Credit cards can be considered to be one of the many basic necessities of the modern world. Credit cards are available nowadays in abundance. One type of credit card specifically is the so-called 0% APR credit card. 0% APR credit cards were introduced in the late 1980s and to this day has still proven to be one of the most sought-after credit card types available anywhere. As with all credit card types, there are a certain tips and tricks surrounding 0% APR credit cards that all potential card applicants should be made aware of.

With the help of a 0% APR credit card, it means that you need not only pay the outstanding balance; and what more you could even charge up to the limits without having to sustain any monthly interest charges. However, sometimes, one tends to think just how these credit card companies can afford to provide 0% APR credit cards, and make a profit out of it?

Although 0% APR credit cards may not comprise any monthly charges, it is sure to come with annual fees which you are obliged to pay for the privileges of a 0% APR credit card. These annual fees usually run from $15 to $20 or sometimes, even higher. Having a 0% APR credit card doesnt mean that you can pay your dues whenever and whichever way you intend to. It IS necessary to make your payments on time, or else, you will have to pay for high overdue fees. For each late payment, the 0% APR credit card holder has to pay fees that may range from $20 to $40. With habitual late payments, these meager amounts may accumulate to a hefty total!

It should be remembered that 0% APR credit cards are usually offered for only a stipulated period of time. This credit card interest may hold good for only a fixed period of time, usually ranging from 3 up to 15 months. On the completion of this period, a higher rate of interest may come in vogue, usually 12% or higher. You could easily transfer any existing credit card balances to a new 0% APR credit card to get 0% interest on the transferred balance. In this way, the credit card holder has to pay less interest for a stipulated period of time, and thus get a chance to clear outstanding balances as quickly as possible.

When applying for a 0% APR credit card, it is always better to read the terms and agreements of the credit card. Not to overstate an obvious question, but why should one do so? Simply because many credit cards may come with a default rate wherein late payments not only incur a late payment fee, but it would also include a default rate that will be added to the annual percentage rate. This in turn doubles the figures on the existing balances and on the new purchases made on the card moving forward. Ouch!

One very important point to take into account when applying for a 0% APR credit card is to read all paragraphs of the agreement, otherwise known as the fine print. This is because though it is illegal for a credit card company to hide their fees and charges, it is nonetheless legal for them to mention these points in small print! The 0% APR credit card companies thus usually announce in large and bold print about their 0% APR but hide the facts that this is only for a limited period of time and any extra fees which might be included are done so in very fine print.

Another trick that is up the sleeve of 0% APR credit card companies is to install sky-high APRs right after the amount of 0% APR balance transfers are paid down. In other words, the money you first pay to the credit card company is applied to the transfer, and any other purchases you make will be charged a high APR. Sometimes, credit card companies may also go to the extent of sending you a different card than the 0% APR credit card you had initially applied for. In this way, you are not allowed the 0% APR but a different card offer with different terms and conditions. The card issuers typically rationalize this behavior based on the card issuer determining that you do not meet the qualifications for a 0% APR credit card. Qualifications for a 0% APR credit card is usually found in the small print of the agreement, and is usually overseen by applicants!

It can thus be seen that though 0% APR credit cards do seem to be rather inviting, there are some loopholes and tricks to their use. As always, it is highly recommended to read the terms and conditions on the card application agreement for the 0% APR credit card, or any type of credit card application, thoroughly in order to avoid any future problems, headaches or financial surprises.

Author: Robert Alan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: PCB Prototype & Manufacturing

Low interest credit cards are essential tools for the frequent credit card user. Because many people cannot pay off their credit cards entirely when the bill arrives each month, enrolling in a low interest rate credit card program can help you keep your interest rate fees to a minimum. There are a variety of highly feasibly strategies available for shoppers that are in the market for low interest credit cards.

Background

Before you begin shopping for the best available low interest credit card, it is important to understand how rates are set. You probably know that all people wishing to obtain any sort of credit in the U.S. must go through a “credit check.” A credit check is essentially a survey of your past credit transactions that will help to determine the degree of liability that a credit card company may have to assume if you are going to be a client. Because there are so many credit card users representing a variety of backgrounds, individuals are assigned a unique “credit score.” In general, the higher your score is, the better chance you have of obtaining a low interest credit card.

