Tag Archives: cards
Credit Card Leaders: Visa and American Express
When it came to getting a credit card, millions of consumers all over the world chose Visa cards, which allows them to manage their finances in a better way, while enabling them to choose a system of payment for their purchases, either in increments over time or at the end of each month. Visa cardholders are offered the opportunity to pay for their purchases in the manner and at the time that work best for them.
Getting a Visa card can only be possible after you have contacted one of the banks that issue Visa cards. The good news is that the Visa cards are so widely spread all over the world that chances are youll find such an organization quite close to you.
The types of cards offered by Visa through its issuing members are credit cards, debit cards and prepaid cards.
With a Visa debit card, the customer can have access to his/her money regardless of their location as long as they see a Visa symbol. The money is deducted from their balance, with no interest. There are many advantages to using a card, such as saving the trip to the bank or the need to queue up for a cash dispenser, or being safer than carrying money. When you lose money, its gone forever. However, if you should happen to lose your Visa card, it can be stopped as soon as it has been declared lost or stolen, and be replaced afterwards.
The are several types of Visa debit cards, including Visa Electron, most popular in Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East and ideal for a wide range of customers as it has in-built security features; Visa Classic, designed for those who use their cards everywhere, be it the real world, the Internet or by telephone; Visa Gold, whose most important benefit is that your card or cash, or both of them, can be replaced, should it be lost or stolen; and Visa Platinum, designed for high-spenders who can enjoy its top-level services.
Visa prepaid cards allow consumers to control spending, as well as to send money home, pay for their trips, teach their children money management, or even give it as a gift.
With Visa credit cards customers are offered a whole new world of possibilities, being exceptionally reliable and convenient.
Another company best known for its businesses with credit cards, charge cards and travelers cheques is American Express, or Amex.
American Express issues a great variety of credit cards, each with specific benefits, so as to please and meet the needs of all their customers. Consumers can choose from the American Express Card, America Express Gold Card, Rewards Plus Gold Card, Platinum Card, Blue form American Express, and so forth. The remarkable benefits of the American Express credit cards include personal service and attention at an exceptional level, use membership points for traveling, shopping and entertainment, access to entertainment events, special travel privileges, and many more.
The American Express Gift Cards have special offers from participating merchants and retailers all over the nation. The American Express Gift Cards can be purchased for any occasion, and in an easy manner, as they are available online.
Credit Cards for Students Explained
Whether one likes it or not, the fact is that credit cards are slowly and surely becoming indispensable parts of modern lives. The convenience that a credit card provides is making them really invaluable in making purchases and availing of the other benefits they provide. Surely then, students would not like to be much away from the lure of the credit cards. Today student credits are becoming almost as popular as the credit cards meant for adults.
Student credit cards can be used in much the same way as the adult credit cards can, but there are certain restrictions. For student credit cards, a parent or a guardian generally needs to cosign. This is to ensure there is backup in case the student is not able to meet up with the payments. The limits on these cards are also lower than on adult cards. Student credit cards seldom go beyond credit limits of $500 to $1000. In addition, student credit cards have higher rates of interest for two reasons: 1) because students may not be able to pay off their bills and 2) students do not have any credit ratings to show.
However, there are many plus points to student credit cards. One of the most important ones is that students can learn finance management from a very young age. Parents must encourage their children to become wholly responsible for the payments on their credit cards. This ensures that the student would grow up to manage his/her incomes better. Another thing is that the student would be able to build up a credit record from a very young age. Of course this would depend on how efficiently the student manages to make his/her payments on the credit card in time.
The best thing a student can do is to make a budget in the beginning of the month. This should take into account how much the student can afford to spend on the credit card. Making a realistic budget and then sticking to it will make the credit card a very efficient tool in the hands of the student.
It is not necessary to be intimidated of student credit cards and to reject them for that reason. On the contrary, the best thing is to buy the card and then make proper efforts to make the payments. In this way, the student will always have money to get what he/she wants, like a movie or a concert ticket, a new pair of jeans, or even a new cell phone. Treating the card with respect from the student age could be a major leap in learning how to live with financial independence in later life.