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How To Protect Yourself From Pre-Approved Credit Card Offer

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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.

American Express Blue Credit Card – Review

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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.

Smart Ways To Use A Credit Card

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Aren’t you sick and tired of hearing how “bad” credit cards are and that we should all just cut them up and start living on cash again. Although this sounds nice in some ways, the reality is that we live in a consumer society and credit cards have become a major part of life. The problem is when people don’t know how to use credit cards. Credit card debt is no joke and it can suck you in like quick sand. You can blame credit card companies all you want but in the end its your responsibility to be smart with your money and your cards.

Credit cards do have a positive role to play in personal finance. If you are smart with it, it can help you better manage and spend your money and it can give you the financial leverage when you need it most. Here are 3 smart uses for credit.

1. Emergencies

I do not recommend or encourage anyone to live on credit. its a recipe for disaster. Instead, the best way to use your credit cards is to use it as backup. We all have financial disasters that usually hit at the most inconvenient times. If you don’t have life savings to fall back on then it can really hit you hard. Having a card as a backup can really be a lifesaver and at a fee of about $50 a year, it’s well worth the security that it provides in case you need it.

2. Controlling Your Spending

One of the reasons why so many people fall deeper and deeper into debt is because they get caught with their pants down – so to speak. They spend and spend and then fail to make the minimum payments. When interest starts kicking in, its usually already too late and you start sinking. The smart way to use your card however is to pay it off in full every month. Its a great way to control your spending and to now exactly how much you are spending on what. It works really well if you dedicate specific expenses to a specific card – like your groceries. However, the secret is to pay it off in full every month.

3. Large Purchases

One of the reasons why businesses like to use credit cards is because it allows you to conveniently make large purchases – even on the internet. We can all get cards with relatively high credit limits and if you have to make large purchases for say a building project or if you buy a lot of stuff online, then its ideal. Once again, the secret is to clear this debt each and every month. On large purchases, the interest can be just as large so make sure you wipe the slate clean every month.

The Basic Credit Card Types

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High interest rates Unfavorable interest calculations. A credit card may calculate interest charges based on average daily balance, not on the balance due. No grace period. Some credit cards might charge interest from the date of purchase until payment date, even if you pay off your balance. Nuisance fees. Try to do away with credit cards that have late-payment fees, over-limit fees, fees for not carrying a balance or only a balance below a certain level, or a percentage fee on your credit limit.

The modern bank credit card was first introduced in the 1960s by the Bank of America; the travel and entertainment credit cards were both introduced in the 1950s. Much may changed since then in terms of features and benefits, but the basic characteristics of each type of credit card have remained the same.

Credit Card Basics How and When to Use Them

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The specter of insurmountable credit card debt keeps many people from using credit. While it is good to be aware of the dangers of misusing credit cards, one should remember that with proper forethought credit cards can greatly improve ones resource pool. Here are a few tips on using credit cards to maximum advantage.

1. Monthly Budget. A useful purpose for credit cards is to allow multiple, small repeating purchases to be consolidated into one lump bill. Most cards have a grace period where no interest is charged, typically within the first month. If the balance is paid by this date then the loan is free. Taking advantage of this can roll many monthly expenses, such as gas, food, and bills, into one bill.
The nice thing here is that monthly budgeting can be done wholly from one balance statement. Purchases can be tracked, trends noted, and adjustments made for the next month. Additionally, many cards offer cash back, points, or some reward system to encourage this use. If the balance is paid each month one can gain the benefits without the interest charged. But be careful only to charge what you can pay off in a month!

2. Watch out for Impulse buys. Impulse buying is a serious way to overcharge your card. The credit cards most appealing quality is the ease of use. You can buy anything with a simple swipe and signature. For many people, paying later is almost the same as never paying. This is not true!
To limit the impact of impulse buying, keep cash alongside the plastic, and try to only use cash when making purchases outside the monthly budget allowance. If you dont have a monthly budget, then that is a good place to start managing credit card debt.

3. Take advantage of deals. When credit cards offer 0% introductory rates it can mean a welcome relief from existing debt and interest. Shift balances to these new cards and enjoy a year or more of interest free debt. This method is great if you will be able to pay off a balance before the 0% deal is over, or if you have debt in multiple places. Just remember to update your filing cabinet with the new account numbers and card names, and cancel the old, empty accounts!!

4. Dont hold more cards than you can manage! When you get a new card or transfer balances, make sure that your total card count has not overwhelmed your ability to organize the bills and pay them on their due dates. Missing payments can result in hefty late fees. Also, balance transfers take up to 6 weeks, so dont forget to pay the “empty” card by the date due. If you are unsure whether you owe a payment, call the 1-800 number on the back of the card itself.
Another good strategy is to avoid carrying more than one card. Keep the others in a filing cabinet, safely away from cash registers.

5. Be Realistic. It can be easy to fall into the trap of believing you will be able to pay off a debt quickly and easily. Holiday purchases can lead to this mentality. The urge to put all of the presents on a credit card and then pay it off over the course of the year may be tempting, but be realistic about your income. A good rule of thumb is never put more money on a credit card than you earn in a month. This will keep the debt to a manageable level, even if you hit unexpected expenses or hardship.

6. Build your Credit. Besides the obvious advantage of purchasing things you could not otherwise afford, credit cards also build your credit rating. Using the tips herein to responsibly use cards will result in an overall increase in credit worthiness. The benefit? Lower rates, higher limits, and access to private bank loans otherwise unavailable to low credit consumers. Without established credit history (hopefully positive) it is almost impossible to get a good mortgage rate or car loan.

7. Know When to Ask for Help. Finally, if you get in too deep, dont be timid about contacting professional help. Do it sooner than later! Credit debt is a rolling snowball, so be sure to get in front of it before it gets out of hand. Credit repair services can help you organize you bills, consolidate them into single payments, and eliminate invalid debt from your balance. Miamis own Credit Repair Systems Inc is one such service, with decades of experience in credit use and guidance.