Balance Transfer

While no credit card company can readily offer an interest-free card (at least for the long-term), you may be able to frequently transfer your credit card balance to a company that offers so-called “cheap credit cards.” Cheap credit cards are, essentially, credit cards that offer a limited-time-only promotion whereby individuals that enroll to receive a special low interest credit card will benefit from a 0% interest for a pre-determined amount of time. Buyers: beware. Often, when a company offers a 0% introductory rate, they make up for the generosity by drastically increasing the rate once the trial period has expired. For this reason, many individuals that use these cheap credit cards frequently migrate their balances from one low interest credit card provider to the next.

Be a Long-term Client

While migrating your balance from one company offering cheap credit cards to the next may seem like a strategic move, the frequent moving actually has a negative long-term effect on your credit score. Each time you open and close a credit card account, your credit score is threatened. The more you open and close the less stable you will appear. Therefore, your credit score will necessarily be lowered. However, there is hope for long-term clients wishing to obtain a low interest credit card. No matter how low or high your interest rate is when you initially enroll in a program, if you can establish a strong history with a credit card company, you will be in a good position to negotiate a low interest rate.

Shop Around

It may seem intuitive, but many credit card users neglect to shop around for the best rates. Instead, they sign up with whichever low interest credit card company that offers an appealing rate on the direct mail campaign. However, with a little research, you will likely find that there is a huge disparity between the rates that various credit card companies are prepared to offer. Also, if you are a member of any professional organization, you may qualify for an additional discount on the interest rate. Do your research; you will find that education will be your finest asset when selecting a low interest rate credit card.

Everyone wants to shop using a low interest credit card. No matter how affluent you are, many people bulk at the idea of paying high interest rates month after month. Regardless of your existing credit score, if you combine strategy and research, you can certainly find a slew of low interest credit cards that will make your purchasing experience much more pleasurable. Remember: cheap credit cards not only soothe any shopper’s conscious, but they allow shoppers to retain some extra cash that they can put towards more important purchases.

Author: Robert Alan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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A pound from one lender is as good as a pound from another. So when you’re shopping for a loan, the key issue becomes the interest rate. Consequently, when you read press advertisements and visit web sites, the Annual Percentage Rate of interest (APR) highly influences which lenders or loan brokers you apply to. After all, the government introduced APR’s as a standard calculation that every lender has to use, precisely to help the public make reliable comparisons.

But who’s checking that the APR’s are calculated correctly? Could some be cheating by promoting a lower APR than the rate they’re entitled to? The commercial success of a promotion can be hugely improved by a really low APR. We think some must be tempted, don’t you?

In a survey 92% of all loan advertisements checked quoted an APR Typical. (You’ll find below, a detailed explanation of what APR actually means including its variants). The APR Typical means that at least 66% of applicants approved for a loan are offered that APR rate or cheaper . No one included in that two thirds will have been offered a higher rate than the stated APR Typical .

The problem is that no independent body is checking these figures. So the system is open for cheating. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) regulates the selling of Personal loans but even they admit that their resources are over stretched and they only check on a reactive basis.

We think that’s administrative speak for hardly ever!

The influential trade magazine Moneyfacts, has twice raised the same concerns with the OFT asking them what checks are carried out on the APR’s quoted by lenders. After all lenders can get to the top of that magazine’s Best-Buy Tables with a low APR and win significant amounts of business as a result.

The OFT clearly needs to do more.

Understanding APR’s

APR

APR is short for Annual Percentage Rate. It illustrates the true cost of the money borrowed on loans, mortgages, and credit cards. And by law, consumers must be provided with that information.

The APR calculation takes into account the basic interest rate, any initial fees, when interest is charged (i.e. daily, weekly, monthly or annually) and any other costs you have to pay. As all lenders are legally required to calculate APR the same way, it should enable consumers to make meaningful cost comparisons between lending products.

So if one finance company is offering you a loan at 5.6% plus an application fee of 100 and another is offering you an interest rate of 5.8% with no fees, then a comparison of the APR figures will prove which of the loans is cheapest.

