Choosing and Using Credit Cards(apply credit card online)

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Credit cards are convenient, but they're also dangerous. A lot of people ruin their
financial lives by turning the phrase "charge it" into a reflex. It's a real problem, but
this article explains how to make good use of credit cards and how to choose a
good credit card. This information, by the way, applies both to using a credit card
for personal expenses and to using a credit card for business expenses.
Selecting the Right Credit Card
Selecting a credit card is easy. If you don't carry charges forward from month to
month, choose the card with the lowest annual fee. It doesn't matter to you if the
credit card company charges a painfully high interest rate, since you pay only the
annual fee if you pay your monthly credit card bill on time.
If you do carry a balance, it makes sense to choose the card with the lowest interest
rate. Some credit card issuers play interest rate calculation tricks that make it very
difficult to make apples-to-apples comparisons of credit cards. But if you choose
the credit card rate with the lowest annual percentage rate, you're doing about as
well as you can.
The Right Way to Use a Credit Card
You shouldn't use a credit card as a way to borrow money. That means always
repaying the charges within the grace period. You want to be what the bank calls "a
revolver," which is a person who always pays his or her credit card bills on time.
After investments in a profitable business, a 401(k), and a deductible IRA, the next
best investment you can make is to pay off credit cards that charge a high interest
rate. Earning a tax-free interest rate of, say, 14 percent, which more than what a
401(k) and deductible IRA pay (and probably only slightly less than investments in
your business should pay) is too good to pass up.
NOTE While credit card interest on personal charges would not be deductible for
income tax purposes, credit card interest on business charges should be deductible
as business interest expense. Therefore, the worst kind of credit card debt is
personal credit card debt. Business debt isn't quite as bad.
Do Affinity Cards Make Sense?
An affinity card is a credit card that's issued by someone other than a bank--such as
a car manufacturer, an airline, a professional group, and so forth. Affinity cards
typically combine the usual features of a credit card with some extra benefit
connected to the issuer. In the case of a General Motors card, for example, you
accumulate dollars in a rebate account by virtue of what you spend with the affinity
card.
In general, an affinity card--especially one that doesn't charge a fee--is a good deal
as long as the interest rate is competitive. For example, I have a General Motors
credit card that includes a 5 percent rebate account. In other words, five cents of
every dollar I charge on the card goes into a rebate account that I can use toward
purchasing a new General Motors car. How big your rebate gets depends on the type
of affinity card you have. For example, as of this writing the regular General Motors
credit card lets you accumulate up to $500 a year to a maximum of $3,500. The
General Motors gold credit card lets you accumulate up to $1,000 a year to a
maximum of $7,000.
There are many different affinity cards. Ford has one. Most of the major airlines
have them too. Airline affinity cards let you accumulate frequent flier miles based on
the credit card charges. In the plans I've seen, you usually get a mile a dollar.
The one sticky part of using affinity cards, however, is that getting even a 5 percent
rebate isn't worth it if having the card makes you spend more money. Some studies
show that you spend 23 percent more when you use a credit card. The same is very
likely true of affinity cards.
If you're one of those people who spends more when you have a card in hand, you
won't save any money by using an affinity card. Even if you get a new General
Motors car for free or a handful of free airline tickets to Europe, you pay indirectly
for your new car or airline tickets with all the extra charging you do. If you don't
make use of the rebate, the situation is even worse. You've charged more, perhaps
paid hefty annual fees, and you've received nothing in return.
NOTE One other point to consider argues in favor of using affinity cards for
business charges. In many businesses, you will have large business credit card
charges--much larger than an individual making personal charges will have. In this
case, assuming you don't overcharge and don't overspend, you may find that an
affinity charge card produces big benefits. In my case, because many of my business
expenses can be charged on my frequent flier credit card, I probably get two free
airline tickets a year.

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Find The Best Credit Card Type(apply credit card online)

