0 APR credit cards. See www.findcreditcards.org/type/0-apr.php for more information

Most people would agree that money, or the lack of it, is always on the top of their list of concerns. Bettering your finances really is possible if you begin with these simple steps.

1. Check your credit report at least twice a year. You can request basic reports for free or more detailed reports for a nominal fee from various online credit bureaus.

2. Pay down your high interest non-tax deductible loans first.

3. Pay yourself first by investing in your retirement. If your employer has a 401(k) plan, take full advantage of it. The money will grow tax deferred with interest.

4. Purchase health insurance and homeowners or renters insurance. Many employers offer Health Savings Accounts, which are becoming more flexible and affordable. The cost of having insurance is minimal compared to the cost of even a short hospital stay.

5. Get organized! Keep track of your expenditures and saving with some type of financial software package. Most new computers come with free, built in evaluation copies.

6. Develop a budget. Budget worksheets may be found online free of charge.

7. Pay your bills on time to avoid costly late fees and penalties.

8. Shop around for the best deals. The internet has revolutionize shoppers’ abilities to comparison shop, so take advantage of it.

9. Balance your checkbook monthly.

10. Divide your financial goals into small steps so you don’t feel overwhelmed. And if you slip up, don’t be too hard on yourself. Just review the plan and start again.

The author’s website http://www.counseling4credit.com provides an online resource for people looking to improve their credit.

This article may be used if this resource box and website link are left intact.

So, you’ve just realized that someone has stolen your identity and is racking up debt left and right, and you want to put a stop to it, but you don’t know what to do. Well, keep reading, because in this article you will learn exactly what to do when you are a victim of identity theft. Once you have absorbed this information, act quickly, because the sooner you start fighting for your identity, the sooner you will win.

You will probably receive a phone call from a creditor stating “you” just either made a large purchase and they suspect fraud or you open your credit card bill as you do every month and be amazed at some extra charges that are on there. Call your credit card company immediately. Rarely, will you be liable for charges over $50, and many credit card companies wave the first $50 in the case of fraud. Check with your bank, you will usually be given a choice to close your account and reopen a new one or some banks will put a “watch” on your account and you will have to log into your account and manually approve every charge and check before it is cleared. This usually goes on for a period of 30-60 days. The latter isn’t the best choice as it is labor intensive to do and your account isn’t protected from fraud as it would be if you simply closed it out and reopened a new account.

After you have done all the initial damage control. The next thing to do when you realize that you are a victim of identity theft is to notify the credit bureaus. Report the situation to the three major credit reporting companies- Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You can do it online or in writing, and you must tell these companies that your identifying information has been stolen and is being used by another person fraudulently in your name. Ask them to flag your file with a fraud alert, and ask that all creditors call you before extending credit in your name. A consumer statement will be put on your file and it will alleviate your fears of bogus accounts being opened for about 3 months.

Due to provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you can only place an initial fraud alert for 90 days. The credit bureaus will then send you a notice displaying your rights as an identity theft victim. As soon you receive this, write to each of the three credit bureaus to request two things; An extension of the fraud alert to seven years, and a free copy of your credit report. Remember to include an identity theft report when you send your letter in order to authorize the seven year alert. Whenever you communicate with the credit companies, you should refer to the number given to your credit report and always use verified return receipt mail. Also, make sure you save all credit reports and related information for your records.

As soon as you get your three credit reports, carefully examine each one. Report all fraudulent and inaccurate information in writing to the credit bureaus, as well as to the credit issuers, following the instructions that are provided with the credit reports. As soon as you notify the credit bureaus about the fraudulent information, the bureau is required to strike that information from future reports. The bureau will also notify the credit grantor of the fraudulent account(s). If it isn’t included in the report, ask the credit bureaus for the contact information of the credit grantors.

Also, tell the credit bureaus in writing that you want them to remove all inquiries that have been created due to fraudulent access. You should also ask the bureaus to contact anyone who has received your credit report in the last six months so they can be informed about the fraudulent and inaccurate information. Numerous inquiries can lower your credit score, so work diligently on getting those inquiries removed from your personal credit report.

Though these measures should set you back on track and protect your credit from the fraudulent information, they may not completely stop it from happening again. Because of this, be sure to monitor your credit reports, there are many online services that will help you monitor your credit report. We recommend Experian Triple Advantage. Along with getting your credit report online with credit score, you also get 30 days free credit monitoring service. With this service you can start the dispute process online! Often times, once you have started the process you will be able to obtain a second free report from the credit bureaus, and in many states you will be able to access your credit report more frequently. If you notice that the fraudulent information is still happening, notify the proper bureaus instantly. If the problem persists for very long, you may want to consider freezing your accounts for awhile if possible to prevent any more damage.

Identity theft is an unfortunate event when it occurs, but you can fight back and get your life back quickly!

About the Author
Liz Roberts is a loan consultant with New Horizon Finance, specializing in bad credit, & has been providing consumers & business owners with financing since 1989. Join Experian Triple Advantage & get a free credit report & credit score.
Apply for bad credit credit cards here. Free Credit Repair Guide.

Are you thinking of applying for a new credit card? If so, you may want to begin asking yourself what your personal financial goal is. After you’ve recognized your own needs, you can then pick the category of card you desire and begin your journey to compare credit card offers.