APR Variable
When you see APR with the word Variable written after it, this means that the interest rate can vary whilst you are repaying the loan the interest rate is not fixed.

APR Variable Typical
This variant is used in 92% of all loan advertisements. It means that the advertiser can’t be specific about the interest rate applicants will be offered as their rates vary, usually in response to the applicant’s personal credit ratings and the amount of money they want to borrow. Therefore, APR Variable Typical is used to give the public a general impression of the interest rates currently on offer from that lender. The addition of the word Typical means that at least 66% of applicants approved for a loan are offered that rate or cheaper . Then when a loan offer is confirmed, the paperwork will reveal the actual APR or APR Variable actually being offered.

Don’t forget that the word Variable within the description also means that the interest rate isn’t fixed and may vary from time to time, go up or down.

APR Typical
This is the same as APR Variable Typical except that the interest rate is not variable – it is fixed for the duration of the loan.

Author: Michael Challiner
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Low interest credit cards are an ideal choice for those who are looking for the much needed financial flexibility to become debt free. Many of you many wonder how low interest rate credit cards can help get you out of debt, when it appears on the surface, that most credit cards seem to help get people into debt. But if used wisely and with discipline, these type of cheap credit cards can provide the right kind of financial assistance during any tough financial crisis.

How Can I Get Out of Debt with Low Interest Credit Cards?

You need cash immediately to get out of the debt created by high interest credit cards but you have no option to raise the money right? What if a company offers low interest credit cards as low as 0% APR as an introductory offer? And, what if they give the option of transferring your card balance from your high interest rate credit card to your low interest credit card? Yes! You would probably consider it a windfall because it can really help bail you out of your current financial situation.

If you are wise, you can make great use of such low interest credit cards to assist you in paying your outstanding debts. There are several credit card companies offering their service at unbelievably low rates. The truth of the matter is that these type of cards utilize different promotional offers in order to rope in new customers, but also to retain existing customers as well. You definitely should not need shy away from this type offer because of outstanding debts. In fact, these types of low interest credit card offers are tailored uniquely for your circumstance. The competition among credit card companies is so high that there will be several companies willing to do business with you irrespective of your financial situation, good credit or not so good.

The greatest advantage of low interest rate credit cards is obviously their low APR. It allows you to save a lot of money on interests. The savings from these types of cheap credit cards should be used to aggressively bring down your outstanding card balances. Remember, it is the balance on credit cards that gets you in trouble. So, you should try to get rid of it as quickly as possible. You might think that by making a small payment that you are at least paying something, however, it does not solve the problem as the principal amount actually grows if you only make small or minimum payments.

Financial Discipline

Some people use low interest credit cards as a license to overspend as the APR is so low and cheap. But nothing could be further from the truth. Low interest rate credit cards alone cannot get you out of debt traps. Strict financial discipline and proper financial planning is necessary for it. Low interest credit cards can then act as a booster or catalyst to solve your debt problems.

To avoid further debt traps, you should aggressively pay down the low interest credit card and utilize the card for additional purchases only if you can pay off both the new purchases as well as the existing debt payment. Remember, however, that if your card balance is large, it is best not to charge additional items on the card. You should focus on paying down the balance before incurring additional debt.

Things to Remember

Before applying for low interest rate credit cards, you should thoroughly assess your current financial situation. Keeping your personal financial situation in mind, you can mindfully search for the different types of low interest credit cards. Most people obviously want to transfer balances of high interest credit cards to low interest credit cards, and this is a very good option as it can save substantially on finance charges.

Make sure that transfer fees or other miscellaneous fees that might be involved do not negate the savings captured by a low interest card. Some cheap credit cards might have high interest rates that are applied to balance transfers, but lower APR’s on an ongoing basis, while some low interest rate credit cards only give introductory rates for a specific period of time. Before selecting any one of the low interest credit cards, get a clear idea about the introductory rate, balance transfer rate, cash advance rate as well as the ongoing long term APR.

Author: Robert Alan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Low APR credit cards are much more prevalent than in years past. Competition is stiff and credit card financial institutions offer many nice perks, rewards, points, low annual percentage rates (APR) and other inducements. They want to capture new customers who’ve never had a credit card but also those who already have a credit card and might like to save money by transferring that card’s balance on to their new low APR credit cards.

