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What Is a 0 APR Credit Card?
Its like the search for the Holy Grail. Before the days of King Arthur and the roundtable of Camelot, people have hunted for this holy relic and its promise of eternal life. Just the same, consumers the world over have searched for their lives for the holy grail of the credit card world: a card with 0 annual percentage rates, or no interest at all. Such a card could provide eternal shopping, and a life without fear of debt.
The reality of the situation, however, may be slightly different. Dont get us wrong. A card with 0 annual percentage rate is a beautiful thing. It allows you to carry debt on the card without fear of swamping your finances with interest payments. On the other hand, the 0 annual percentage rate is not a free ride to spend to excess. After all, most of these 0 annual percentage rate, or 0 APR cards, have a time limit. The carriage, so to speak, eventually turns back into the pumpkin, and then you could be left holding the bag with a maxed out credit card and a new APR of, say, 22 percent.
So, what exactly is a 0 APR credit card? Is it such a great deal anymore, or should you not chase after the holy grail? It depends, as with any great decision. If you plan to be making a lot of heavy purchases soonsuch as to decorate a new houseyou may want to find yourself a 0 APR card, but do so with the understanding that you must be able to pay that baby off when the 0 annual percentage rate special wears off.
Dont just jump at any 0 annual percentage rate card, though. There are always other considerations to make when youre on the market for a new credit card. For instance, how widely is the new card going to be accepted. If you travel a lot, this is important to know. MasterCard and Visa are the two most widely accepted brands of cards on the market, with 17 million and 16.2 million locations respectively.
And of course, every credit card now has a rewards program. What sort of rewards programs would suit you bestone that involves cash back and discounts on every purchase, or would you rather earn points toward travel and other prizes? Plus, no matter what the rewards are, compare the ratio of earned points to dollars spent. The higher this ration, the better the rewards program is, no matter what the rewards are.
Lastly, check the fees on these 0 APR cards. Is there an annual fee, a cash transfer fee, late fees, stiff penalties, etc.? These also could help you make up your mind about the card.
5 Tips for Choosing the Best Cash Back Credit Card
The offers to make money as you spend money are quite enticing to the modern consumer. With a cash back credit card, you can earn percentages that can reap rewards at the end of the year. So to choose the best cash back credit card for you, here are some questions that you will want to ask.
1. What counts toward the cash back?
While it might seem that any purchase or addition to the overall cash back credit card balance would reap rewards, this is not generally the case. Many times, balance transfers and cash advances do not contribute to the percentage back. If you think that you will be using the cash back credit card for those purposes, youll want to see if you will be rewarded or not.
2. How much cash back are you receiving?
Of course, if youre looking for a cash back credit card, youll want to choose the one with the highest amount of percentage that you can get back. And the cards vary widely in this respect. Look at several cash back credit card companies to see if one seems particularly high.
3. Can you increase your cash back?
Besides increasing the overall balance and contributing to the cash back, some cash back credit card companies also encourage customers to frequent certain retailers to get a larger cash back amount. If you already go to these establishments, these cash back credit card companies might work out better for you.
4. How can you redeem the cash back?
When youre using a cash back credit card, you want to be able to get your rewards as frequently as possible. There used to be a time when you had to wait until the end of a twelve month cycle to receive the benefits, but it has changed. Some companies are now allowing customers to redeem their cash back as payments against their balance or to contribute to a charity as frequently as certain amounts are accrued.
5. What are the fees?
As with all credit cards, youll want to be sure that the cash back credit card you sign up for doesnt charge a large fee that actually upsets any rewards that you might be receiving. Try to find a cash back credit card that doesnt make you pay for your cash back.
With a cash back credit card, you can earn a little money as you spend for things that you already need.