Monday, October 22, 2007

Choose Your Credit Card Wisely




Research is extremely important when you start out to apply for a credit card. The one you choose however, should reflect your lifestyle and your ideal spending amounts. If you are looking for the best possible deal and the best credit card company for your card, you must research the various options available to you as a beginner credit card.

The first thing you'll need to decide, when choosing your card, is the reason why you need one in the first place. Some people choose to get a credit card for cash flow purposes. With a credit card, you can make purchases and buy things, leaving your paycheck or other source of income in your bank account to draw interest. This way, your money will continue to grow while you continue to buy the things you need. Then at the end of the month, simply pay your credit card bill.

Others will choose to get a credit card and use it for instant cash purposes. This way, they can use their credit card at an ATM and get instant cash, which is great for travel or going on a long and extended vacation. If this is why you want a credit card, you should look for one that has the lowest rate possible for instant cash transactions.

With a credit card, you'll also need to think about the payments. You'll need to decide if you want to pay the balance in full each month, or only the required amount. When you select your credit card, you should look at the introductory rates, balance transfer rates, and other offers that may apply to new credit cards and new holders. Some will offer you truly amazing deals, especially if you have good credit.


Another important area to look at when choosing your credit card is the incentives. There are several cards out there that will give you incentives, such as reward points and even cash back with purchases that you can use towards paying back what you owe. There are several incentives out there with credit cards, all you have to do is look around and compare.

The key area you'll need to look at and compare is the APR (Annual Percentage Rate). The APR is what you will pay on what you purchase when the incentive period runs out. APR rates will vary among credit cards, so it is always in your best interest to compare and shop around. The lower APR rate you get, the better off you'll be.

Another important concern with choosing your credit card, is the minimum payment amount. Most minimum payment balances will start around 3%, although some can be lower while others tend to be quite a bit higher. The interest free period is a concern as well, as you will obviously want to choose the longest period that you can keep the payments down.

When you make that final decision and choose your credit card, you should always make sure that you know exactly what you are getting.


Credit cards are great to have, use them with insight, and be carefull with your daily spending - bad credit can get you in a world of finanacial trouble. If you put some time and research into choosing your credit card, you'll find the best one for you. As long as you take care of your credit card expences and pay the bill on time, you'll help raise your credit and eventually be able to purchase even bigger things - such as a car or even a house.