Of course, there is nothing lower in an APR than zero – and those exist too, although sometimes for a limited time period. It may be that the lowest, or even the zero percentage APR is for an introductory period, after which the rate is higher. The permanent APR is what you want to watch out for, of course. Although if you’re not opposed to doing a lot of switching, you can always purchase a low APR credit card, or zero percentage APR credit card, transfer the balance from your current high APR credit card, and then, once the introductory time period has expired and the APR is about to go up on your newest credit card, transfer the balance yet again to a brand new low APR credit card.

Let’s look at a few of the low APR credit cards out there, so you know what kinds of options are typically available to you.

Citibank, for example, offers low APR credit cards that give you five percent cash back on any purchase you making at grocery stores and gas stations with your low APR credit card, and one percent back for any purchase elsewhere. The APR on transfers is zero for the first year. If your transfer transaction is at least $1500 you will earn $5 cash back with the low APR credit card. There is no annual fee and the APR after the first year is 12.24 percent.

Discover has a platinum clear card whose low APR is continual. The first year the APR is zero, but after the first year it’s still a very competitive 9.99 percent. And there is no annual fee. With these low APR credit cards you earn a five percent cash back bonus on purchases made from hardware and home improvement retailers, restaurants, book vendors, and gas stations. If the retailer doesn’t qualify you for the five percent discount you will always get one percent back no matter what you buy and from where with this low APR credit card.

Chase Bank offers low APR credit cards as well. Its zero percent APR is good for six months, after which you will pay 10.49 percent. These low APR credit cards have no annual fee, and offer rewards at the rate of one point for every dollar spent with your Chase card. You can get free airline flights and hotel rooms, as well as cruises and auto rentals. This card also provides $500,000 worth of travel insurance for worldwide vacationing. You can also take advantage of a fifteen percent discount off a Hertz car rental with these low APR credit cards.

Author: Morgan Hamilton
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable pressure cooker

The APR is likely the single most important factor for determining which credit card is the right one for any given person. The amount of APR that you may have to pay on your credit card could save, or cost you a lot of money. Low APR credit cards are those with a low annual percentage rate, which is the amount of interest that will be paid on your credit card loan. Don’t pay too much for credit cards; get the low APR credit cards that really save you money.

Low APR credit cards with low annual fees and rewards are a good option for many people looking for credit cards, so dont be afraid to go to a credit card company offering a low apr credit card. People who allow the negative balance on their credit card to roll over from month to month will want and need a low APR credit card. If you are one of those people, then APR would be the most important factor for you. Low APR credit cards are a must for anyone who knows that they will be paying interest on their credit card. With a low APR credit card, people have the freedom to buy the things they need and the ability to pay their debt back easier and faster. Those who pay off their balance month to month may never notice the benefits of a low APR card, but if ever they are unable to pay off the balance because of an emergency or large purchase, a low APR will be very convenient for them.

Try not to be dazzled by all the card incentives, remember, the APR is supposed to be what youre after, and the additional sparkly, shiny offers are rewards for smart credit usage. In fact, the only time people are likely to want a higher APR credit card is when the benefits of the card outweigh the cost of the interest rate. Sometimes certain low APR credit cards are not available to new customers without a balance transfer. Usually companies use an extremely low APR to attract new customers, especially those interested in making balance transfers. Other lenders offer an APR on purchases as low as 0 percent but only for one year, and then, the APR rises to the standard rate.

Since nobody wants to pay a higher than average interest rate on a credit card balance, it is worth looking for a card that offers a lower than average APR. The lower the APR (annual percentage rate), the lower your payments, and that equals more money in your pocket. You can also search on the Internet for sites that give the best low apr credit card ratings. Even with questionable credit, you have the power of the internet at your fingertips, so you can search hundreds of credit card offers that are all battling for your business, and many will offer you the most competitive APRs and overall interest rates or rewards to get and maintain your business. Lower APR credit cards really help any consumer out by giving them a little leeway to pay off balances with little penalty and little interest being built up, instead of an endless cycle of revolving debt that so many of us have found ourselves stuck in at one time or another, or currently.

