| Card
of the Month: Enjoy 0% on Balance Transfers
|
If you have ignored
0 interest credit card offers in the past, it might be time to reconsider.
Most of us receive so much junk mail that we can be forgiven for just
throwing it out. However, next time you receive a letter offering you
an interest free period on a credit card if you transfer your balances,
it could be worth your while to take a good look at the offer. Better
yet, why not find your own special offers by searching for them online?
Zero interest credit card offers can save you a lot of money every month
over the introductory period and if you use some of your savings to
reduce your credit card balance, your monthly payments will be less
once you start paying interest again.
Ideally, you will
find 0 interest credit card offers with long introductory periods. Try
to find a twelve month interest free period to get the most benefit.
Also look for a low standard interest rate for when the interest free
period is over as well as low ongoing fees and charges, low or no balance
transfer fees, and low late payment penalties.
The benefits of
0 interest credit card offers can be substantial. You can gain the immediate
benefit of increasing your monthly disposable income for the introductory
period. However, if this is all you do you will soon find yourself back
in the same position. The best use of a balance transfer to an interest
free card is to use as much of your monthly saving as possible to reduce
your credit card balance. If you do this, your monthly payment, once
your special offer period has ended, will be lower than it is now. As
well as a lower balance, having a lower interest rate than you are currently
paying will also reduce your monthly debt costs.
These sites also
make it easy to apply by providing an online application facility, often
promising fast (but conditional) approval. Conditional approval means
that you are approved as long as you can verify that the information
you have provided on your form is accurate. Some of these online applications
are really just shows of interest that result in a loans officer phoning
you.
No matter which
way you look at it, it doesn't make much sense to be paying hundreds
of dollars a month in credit card interest when you can avoid it by
taking advantage of 0 interest credit card offers. Even if you can afford
the payments, why would you choose to give that money to credit card
providers when you could use it to donate to charity, spend it on yourself,
use it to take a vacation or simply to reduce your credit card balance?
Why not make a credit card decision that makes sound economic sense?