Effective debt management by choosing credit cards properly

Filed Under (Abbey credit card) by admin on 12-02-2010

0

Credit cards are indeed considered as one of the “miracles” in the financing industry it can also be considered as a “curse” when people who have availed of it are having debt management problems.

Many say that because of this plastic card, people are given better access to almost anything they need. From basic necessities like food, clothing, shelter, to almost all kinds of bills and obligations that people have to pay credit cards is a big help especially to a person’s better financial management. While it is true that credit cards bring so many advantages, people shouldn’t get too overwhelmed of the convenience it offers. While credit cards allow a person to use someone else’s for emergencies, it can also drown you into a pit of debt.

Which credit card is best for you?

There is no denying that a credit card is indeed an extremely and overwhelmingly useful and powerful financial tool if used properly. So, for you to use your card effectively without having to worry about debt management troubles that may come along the way, you must keep in mind the following considerations which can help you avoid debt management problems:

1. Proper identification of your credit need is a must. This is the first thing you must consider in choosing a credit card. Ask yourself why do you need it. Whether you need it for education, home improvement, and business or for purely for convenient purchasing need, you must have a specific target where you can use your credit card wisely. And since each and every one of them have their own strategies in luring you to choose their credit cards, you must clearly identify your priorities for a specific credit card.

2. Regardless of time constraint, conduct research, review and compare the credit cards available. This may seem very general and vague but this is the most basic thing one should do if he or she plans to apply for a credit card. You may research first what are the available credit cards out there. Today, there are actually hundreds of banks and other finance agencies that are offering credit cards and each of them has a lot to say about their product. By doing research through online and offline resources, you can learn more about credit card offers, and ratings. After doing extensive research on all of the cards, you may now review what they offer and start the “elimination process.”

3. Consider the credit card that can easily establish and strengthen contact with credit unions. As a credit card holder or a creditor, it is beneficial for you if you belong to a credit union. Being a non-profitable organization with a lower overhead, credit unions definitely offer numerous advantages like lower interest charge.

4. Opt for a credit card that has a low Annual Percentage Rate or APR. This refers to the measure of the cost of credit expressed as a yearly interest rate. To avoid debt management problems, it is a must that you check out the APR when availing of a credit card because this is the amount charged to you on monthly outstanding balances. Always remember the higher the rate, the higher the chances you will pay relatively high interest charges.

Since APR also concerns the periodic rate—the rate applied to your outstanding balance to figure out finance charges for each billing period—you must make sure that you choose a low APR credit card to avoid higher interest rates.

Choosing the right credit card to avoid debt management troubles

Filed Under (Abbey credit card) by admin on 23-11-2009

0

Credit cards are considered as a blessing to those who can use it properly. But to those who are having debt management problems because of undue usage of credit cards, it can be an excruciating curse because it can also give you a bad credit history if you don’t use it well.

In order to avoid debt management problems, people must know how to choose the right credit card for them. The following tips can help you choose the right credit card, which can veer you away from debt management problems. If you are getting your first credit card or you would want to avail of another, you must always:

- Consider interest rates. In most credit cards, interest rates come as “fixed-rate” or “adjustable rate”. If you opt not to choose low APR credit cards, you may consider choosing fixed rate credit cards. Many people—especially those who pay off their balance monthly or those who only use cards for small purchases-opt to use cared that has a fixed rate. Even if the rate is a point or two higher than the usual, it ensures that they can pay off their loan quickly without even noticing the difference.

- Conduct an extensive research on credit card fees, transaction fees, and other charges. Fees can be considered one of the bloodlines of most credit card companies. Since numerous companies are infamous for charging their clients fees that add up quickly, one should make sure to check the fees section of the credit card disclosure section before fully indulging into it. Some of the known fees collected are annual fees and cash advance fees.

- Check the length of “grace period.” The term “grace period” or “interest-free time” refers to the amount of time between the date of a purchase and the date interest starts being charged on that purchase. Majority of credit cards offers a standard grace period, which means that as long as the person pays for his/her bill monthly, there will be no finance charges. Since not all credit card companies offer a grace period, be careful not to choose them because they might charge interest immediately on every purchase you make.

- Avail of other benefits. Aside from convenience, other the additional benefits when one applies for a credit card include insurance, credit card protection, discounts, rebates and special merchandise. Other benefits also include rewards programs that lets you earn points that can give you cash back, free gas, gift certificates and free plane tickets. Before choosing the right credit card for you, you must consider whether or not these offers can make positive impact on your financial management.

- Take note of the credit limit. Basically, credit limit is defined in dollars as the total amount of credit a credit card holder is authorized to use. Apart from clearly identifying credit line and the size of the credit line, credit limit encourages and helps the holder to decide how reliable he/she can be when it comes to paying on time and keeping him/herself under the card’s limit.

- Make sure to understand all necessary and additional terms. While it is very important for you to identify first your credit card needs, it is equally important for you to understand almost all the underlying terms in credit card application and acquisition such as “amount due,” “minimum monthly payments,” and “prime rates” because many people are having a hard time managing their debt because they did not take time to fully understand these simple terms and its underlying conditions.