For a student who is applying for a first credit card there are a number of credit cards available that include a variety of features. The benefits of each card vary and can include 0% APR introductory, no annual fee, and rewards offered such as cash back, selected merchandise and entertainment

Quite often a student credit card has a lower credit limit which is actually a plus. It introduces the student to the world of credit, while limiting the chance of running up too large of a bill. An added bonus of a student credit card is it helps to build that needed credit rating which is important in today’s world. Of course, the student needs to maintain the credit card account in accordance to the issuing company’ terms and conditions.

There are available airline credit cards. But if you wish to travel on more than one airline, perhaps a rewards credit card that offers bonus travel points would be more suitable. The benefit to a reward card would be that the owner has a choice of how to spend those bonus points. In addition to air miles, the added choices include cash back, selected merchandise, entertainment and gift certificates.

If you already have a number of credit cards that you’re paying the minimum balance and they charge an interest rate of more than 0% APR, you might consider a balance transfer credit card. With an introductory 0% APR, you could have anywhere from six to eighteen months to pay down your debt interest free.

Even if you already have bad credit there are still credit card opportunities for you to apply and even receive instant approval. A credit card for people with bad credit, has a higher interest rate than cards for more stellar credit. However you can avoid these higher fees if you pay your balance billed each month. After you’ve been able to rebuild your credit, you can then talk to the issuer and get a lower interest rate or reapply for a lower interest credit card.

Two additional cards are available for people with bad credit or for people who don’t really want to owe on a credit card, but need a card for the convenience of ordering merchandise by telephone or on the internet. These are prepaid credit cards and debit cards.

These two types of cards can be obtained by completing an easy application and making a specified deposit. They work just like a regular credit card and are also accepted at any ATM machine, giving you total access to your available funds.

DEBT COUNSELING - AVOID SCAMS

If you are overwhelmed and decide to seek the services of a debt counseling agency, make sure you find a good one.

Before we delve into this topic, let me say that every trade has good people and bad people. Unfortunately, some debt counseling agencies give the good ones a bad name. With that said, there are PLENTY of legitimate Debt Counseling organizations that will help you manage your money and develop a budget that is suitable to your situation.

The first thing to do is RESEARCH. Look for a debt counselors in your area of residence that will work with you face-to-face. You may want to check with the State Attorney General or the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to get a sense of their reputation. Both sources can tell you, if complaints have been filed against the counseling agency.

The FTC recommends asking questions such as the following, when looking for a good credit counseling service:

· What services do you offer?

Stick with debt counselors who offer a full range of services including budget counseling, savings and debt management classes. Avoid organizations that do not encourage you to analyze your current debts or financial situation. This is important as we discussed in step #4.

· Will you help me develop a plan for avoiding problems in the future?

· What are your fees? Are there set-up and/or monthly fees?
Get a specific price quote in writing.

· Will I have a formal written agreement or contract with you?
Do not sign anything without reading it first. Make sure all verbal promises are in writing.

· Are you licensed to offer your services in my state?

· What are the qualifications of your counselors? Are they accredited or certified by an outside organization? If so, by whom? If not, how are they trained?

· What assurance do I have that information about me (including my address, phone number, and financial information) will be kept confidential and secure?

In addition, avoid organizations that promise to:

· guarantee they can remove your unsecured debt

· promise that unsecured debts can be paid off with pennies on the dollar

· claim that using their system will let you avoid bankruptcy

· require substantial monthly service fees

· demand payment of a percentage of savings

· tell you to stop making payments to or communicating with your creditors

· require you to make monthly payments to them, rather than with your creditor

· claim that creditors never sue consumers for non-payment of unsecured debt

· promise that using their system will have no negative impact on your credit report

· claim that they can remove accurate negative information from your credit report.

Visit www.poorcreditgenie.com for additional articles on how to rebuild your credit:

There are many different ways for you to apply for a credit card. There is one way to apply for a credit card that is becoming more popular every day. That is to apply for a credit card online. More people find that it is easier and faster to apply for a credit card online instead of waiting for an invitation letter to apply. You can find acceptance letters or denial letters in the mail, but when you are accepted for a credit card online you are going to receive the credit card faster than when you apply thru the mail.

There is an abundance of places to apply for a credit card online. For the most part each website will even let you know what the credit card company is looking for as far as your credit report. They are going to let you know if they are looking for people with good or excellent credit and they are even going to let you know if they will accept people with poor for no credit at all as well. If you know, what your credit report is like that will help you decide which credit card to apply for online. When you are going to apply for a credit card online you may want to check to see what is all on your credit report. Do this because that will help you find a credit card company online to apply to, and perhaps this will include a credit card you don’t have, or if you should be seeking a credit card with a lower credit line, or a secured line of credit…

If you find that you are having a hard time finding a credit card online to apply for or that will accept you, you may want to check on some of the department stores online that will help you rebuild your credit.

If you are able to rebuild your credit with a department stores credit card then you are going to be able to apply for a credit card online with one of the major credit card companies that are out there offering credit cards for almost everyone.

You are going to notice that once you are able to acquire credit from applying online for a credit card then you are going to start to receive more and more letters stating that you are guaranteed credit from a credit card company. When you start to receive those letters you are going to start to check out the different offers online and if you see that you do qualify for the credit card standards you may start to apply online for some of the credit card offers that you are receiving.

You are going to want to take your time and check out all the different offers that you are receiving for credit cards. Once you have check out the different credit card companies then you are going to have the options to apply online for the credit card. You are just going to want to make sure that when you are apply for the credit card online that it is a secure location that you are filling out all the information that the credit card company wants so they are able to grant you credit with them.

Visit www.SelectCreditFast.com for more information on credit cards and credit card offers. Apply Online for a Credit Card and review best credit card offers for MBNA Credit Cards.