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Credit Card Rebates – Offer the Best Benefits

admin — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 21:36:10 +0000

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Credit card rebates are the perfect way for you to get some of the money back that you have spent throughout the year. More and more credit card companies are getting involved with rebate credit cards and reward credit cards because consumers have clearly shown increased interest in the rebate cards that offer the best benefits.

We all love to get something for nothing, but it very rarely happens. However credit card rebates give you that opportunity. If you have an existing credit card then you’re going to use it to make purchases anyway, so why not get a little extra back every time you use your card with these credit card rebates?

The idea of rebate credit cards has been around for quite some time. The concept works on the principal that a percentage of cash is retuned to the cardholder at the end of each year, based on the total amount of card charges. The more times you make a purchase with your card, and the more money you spend, the more money you get back. The percentage of money you get returned when you use your rebate credit cards varies. Some companies will offer excellent deals that give you up to 5% cash back on selected purchases, others offer rates starting at 1% on all purchases. This type of card was introduced primarily to keep the business of cardholders who purchase most of their goods by credit card, and who pay the outstanding balance every month.

Like all other credit cards, it’s prudent to shop around to find a rebate credit card that offers the best deal to suit your circumstances. If you don’t pay off your balance every month then it may not be the card for you, as the APR can be slightly higher than other cards on offer. However, if you are the type of person who does pay their balance off each month, then it’s the kind of card you should consider using. The rebate credit card is a good way to actually get paid for spending.

Many lenders offer credit card rebates in conjunction with other reward schemes. Some give discounts when you purchase selected items, or goods from partner companies. If you use a certain supermarket, gas station, or drug store regularly it would be extremely beneficial to you to get 5% of your cash back on every purchase. Find out which rebate credit card provider offers their rebate at the stores you regularly use. There are websites available online that will let you do a comparison on rebate credit cards, so you can find the best deals suitable for you.

Be sure to be aware of the terms and conditions of your credit card agreement, as some companies do have a limit on the value of rewards and credit card rebates you can claim in one calendar year. On a $300 reward maximum, you can spend $6000 annually on gas or at the supermarket, for example, if your card has a 5% rebate. If your family budget exceeds $6000 dollars why not apply for another card for your spouse. This way you can maximize the amount of money you are able to get back on your rebate credit card.

Some rebate credit cards insist you have a monthly balance remaining to qualify for the rewards. If you don’t carry a balance into the next month then no rebate is accumulated. This type of card doesn’t produce as many benefits. You end up paying interest on your balance, and as the rebate credit card normally has a higher APR, the benefits of the rebate can be negated. It’s important that you look out for this when choosing a new card.

One thing you shouldn’t do is buy goods you don’t need in order to get a rebate. You should also be aware that if you return an item your rebate is deducted. On the whole credit card rebates can be very useful if used correctly, it just depends on your situation.

0 APR Credit Card Truths and Traps

admin — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:55:32 +0000

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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.

Cool Offers from the Best Cash Back Credit Cards

admin — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:36:49 +0000

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Cash back credit cards are a shoppers delight and have proven to be a huge success after the innovation of the credit card itself. True to its name, the cash back credit card provides cash rebates or cash rewards to cardholders for making purchases using the card. The best cash back credit cards gives a higher rebate on purchases. Cash back programs have been in vogue from the middle of the twentieth century. Initially, they started with a flat rebate (about 1%) of the total purchase made by the customer.

Components of the Best Cash Back Credit Cards

The best cash back credit card can be evaluated on two components – the percentage earned on purchases and the method of its delivery to the customer. With plenty of options to entice you into spending more, it is important to consider certain things when choosing cash back credit cards. This includes – the rebate percentage, Annual Percentage Rate (APR), card partnerships with merchants and other services (like gas, restaurants), the method of getting the money back, and your annual fees. Some cards may have limitations like number of rebate points earned per year and validity period of the earned rebate points.

These cards are more suited for those who do not carry monthly balances. The APR for these cards tend to be higher than the normal cards, which in effect means that if the bill is not paid in full, it would cost more for the borrower than it should and could be. As a customer, you should be aware of the APR on the card, in order to determine if the ultimate finance charges will be more or less than the actual reward benefits earned. Most of the cards do not have an annual fee, have very low or 0% introductory APR, with the facility of balance transfer and attractive gifts. The best cash back credit cards have a higher percentage rebate on certain category purchases like grocery or fuel.

Most credit card companies offer a standard cash back percentage of 1%. Some might offer 5% or 2% in mutual partnership with select merchants like gas stations or drug stores. Certain cards may offer higher rebate percentage for the introductory period and then revert to a standard 1%. The customer should look for higher rebate percentage as higher the rebate percentage; the greater amount of money that can be earned by them. Some cards may offer higher cash rebate percentage with increased usage and others may offer a higher cash back percentage at select merchant or retailers like gas stations or supermarkets. It is important for the customers to choose a cash back credit card that provides special incentives with merchants or services the consumer uses frequently.