When combining credit cards and annual percentage rates, the best formula results in low APR credit cards. Even if you have every intention of paying the card balance off each month, circumstances may result in carryover for a month or more. Having a low APR credit card makes paying the extra cost a little easier to handle. So shrewdly analyze your ability to pay off debt, and then examine many of the introductory offers for the lowest possible APR for the longest period of time and remember it is best to check out each company and compare their Low APR credit cards, because they may be the lowest for the first year and then they could be among the highest after their promotional period is over.

Author: Art Taylor
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Smart cooker

A host of low interest credit cards is already in the e-marketplace favoring those with a revolving credit – in other words, those who carry a monthly balance. The interest rates on these cards tend to be around 10% while the rates on normal cards could be as high as 16% to 18%. The interest rates offered on these low interest credit cards could be fixed or variable. The fixed interest rate is relatively low in comparison to the variable interest rate. Fixed rate is advisable for those who carry a balance every month. Good credit history is required to get these low interest rate credit cards, which makes it difficult for many potential customers to acquire one.

How Do The Credit Card Companies Make Money?

Low interest rates charged on these cards are compensated in various ways by the credit card companies. Some of it includes, high annual fees, low introductory offer for only a limited period, and high transfer rates.

Searching For the Best Low Interest Credit Cards

The Internet is the best resource to evaluate various low interest rate credit cards. Since the credit card market is cluttered with various options, these low interest credit cards are marketed aggressively. A potential cardholder can negotiate the average interest rate from 10% to 6% if they have an exceptionally good credit rating. In case you have poor or low credit rating, you can negotiate with the credit card company for a better interest rate provided you give enough proof to substantiate steady income and a potential for your earnings to sustain in the future.

A cheap credit card, with low interest rates, helps you to maintain an increased credit limit at a lower monthly credit balance. You also need to consider the annual fee for such low cost cards as, in some cases, the actual interest rate of these cards could work out to be much higher than a regular card. Hence, it is advisable to choose a card that has low or zero annual fees. Most of these low interest credit cards offer 0% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for the introductory period. However, you need to be careful about the rates offered at the end of the introductory offer as they could escalate to phenomenally high rates after the introductory period is over.

Therefore, it is important to note the fine print in these offers because if various options are not evaluated carefully, it may defeat the basic purpose of obtaining these cards in the first place.

A Low Interest Credit Card Helps Saves Money

Low interest rate credit cards can greatly help in debt reduction and management of credit card expenses, provided care is taken to evaluate the various parameters.

* Balance transfer – Attractive interest rates of 5 to 9% are offered by many credit card companies, which enable you to pay off debt at a lower cost. It is wise to consider the 0% introductory offer, though it should not be the primary influencing factor in choosing the card.

* Debt Consolidation – Debt consolidation is best done with low interest rate credit cards. It is financial prudence on your part to consolidate your debt using a low interest credit card especially since so many offers are available with little or no transaction fees. Along with incurring lower interest rates, the savings on these transfers can be used to pay off the principal sum. In addition, debt consolidation with cheap credit cards helps to track all your credit card expenses.

* Cash Back Programs and Rewards – Many of these low interest rate credit cards in the market, in an effort to lure the customer, offer reward and cash back programs that allows you to earn reward points for every dollar spent on your card. In addition, these cards also collaborate with other merchants like restaurants, drug stores, shopping malls and offer good value for money deals.

So explore all such options before you sign up for the first low cost credit card that comes your way. If you want low interest credit cards to help reduce your debt burden, you must consider its annual fee, rate of interest etc. Low interest rate credit cards that offer rewards and cash back do not really help you reduce debts but they help save money in other ways. So cheap credit cards are only cost effective if you are able to exploit them to your own advantage.

Author: Robert Alan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Pressure cooker

As the competition between various credit card companies is increasing, they
are adopting more attractive offers to acquire new customers. Though not new but
0% APR credit cards are also in the league of such offers. APR stands for
Annual Percentage Rate – which in simple terms is the interest charge by
companies on outstanding credit card balance. So a 0% APR means no interest is
charged from the credit card holder.

