Tag Archives: credit card
The Truth About Credit Cards For People With Bad Credit (Page 1 of 2)
When it comes to credit cards for people with bad credit, there are dozens to choose from. However, that doesn’t mean they are all good credit cards to have. While some bad credit credit cards really do work towards improving a person’s credit, others do nothing but fleece the pockets of those who need a second chance.
Here are seven things to look for when dealing with credit cards for people with bad credit.
1. Fees, Fees and More Fees
It is true that credit cards for people with bad credit almost always have an annual fee attached to them. That being said, a few of the questionable bad credit credit cards charge much more than just an annual fee.
One of the popular credit cards for people with bad credit advertises a $48 annual fee. Not bad, right? It wouldn’t be — if that’s where the fees ended. Unfortunately, this card also charges a processing fee of $29, a one-time program fee of $95 and a participation fee of $6 each month.
That’s a whopping total of $178 being charged to your card before you even get it in your hands. Considering most applicants only qualify for a credit limit of $250, that leaves you with an available credit line of just $72. Not exactly the credit card you were hoping for, is it?
Do yourself a favor… When dealing with credit cards for people with bad credit, make sure you understand all of the fees involved and don’t just judge a card by the annual fee or the interest rate.
2. The Facts About Secured Credit Cards
When looking for credit cards for people with bad credit, there are two categories of cards you will be looking at. These categories are called secured credit cards and unsecured credit cards.
With a secured credit card, you have to secure your line of credit with a savings account. Sometimes your credit limit will be equal to your savings account and sometimes it can be more. It really depends on the specific credit card and your personal situation.
Now understand that when you place a deposit for a secured credit card, it goes into a savings account. This is much different from a prepaid credit card. A prepaid credit card will require a deposit as well, but it works more like an ATM card than a credit card and it doesn’t get reported to the credit agencies.
Because people looking for credit cards for people with bad credit usually want to improve their credit rating, it’s important that you find a true secured card and not a prepaid card. Otherwise, you’re not doing your credit rating any good.
3. Cash Up Front Is a Con
We’ve discussed that credit cards for people with bad credit often charge fees. This doesn’t, however, mean that it is acceptable for them to ask you to pay for these fees up front before they issue you a card.
If a credit card company wants you to send them money before they send you a credit card, run in the other direction. Nine times out of ten, it’s a scam. You’ll never get the card and you’ll be out your hard-earned money.
Debt Consolidation for Renters or Homeowners with Poor credit or No Equity (Page 1 of 2)
Debt consolidation reduction Programs
Debt consolidation reduction programs will require your entire high interest debts which you owe and consolidate them into one payment per month, with a lower rate of interest. Your monthly payment for your one loan should also be a substantially lower payment for you monthly. The issue for many consumers with this loan plan’s that they can have to have collateral just like a home or other good assets to acquire the loan.
With collateral you can obtain a lower payment per month, but missing a payment just isn’t an option. Should you miss a payment, plus you’ve got placed your property up as collateral, you take the chance of losing your home. Another problem with investing in this type of home loan is lots of people end up repeating their same bad habits and increases more credit card debt. This is their explanation hold the loan to settle, and new credit cards to cover. You have to be well disciplined with ourselves and not remove any more charge cards until your loan pays off entirely. If you can do that, a debt consolidation loan program having a lower interest may fit your situation.
Consumer credit counseling
Bankruptcy is on the minds of many people since they dont know very well what else to complete. They ought to seek the help of the credit guidance service to check if they can repair their credit. Professional counseling can instruct you on your particular financial situation.
Once you have established an association using a credit counselor you’ll sit down and look at all of your income and debts. Your counselor will have to understand specifically what your credit card debt is, and the other debts your debt, so that you can set up an agenda which fits your life-style. All income getting into the house is going to be totaled up as well as your debts will probably be totaled to find out what usable income you might have to repay your creditors. Your counselor could probably speak to your creditors and acquire some of your financial troubles reduced or get you lower rates of interest on your debts.
Your counselor will set up a debt repayment plan and manage the master plan to suit your needs along with your creditors. You’ll pay the counselor one monthly payment, as well as the counselor pays off your creditors. You will have payment plan you have to keep up with for 3 to 5 years, before your creditors are paid off in full. Professional credit counseling just isn’t free each agency charges differently. Some possess a flat fee that you will pay while some use your first payments for their fees.
Debt settlement
Debts settlements companies will tell you to avoid paying your credit card issuers and pay right into a fund monthly until you have enough to repay one of the creditors. A counselor doing work for the debt settlement company will get hold of your creditors and acquire lower settlement agreements for your benefit. You in turn will give the debt settlement company every month. Funds will build up until one of the creditors need what exactly is inside your fund like a full payment of the debt. Your counselor will pay that creditor and you may still pay in to the fund to work off the next creditor. Payments to those companies differ from one company to the next as well as their fees could possibly get costly. One trouble with this kind of situation would be that the creditors can still give you bills, and require to the court for your full amount.