How the Best Cash Back Credit Card Works

Typically, most of the best cash back credit card companies offer cash back or reward on purchases, not on balance transfers or cash advances. Cash back programs can prove to be very expensive for credit card companies and they normally charge an annual fee for it. Nevertheless, with competition, many of these cards now have zero annual fees. In case annual fees are charged, it is worthwhile for you to ensure that enough is earned by way of rebate to justify the annual fee payment.

The best cash back credit cards credit the rebate back to the cardholder account. However, different credit card companies adopt different methods of repaying the customer. Some companies pay the cardholder once per year, some pay back as statement credits, while others require the cardholder to request for refund once enough points have been accumulated. Cash payment methods could be as varied as the reward credit cards. These include gifts, gift vouchers, statement credits, cheques, or deposits to bank accounts.

Eligibility for Cash Back Credit Card

Generally, companies require you to have a good or an excellent credit history to qualify for the best cash back credit card. With myriad of options, shopping for the best cash back credit card can be an overwhelming task. Yet with prudence, cash back credit cards provide a fantastic opportunity to get back part of the money that is spent on purchasing and using your credit cards.

Choose The Best Credit Card Offer

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:15:43 +0000

Credit card offers come in two most popular ways: whether by letter mails or by e-mails, so this does not surprise you when after logging onto your email account, you get this stream of credit card offers promising you this better feature than the other, giving you lower rates than the most, featuring more rewards, and so on and so forth. If you are someone who is easily smitten by these juicy offers, you could easily give in and apply to the first mail that caught your fancy.

How can you decide which company has the best credit card offer? While you may not believe it, it would all start with you. You have to think if you can handle a credit card wisely such that it would not let you leave in financial setbacks because of inability to pay for the bills in the end. This is typically the consequence of most cardholders who does not pay attention to how he is using the credit card. It usually ends up leaving them without enough funds when the bill arrived because of the substantial amount of purchases.

Before deciding to apply for a credit card, make sure you know how you can use it in the wisest manner. Otherwise, you can stick with your cash on hands; though that could be most inconvenient. If you have decided you can handle it, then, by all means, you can start hunting for the best credit card company.

First, know the annual percentage rates of the credit card companies. Do not be fooled on the advertisement of some companies which tells an obviously lower rate, but in fact has hidden charges. A zero-interest rate is even more doubtful, so take time to research how a zero-interest rate credit card would apply. Zero-interest rate feature could happen, but that could only be the introductory offer. What happens is it skyrockets without you properly informed and is already reflected on the bills after several months, so be cautious.

Second, learn of all the kinds of interest rates that the credit card company offers. There are credit card companies which offer fixed rate, wherein you will pay for a rate that will be charged the same rate all year round. Other company could charge variable rates, which keeps fluctuating, depending on the outside financial gauges.

Learn how credit card companies notify their customers regarding changes of balances. While others keep their clients updated with their accounts by sending monthly letter mails, others send through text messages or e-mails. This is a very important factor as you may expect another kind of notification from what the company is really providing; thus, may allow you to overlook some discrepancies with the statements.

It is also important to learn of the annual fees. Again, do not get fooled by some companies which offer free annual fee as this could only be part of introductory offer to the clients. The waived annual fee could only be on the first year after the membership, and may start reflecting on the succeeding years after the bills of the first year.

Make sure you know how the credit card company takes charge of the lost credit cards. This should be stipulated as fraud program of the company, and review this portion to avoid hassles in the end. You can ask the company questions about this aspect for make things clearer.

Cool Offers from the Best Cash Back Credit Cards

admin — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 00:13:04 +0000

Components of the Best Cash Back Credit Cards

How the Best Cash Back Credit Card Works

Eligibility for Cash Back Credit Card

Cash Back Credit Cards Offer Many Rewards

admin — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:00:44 +0000

The benefits of cash back credit cards are easy to see. You spend some money and then you get some of it back just for using your credit card. But, is it really that easy? Can this be something that just is a good choice to have? Sometimes, good things are out there. Other times, there are plenty of drawbacks. Yet, when it comes to cash back credit cards, there are more good than bad if you take the time to do your homework, use the card wisely and choose the best card available.

How They Work

The cash back credit card works in a number of ways. Just as there are the many different types of merchants and retailers that accept this type of card, there are just as many if not more differences among the credit cards themselves. If you are looking for the ideal opportunity, then you should carefully consider each of the available options and determine which fits the best.

The cash back card works quite simply. You spend your credit card funds any way that you would like to. As you use your credit card, you will find benefits along the way. Some retailers will provide for higher rewards than others. Or, you may have the ability to earn cash back on virtually any purchase. As you use your cash back credit card, you benefit by having some of the funds that you spend refunded to you. Yet, what is important to know is how that actually occurs.