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There are a variety of credit card types, each claiming to offer you the best possible deal. Finding the programs and incentives that works best for you is key to maintaining a good credit card history.
Each type of credit card offer different benefits. Some are geared toward the individual consumer, while others are set up to work for small businesses. To find the type of card that best fits your needs, let's review some of the options.
Business Cards
A business credit card offers the business owner an opportunity to keep business and personal expenses separate. The card may offer special business rewards and saving opportunities that go above and beyond what the individual card owner has. Since money management is essential for running a business successfully, this card may offer an expense management service that helps track outgoing money. You can obtain additional cards for employees who may need them for travel expenses and such. You may also have a higher credit limit than you normally would on an individual card.
Student Cards
Many credit card companies will issue student cards with lower credit limits and fewer incentives, helping new card users to keep their spending in check. However, note that many college students now graduate with credit balances averaging from $3,000 to $7,000. With high interest rates, these debts can be a real problem to pay off.
Debit Cards
Prepaid debit cards are 1 type of credit card that has grown significantly in recent years. Although it works like a traditional credit card when making a purchase, that is where the similarity ends. With a prepaid debit card, you actually set the credit limit yourself by depositing money into the debit card's account. The amount you deposit determines the credit limit on that card. This is a great way to have the convenience of a credit card without the possibility of charging more than you can afford to pay off.
Cards for Bad Credit
Even with bad credit, it is possible to obtain a credit card. These cards come with some restrictions not typically found on other types of cards. Your credit limit will be lower and your interest rate higher. Some may require you to have a secured card, meaning you have to maintain a savings or some other type of account that will cover the expenses on the credit card. Once you have established that you will be responsible in your credit handling, some, if not all, of your restrictions may be lifted.
Cash Back Cards
Many cards will now offer you cash-back incentives for using their cards. Depending on how much your balance is, and how often you use the card, you can earn cash back for your purchases. Some companies offer 1% off your balance while others, like Sears, will offer you cash off purchases made in their store. Either way, if you are planning on using a card, finding one that will offer you a cash incentive is a smart choice.
Low-Interest Cards
One of the more recent additions to the credit card world is the low-interest credit card. These cards offer a significantly lower interest rate than most of the older cards you may already have. As balance-transfer cards, most of them offer you the option of transferring a balance from a higher interest rate card and, for a specified period of time, your transferred balance will be at either 0% interest or something quite low. This can save you a fair amount of money if your plan is to pay it off.
Reward and Incentive Cards
Since credit cards have become such a lucrative business, many corporations have jumped on the bandwagon. Even airlines now offer credit cards that come with a certain amount of frequent flyer miles attached, depending on your balance and purchases. If you do a fair amount of traveling, this can be a real bonus. Along these same lines, reward credit cards are growing in popularity. Competition is stiff, and many card companies are now offering different reward or incentive options for using their cards. Once you accumulate enough points, the rewards pour in. These can be anything from travel insurance to small appliances. If you use a card regularly, finding one with a reward program can really pay off.
Instant Approval Cards
Another form of credit card is the instant approval card. Once you fill out the application, a quick background check will be done and you will have your approval almost immediately. Regular cards can take up to 2 weeks to process. Although you can get instant approval, this does not always mean you can get instant credit. Some companies will supply you with a temporary credit card number and allow you to begin making purchases immediately, while others will not, due to an increase in credit card fraud potential.
Protect Your Credit
Since there are so many options in choosing a credit card, you should do a little research before you apply. Decide what type of card best fits your needs and apply for that one. Don't go overboard, though. Applying for too many cards will negatively affect your credit rating.
And, above all, once you get your new credit card, use it responsibly.

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All About College Credit Cards(apply credit card online)

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College credit cards are the credit cards that have been specially designed for college students. College credit cards are more popularly known as student credit cards. College credit cards allow the students to experience the benefits of credit cards much earlier in their life. Through college credit cards, the college students are able to learn more about credit cards and their use. In fact, for most of the students, their college credit card is their first credit card that acts as a gateway to the world of credit cards. Some other students might have previously used supplementary credit cards linked to their father's credit card account; however, for such students too, their college credit card is the first one that is truly theirs.
College credit cards are not very different from other types of credit cards in the basic sense; they function in the same way as any credit card would. However, there are some differences, which basically arise from the fact that college credit cards are used by people who have no prior experience with credit cards and who perhaps don't understand the concept of credit cards completely. Hence, the credit card supplier is at risk with issuing credit cards (college credit cards) to such people whom he is not sure about. Most of the students don't have a credit history either. In such a case, the supplier of college credit card cannot be sure of receiving the credit card bill payments in time (and even receiving them at all). To counter such risks, the supplier of college credit card requires the parent of the student to co-sign the college credit card application form as a guarantee.
Moreover, the credit limit on college credit cards is generally around $500-$1000 per month, which is lower than what it is for other credit cards (this credit limit is generally sufficient to fulfil the typical needs of a student). Another risk mitigation instrument used by the college credit card suppliers is the interest rate or APR. The APR on college credit cards is generally higher than that for other credit cards. Again, this is done to dissuade the students from overspending on their college credit card (and finally not being able to pay their credit card bills).
However, if we were to look at these impositions in a positive sense, we would find that these are actually in favour of the student (who is still getting trained to take on the real world of credit cards). Moreover, college credit cards also help the students in establishing a (good) credit history which is another important benefit that becomes handy when the student needs any type of loan at a later stage in his/her life.
So, college credit cards are really something that every student should consider going for.

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