credit card debt, PA Pennsylvaniacredit card debt - PA Pennsylvania: credit card,credit card bank,secured credit card,student credit card,credit card debt,bad credit credit card,visa credit card,credit card application,low interest credit card,unsecured credit card. Due Date. The day a payment is due to a creditor. FAQ about credit cardsGrace periods -- This is the amount of time you have to pay off balances without incurring interest charges. Savvy card users take advantage of it and save money. But even veterans can be caught off-guard, as many issuers have cut grace periods from 25 days to 20 with little advance notice. And if you do sign up be sure the company offering them is the right one (i.e., do they come directly from the card issuer?). If not, contacting the card company to be sure the cards are authorized. Over The Limit Fees: Most consumers who carry high credit balances do not pay their balances in full each month. This means that they are paying high credit card interest rates. When these interest charges accrue at compound rates, it is not that difficult to find oneself suddenly over their credit limit. Over the limit fees are steep, often as much as $25.00. If the over-limit status is carried on over different billing cycles, limit fees can be charged for each month. If you report the loss before the card is used, you can’t be held responsible for any unauthorized charges. If a thief uses your card before you report it missing, the most you’ll owe for unauthorized charges is $50. Another good strategy is to pay the bill as soon as it arrives, even if you can only make the minimum payment. Giving your issuer the 2 percent minimum payment it wants ASAP is a great way to guard against late fees. In recent years many financial institutions began marketing a complete range of credit cards featuring a wide variety of options. Some credit cards offer low interest rates where other’s offer benefits such as insurance coverage for travel and cash advances. A Discover® credit card offers you the most popular features and options for the cardholder. With a Discover® credit card you can arrange for no annual fee, online account access, and the Cashback Bonus award. Having a Discover® credit card allows you to redeem increments of $20 in a several ways through the Cashback Bonus award program. The innovative plan allows you to receive a Cashback Bonus as a direct payment to yourself, or as a credit directly applied to your Discover® Credit Card account. In addition, having a Discover® Credit Card allows you your choice of Card designs. I think it’s a big thing to learn how to save money using different kinds of credit cards and in turn using THEM to make money for you. I put everything on credit cards that give me rebates. Although, some credit card companies charge annual fees in place of the rebates so you have to be careful. Great Credit cards to obtain if you pay them off each month include the Citgo Visa Preferred Card and the Freedom Card from Chase, it actually gives you 1% back, unlike Discover that waits a year and you’re lucky to get a FULL 1% back! The Freedom Card gives you 3% back on gas purchases and 1% back in rebates. Just remember to pay these higher interest rewards cards off each month, It will teach you to pay bills and earn money. Gold or Platinum These are usually for the higher earners, offering higher credit limits and other benefits. They are sometimes thought of as a status symbol. Store Cards These are credit cards offered by shops, such as Marks and Spenser. These are usually not as competative as other cards available and so are not generally recommended. They have a higher interest rate than regular card charges. They carry no grace period; interest charges begin to mount as soon as the money spits out of the ATM. Many issuers also require you to pay down the balances for purchases before you pay down the higher-interest cash advance balance. If a marketer assures you that reliable information about you will be reported to credit bureaus, call the bureaus to confirm that the merchant is a member. Unless gold or platinum card merchants are subscribers to credit bureaus, they won’t be able to report information about your credit experience. Purchasing Card. This card allows a company to place orders directly with suppliers and charges them to the card. If you are currently searching for a credit card application, why not search online where you will come across many easy to get credit cards. There are a wide variety of companies that offer a credit card application to suit every individuals needs. You will be able to compare the easy to get credit cards available with the various other financial institutions. Always keep credit information current by obtaining copies of credit records at least once yearly after resolving problems. This will also act as an alert to any credit fraud that may be occuring. Annual Percentage Rate. The APR is a measure of the cost of credit, expressed as a yearly rate. It also must be disclosed before you become obligated on the account and on your account statements. Two-cycle Balances. Issuers sometimes use various methods to calculate your balance that make use of your last two month’s account activity. Read your agreement carefully to find out if your issuer uses this approach and, if so, what specific two-cycle method is used. Here’s how some different methods of calculating finance charges affect the cost of credit: Average Daily Balance (including new purchases) Average Daily Balance (excluding new purchases) Monthly rate 1 1/2% 1 1/2% APR 18% 18% Previous Balance $400 $400 New Purchases $50 on 18th day $50 on 18th day Payments $300 on 15th day $300 on 15th day (new balance = $100) (new balance = $100) Average Daily Balance $270 * $250 ** Finance Charge $4.05 (1 1/2% x $270) $3.75 (1 1/2% x $250) * To figure average daily balance (including new purchases): ($400 x 15 days) + ($100 x 3 days) + ($150 x 12 days) 30 days = $270 ** To figure average daily balance (excluding new purchases): ($400 x 15 days) + ($100 x 15 days) 30 days = $250 |