0% APR credit cards come with many flavors:

0% APR for the life of credit card

0% APR for a limited period

0% APR offers for some services and a different APR rate for other
services.

A credit card holder should face the fact that this kind of offer is only a
marketing strategy and won’t last for long. This is because that a credit card
company is there to make money for their services and the APR is their leading
money spinner. The 3 must ask questions listed below will surely
help you get a perspective on your 0% APR credit card and make an informed
decision.

1. How long will the 0% APR offer last?

If it is not for the entire life of credit card how long is the 0% APR offer
going to last. Some credit card companies give this offer for 6 months, some 1
year and some for even more than that. If other things are the same the one with
the longest 0% APR offer should interest you.

2. What APR will be
charged after the introductory period expires?

What will the credit card companies charge you when the 0% APR offer expires
should be your main concern. Because the credit card company has already losing
revenue by giving you a 0% APR credit card offer it could try to compensate with
a higher APR after the intro period expires. Compare this APR with the APR’s of
other credit cards which offer similar services. You shouldn’t get ripped
because you fell into a 0% APR credit card trap. This feels bad afterwards.

3. What are other fees and benefits of the credit card?

0% APR coupled with a high annual fees and other charges could wipe out the
savings you intend by taking a 0% APR credit card. Also ensure the APR on cash
advances, purchases, and balance transfer. If a 0% APR credit card offer tries
to compensate for the loss in revenue by charging exorbitant APRs on other
services its better to avoid it. Knowing about the different features and
benefits is also helpful.

The idea is not to get ripped off by the credit card companies and get
maximum benefits on the 0% APR credit card. The credit card companies sugar coat
their offers to lure new customers but, it is in the interest of credit card
holder to ask right questions and get complete facts before applying for any 0%
APR credit card.

Author: Duran Mueller
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you are struggling with ever-increasing credit card debt, a 0% APR credit card could be the magic wand for you. There are a number of 0% APR credit cards in the marketplace. These 0% interest credit cards offer cardholders zero percent on new purchases and certain 0% APR credit card offers also allow balance transfers, lowering the interest burden even further.

The Truth About 0% APR Credit Cards

These types of 0% APR credit cards are offered by popular credit card lenders including American Express, Citibank, Chase, HSBC, and Discover. These cards have many benefits to offer if you have a good to excellent credit rating.

Keep in mind, that the zero percent offered with these cards is not permanent. It is an introductory rate and is typically offered for ninety days to as long as 12 months. At the end of the interest-free or zero percent periods, cardholders will have to pay a higher ongoing interest rate. Generally, these rates could vary between 10 % – 14% and sometimes can be as high as 24%.

A 0% APR credit card is ideal when you want to purchase something expensive but cannot find another way to finance it. There will be no interest charges for the in and you will have the introductory buffer period to pay off the expense. But buyer beware … make sure you can pay the purchase off before the introductory APR expires.

Most 0% Interest credit cards allow balance transfers from your existing higher interest cards and many will waive the transfer fees. This is one of the best methods to pay off debts at a faster rate, leading to substantial savings on the interest charges incurred.

It is possible that a single credit card can have multiple APRs including the following:

1) One APR for balance transfers, one for purchases, and one for cash advances the APR normally would be higher for cash advances compared to balance transfers and purchases.

2) Tiered APRs Different APR levels can be assigned for different account balance levels or tiers, e.g., 15% for balances between $1 – $500 and 17% for balances higher than $500, etc.

3) Introductory APR 0% APR as the introductory offer and a higher rate upon expiration of the introductory period.

4) Penalty APR A penalty APR rate may apply if you are late with your payments.

The Traps to Watch Out For:

A 0% APR credit card is an attractive proposition, and often is too tempting an offer to resist. However, it is essential to be informed about the often-untold catches in these lucrative offers.

1. The 0% APR is a Limited Time Offer In general, the 0% APR offered is only for a limited period. The period could vary from 3 months to 12 months. This implies that purchases made during this period will not attract any interest. You need to be cautious about the expiry period and remember to pay off before the period ends inorder to avoid hefty interest charges.

