How To Protect Yourself From Pre-Approved Credit Card Offer

Have you received before a pre-approved credit card offer that sent to you through your email address? If you are not, then you are the lucky one. Most of people who have access to email are receiving dozens of “good offer” from credit card companies. Low-internet rate and higher credit limit are among the good deals in the offers and the best part is: it has been pre-approved to you. Sound good? Well, before you go ahead and accept one. Ask yourself whether you really need it or not. According to the credit card site CardWeb.com, average American household are holding a $10,000 credit card debt. Don’t let you be one of the statistics.

The best way to keep credit card debt down is not to use a credit card. But if you do receive a pre-approved card that intrigues you, at least know what you are getting into before signing on the bottom line:

What interest are you paying? Make sure you understand the interest rate you will be paying for. There are two types of interest rates, fixed-rate annual percentage rate (APR) and variable rates that swing according to the market rate. A better option would be APR because credit card companies have to notify you before raising rates.

The low interest rate being offered is usually only an “introductory rate” which means the rate can – and probably will – increase significantly at the end of the introductory period. This means that balances transferred from higher interest rate credit cards to the new, low introductory rate card could, over the long run, actually cost you more in interest payments. So, be aware of the terms and conditions before you sign to accept the card.

Know that a credit card may carry more than one rate. You may not aware that most of credit cards carry more than one rate. The balance transfer and cash advance normally have higher interest rate. Interest rate shows in the offer normally is the interest rate of your purchases with credit card. Hence, at the end you probably pay higher interest rate if you have balance transfer or withdraw any cash advance with your credit card.

Credit card companies may raise the interest rate if you have late payment. Some credit card companies will immediately raise your interest rate from introductory teaser rate to the regular rate if you are late just one time.

Don’t accept the new credit card offer if fee involved. If there is fee involved with your new credit card, don’t accept the offer. Why pay a fee for a credit card when, with good credit, you don’t have to? If you have good credit, there are many other better offers which you can choose from.

Many of these cards are just preliminarily approved. This means that when you actually apply, the credit card company will reviewing your credit report in full as well as verifying information provided on your application. Terms and conditions may change according to your qualification, such as higher interest rate or smaller credit line. And if your application is rejected, it could cause at least minimal damage to your credit report.

So, in order to protect yourself, you need to carefully read all of the fine print in the offer and, if you don’t fully understand and like everything you read, throw the credit card offer away. Even if you fully agree with the stated terms and conditions, do some calculations to be sure that the lower introductory rate, especially in the case of balance transfers, will actually save you money over the long run.

Comparing 0 APR Credit Cards

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.

Chase Continental Presidents Club Credit Card

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.

American Express Blue Credit Card – Review

The American Express Blue Credit Card is a cut above many of the other varieties of credit cards out on the market today. Absolutely loaded with advance features, it truly is a card for the tech savvy consumer. It truly is like no other credit card you will find in your wallet, and for many carrying the American Express Blue Credit Card allows them a certain piece of mind that they can’t find in any other card offering any low competitive interest rate. The American Express credit card comes with a low APR rate and no annual fee, but that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to reasons one should carry the American Express Blue Credit Card.

It has never been so simple and easy to manage your American Express Blue Credit Card account online. It is simple to view up-to-date billing information including payments made online and transaction charges 24/7. You can also receive automatic e-mail account alerts with your American Express Blue Credit Card. These alerts are offered to help you keep track of your account activity. The automatic e-mail updates help you avoid late payments, keep tabs of your credit line, and more.

Your Year-End Summary is also available online. The Year-End Summary of charges provides one with 24-hour access to an entire year’s worth of account information on your American Express Blue Credit Card. The useful and flexible features make organizing your personal expenses a breeze. You can even download a summary to print out. The Year-End Summary is an outstanding tool for getting your taxes ready and planning one’s budget.

The dedicated folks at American Express Blue Card customer service are there to handle your needs. Around the clock, 24/7 they are there for you. Simply call the number on the back of your American Express Blue Credit Card should you require assistance.

Around the clock, 24/7, American Express Customer Service is there to handle your needs with the kind of service that keeps cardmembers happy and loyal for years to come. For fast and speedy service, you can call the phone number on the back of your American Express Blue Credit Card.

The American Express Blue Credit Card also features a fee-free rewards program.You can easily earn points toward fantastic rewards from the places you like to buy from. Earning one point for virtually every dollar you charge with the American Express Blue Credit Card is easy. It is always easy to enroll in the membership rewards program for cardholders at the sign up page on the American Express website.

ExpressPay is also an exciting payment service you can access with your American Express Blue Credit Card account. ExpressPay makes it super easy to pay for all those everyday quick charges with a simple swipe. This feature of the American Express Blue Credit Card allows you make purchases without having to swipe your card. If in a dash to get somewhere all you have to do is hold up your American Express Blue Credit Card to the reader terminal next to the checkout. This allows you added safety as it exposes your details to far fewer strangers than that of many of the other credit cards. This process is already set up at thousands of locations nationwide. You can visit www.americanexpress.com/expresspay for more information.

The Lowdown on the Orchard Bank Secured Credit Card

When your credit history is proving to be a hindrance to your financial well-being, perhaps it is time for you to get a secured credit card. One of the cards worth your consideration would be the Orchard Bank MasterCard secured card issued by the HSBC Bank of Nevada.

This card targets customers with poor or limited credit ratings, and aids them towards improving their credit histories. A secured credit card works by requiring the card holder to deposit cash into their credit card account prior to utilization. This way, this credit card prevents its card owners from incurring more debt whilst helping them re-establish their credit history.

An additional advantage unique to this card is that the deposits in the account are paid interests by the bank. In the effort to establish a healthy credit rating, customers must bear in mind that late payments must be avoided, and they have to be aware of the current annual percentage rate for the card as the APR of the Orchard Bank Secured Credit card is based on a variable rate. Although, the regular rate now stands at 15.90%, the actual rate is dependent on the Prime Rate. APRs for cash advances are higher than most cards at 23.40%, with a minimum rate of 19.99%.

Interestingly enough, the annual fees for the Orchard Bank Secured Credit Card is lower than other most unsecured credit cards. Balances above $1000 will only incur fees of $35 whilst card holders who have charged more than their credit limits will only be charged only $29. Also, there are periodic reviews of the credit limit for each account, so regular payments will enable the card holder to obtain higher credit limits and at the same time improving their credit history.

Finally, the Orchard Bank secured credit card also offers a lot of perks not evident in other competing credit cards. These would include Internet services, emergency replacements for stolen cards as well as numerous protection services against fraud and identity theft.