Some cash back credit cards will reward you with a simple credit on your outstanding credit balance. Others will send you a certificate or some other form of rebate. Before you sign up for a cash back card, however, make sure that you understand how you will get your cash back. If the method in which they do this is not one that fits your needs, obviously, you should not bother with the offer. Yet, most cash back cards offer the rebates to be rewarded simply and easily to cardholders.

Another Consideration

The cash back credit card is like any other credit card in how it is set up. Therefore, when you are considering it, determine if, in fact, the value of the cash back reward that you get is inline with the cost of using the credit card. A higher interest rate or a higher annual fee really can negate the overall benefit of the card substantially and might even be more expensive to maintain than your existing cards. Therefore, it is up to you to investigate at least several offers and definitively decide which one seems to fit. In doing so, compare the interest rate, any fees that including annual fees, cash advance fees or over-the-limit fees, and be sure to weigh those costs against how much that you anticipate the rewards will pay you back.

A cash back card is, quite simply, an outstanding financial opportunity if used properly. It is more beneficial to individuals that use their credit cards judiciously (i.e., consistently paying off the monthly card balance) and have a good credit history as these things can help to lower the interest rate that you are paying. Yet, if you are to truly benefit from them, you should invest some time in comparing the options that you have in various card offers.

Cash Back Credit Cards Offer Equal Benefits

admin — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 16:59:05 +0000

Cash back credit cards are becoming more common as more and more merchants and retailers accept credit cards as a form of payment. Although cash back cards might seem like an altruistic move by card issuers, the reality is that these cards generate significant profits for them. But the truth is that these cards also provide the significant opportunity for cash back rewards and rebates, offering potentially equal benefits for all parties involved.

Thanks to the growing resurgence in online business (and thus the growing resurgence in online credit card transactions), the market is seeing a variety of new, individualized credit cards unprecedented in history. And, in keeping with the online retailing trend, one of the most prevalent of the new credit cards is the cash back credit card. Cash back credit cards work on a very simple principle: when you shop–using your cash back credit card–at certain targeted retailers or stores, a portion of the money you spend comes back to you, either in the form of a credit to your account or a check (or in some cases a gift certificate to a particular retailer.) Although the rewards are fairly small, the money you get at the end of the year amounts in some ways to a free gift from the credit card company: a way of saying “thanks”. How generous the card issuer is, right–altruistic, even?

It’s a bit more complex than that. Cash back credit cards can only function as a promotional mechanism for the card issuer and can only offer them as an incentive for increased purchase activity. You might think that the company just doles out these rewards from the money that cardholders inject into the company in the form of monthly interest, annual fees, and such, or simply from the credit card company’s cash reserves. But that’s not usually the case. The money that returns to you when you use a cash back credit card at a retailer wasn’t originally your money, or the credit card company’s money. It comes out of the retailers and merchants pocket where your transactions occur.

If you’ve ever had a credit card turned down at a restaurant or retailer because they don’t take your particular credit card, here’s why: in order to process credit card transactions, retailers pay a small percentage of the purchase amount as a fee that is payable to the credit card company. These fees are a significant profit center for the card issuers who have figured out how to co-op increased purchase activity be sharing a percentage of the merchants transaction costs with the cardholders. Ingenious, isnt it?

If a credit card company has a cash back credit card that offers 5% of your money back on all gas purchases, you have a real incentive to buy gas from your local station more often and to buy it on credit. This means that the credit card company benefits, first because you’re using their services more often (and thus accruing higher balances), and second because every time you use your card at a gas station, the station pays right along side you.

However, this is not a bad deal for the gas station, either, since more cardholders are frequenting their station and buying more gas, only a percentage of the price of which goes to the credit card companies. This means that they’re more likely to deal with that particular credit card company, since doing so is now a powerful source of revenue for them (as well as a slightly more powerful source of expense.) And finally, once cardholders get their cash back, guess where they’ll probably take at least a portion of it, using the freshly-added credit on their cash back cards?

It’s a clever, yet symbiotic relationship. But everyone in the cash back credit card circle seems to benefit. The credit card company and the gas station generate more business, and the individual cardholder gets essentially a discount on purchases in the form of cash rebates or rewards. While the cost of these programs for card issuers will likely increase as more cardholders begin to understand and utilize these card products more effectively for their personal gain, the popularity of cash back credit cards with consumers is not likely to wane anytime soon. While not entirely altruistic, for everyone in the cash back benefit loop, cash back cards still make sense.