2. Once the introductory period is over, the 0% APR credit card may have a ridiculously high interest rate like 20% or higher.

3. On-Time Payment Most of these 0% interest credit cards require you to pay the minimum payment on time every month during the introductory period. Late payments will result in penalties that include shifting the remaining balance to a much higher APR.

4. Complete Payment Certain 0% APR cards require you to pay off the balance entirely before the expiration period of the introductory offer. If not, the default high interest rate could be applied to the entire balance. Ensure that you understand these credit card terms clearly.

5. Applicability of the 0% APR Most of the 0% Interest cards offer the 0% APR on new purchases and balance transfers in the introductory period. However, there are some cards that offer 0% APR on balance transfers only with higher applicable APR’s on new purchases.

6. Other Fees Some credit card companies compensate the 0% APR by charging high annual fees or transfer fees on balance transfers.

7. Cap on Balance Transfer Certain cards may have a cap or limit on the balance transfer amount. This means that the 0% APR will apply only for the amount within the cap limit and anything more will be charged the default higher APR.

While it may be an attractive offer to go for 0% APR credit cards, it may not be a wise decision in certain scenarios. So, before you seriously consider a 0% APR credit card, it is essential to compute credit balances, interest rates, and your pay off capability. Read the terms and conditions carefully to avoid credit traps. Understanding the fine print could have substantial savings apart from trouble free credit rating.

Author: Robert Alan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger

When searching online for the best low interest rate credit cards do not make the assumption that all credit cards are created equal. The fact is unless you spend a little bit of time researching to find the best credit card deal you may not end up with as low of an interest rate as you had initially planned. Just like any other purchase it is always wise to do some comparison shopping even if it is only for a low interest rate credit card. The best card should be one that offers both a low interest rate on purchases as well as cash advances. A word of caution when comparing low interest rate credit card deals and offers. Some cards may only offer the lower interest for 6 months or for an initial balance transfer. What initially seemed like the best low interest rate credit card can suddenly turn out to be a credit card nightmare if you are sitting on a large balance at the end of that introductory time period.

Low interest rate credit cards with attractive introductory rates and low interest rate credit cards with low fixed rates can each save you money when it comes to interest expenses. All of the major credit card companies, including MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express, offer low interest credit cards. Often, these companies will send mailings to your home or advertise their low interest rate credit cards on television. While advertisements and mailings provide you with a great way to learn more about your available options, you should also research other low interest credit cards.

Low interest rate credit cards are often offered to people with excellent credit ratings. Low interest credit cards can provide you with substantial savings when it comes to interest expenses. Of course, the best way to save on interest is to pay the balance of your credit card off at the end of each billing cycle. In this way, you get to borrow the money for a brief time without having to pay any interest. The 0% introductory rate many low interest credit cards give provides you with one great way to save on interest expenses, but remember you will need to pay off the balance entirely when the introductory period is over in order to get the optimum savings on interest expenses. If this is not a possibility for you, then be sure to select low interest credit cards that remain low interest after the introductory period is over.

Low interest rate credit cards are the ones that are always advertised in the media, be it on the Internet, at credit card websites, in magazines, et cetera and there are many banks and credit card companies offering low interest credit cards; some companies offer attractive interest rates of between 5% and 9%. What these companies do not tell consumers is that only a small percentage of those who apply for a low interest credit card will actually be approved. You might be approved for a credit card if you apply, but it will probably be at a substantially higher interest rate unless you are one of the privileged few who have a high credit rating and high income.

There are many reasons why these low interest credit cards work so well, but there are also some things to look out for when choosing a low interest rate credit card. For instance, some credit cards might offer a low interest rate but require you pay an annual fee of $50 or $60. When the expense of the annual fee is factored in, the effective interest rate is higher than the actual rate stated.

As you can see, a low interest rate credit card can be very helpful, but only if it truly meets your financial needs, based on your spending and paying patterns. You should also know many consumers consider low interest rate credit cards are truly the best credit cards to hold. To determine if you are interested in a low interest credit card, visit a credit card website, and make credit card comparisons, then decide if the low interest credit card is the best credit card for your financial portfolio.

Author: Art Taylor
Article Source: EzineArticles.com