Choose The Best Credit Card Offer

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:40:38 +0000

Best Reward Credit Cards Offer Smart Choices

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:05:13 +0000

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When comparing the best reward credit cards, it makes sense to investigate everything, including the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) as well as any reward features that the card may offer. Potential cardholders should take into account the manner in which they handle their credit purchases. For instance, if the cardholder intends to make a large purchase using a credit card but plans to pay for the charge over the course of several months, then a low interest credit card will be a better financial choice over a reward credit card. If a cardholder plans on repaying the charge immediately (even if the card features a higher interest rate), reward credit cards might be a better choice simply because the interest rate will have no financial impact and will almost always provide a greater range of rewards than a lower interest card.

Balance Transfers

If it is your intent to take advantage of a reward credit card that features a 0% balance transfer offer, it might make sense to choose a card that offers 0% on purchases as well, if at all possible. The reason this may be an appropriate step is that when you take advantage of the 0% balance transfer card offer, many times the APR on purchases will be significantly higher comparable to other card offers. So if you make a purchase using that credit card during the life of the balance transfer your new purchases will be subject to significant finance charges until the purchases are paid off. This can result in significant interest charges before you can begin paying on the newly purchased item. If you are unable to locate a reward credit card with a competitively low ongoing APR, it would make sense to obtain a secondary card for new purchases with a low interest rate, which would make the card balances more cost effective and easier to manage over time. The ideal scenario for cardholders would be to use a card with a 0% balance transfer offer that extends to new purchases during the introductory period.

Interest Rates

While researching card offers, you may notice that reward credit cards typically have a higher interest rate and in many cases require an annual fee. These fees and finance charges are used by the card issuers to help finance the rewards program that cardholders participate in. But if you are disciplined enough to pay off your credit card each month, the value of your rewards should dramatically exceed the cost of interest charges and fees that you might otherwise pay the card issuer. While credit card companies are well aware of that premise, they also know that the majority of our “spend-now-pay-later” oriented society will most likely not utilize the card in this manner.

By shopping for the best reward credit cards online, you have a fantastic opportunity to comprehensively evaluate offers, their benefits and their associated fees and potential finance charges. A thorough approach the card offer research will help determine which card provides the greatest benefit as well as long-term savings for your particular situation.

In short, if you are paying for purchases over a long period consider a lower interest card. If you pay back quickly, consider more of a rewards component in your search for the very best reward credit cards.

Cash Back Credit Cards – Finding the Best Available

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:35:28 +0000

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Cash back credit cards provide fantastic opportunities for those that carry them. For every purchase a cardholder makes with one of these cards, a cash rebate is earned. This makes cash back credit cards potentially very profitable for those that take the time to choose the best card available and then, of course, use it effectively. When looking for the best cash back credit cards, it is important to take several things under consideration.

One of the most important features to consider when searching for the best card is the actual rebate percentage provided. Most cash rebate cards provide cardholders a percentage of the amount charged to the card. Obviously, the higher the rebate percentage, the greater amount of money that can be earned so the consumer should look for the greatest rebate percentage available.

Most cash back credit cards are partnered with certain businesses that derive mutual benefit from cardholder purchases. For example, a cardholder may receive a 1% rate of return on general purchases, but a 5% rate if purchases are made at a certain gas station. Therefore, it is important for consumers to choose a cash back credit card that provides special incentives with businesses or services the consumer uses frequently. It certainly would not make much sense for a consumer to use a cash back credit card providing a special 5% rate for purchases made at a restaurant if the consumer never dines out!

The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of the cash back credit card also needs to be taken under consideration. Many cash back credit cards tend to have a higher APR than those without special rewards programs. The consumer must be aware of the APR of the card in order to determine if the ultimate finance charges will be more or less than the actual reward benefits earned. If the finance charges will cost the consumer more than the rewards he or she will earn, then the card is not worth keeping. But cardholders that pay their balance off in full each month do not need to be overly concerned with the APR.

Just as the APR must be considered when looking for the best cash back credit card, it is also important to look at the annual associated with the card. A rebate card with an annual fee may not be worthwhile in the long run. Therefore, the cardholder needs to be sure that he or she will earn enough cash back during the year to make the annual fee worth paying for.

Not all cash back credit cards are created equal. Some send money to the cardholder once per year while others will credit the rebate back to the cardholder account. Still other cash back credit cards place the money in interest earning accounts or in special college savings accounts. With some cards, the points toward cash back earnings are calculated and sent to the cardholder automatically. Still others require the cardholder to request the refund once he or she has accumulated enough points. All of these need to be taken into consideration when determining which card is best.

Some cash back credit cards have limitations to how many rebates can be earned per year. For some cardholders, this is not an issue because the limit is much higher than they will ever spend. For others, this cap can be a concern. In addition, some cash back credit cards place an expiration date on how long the rebates are good. Therefore, those that think they may not cash in on their rebates on a frequent basis need to consider whether or not they will be able to use the rebates before they expire.

Find the best credit card deals and offers online » Cardholders

Credit Card Rebates – Offer the Best Benefits

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