Fast Credit Card Application

Credit cards have really evolved and become more sophisticated since they were first introduced long ago. Not only are they on the cutting edge of fraud-preventing and security technology, but they’ve also been re-imagined by way of very savvy marketing strategies. One of these marketing strategies is the affinity card. An affinity card is a credit card that is linked to an organization or another company that very often have nothing to do with credit cards.

An affinity credit card could be something like a typical Visa or Mastercard, co-sponsored by an advocacy group such as the Sierra Club. A card like this would be perfect for someone who is a donor to the Sierra Club, or who loves the outdoors. Affinity cards can also be linked to sports teams, labor unions, or even favorite television shows.

Well, credit card companies want to maximize their profits while at the same time promoting their brand. In many instances the organization that is linked to the affinity card will receive a percentage of the profits from the use of the cards. Read more…

Tags: Cards, Credit Cards

Credit cards for college students are wonderful tools for building early credit history. As a student, this is your only chance to get approved for an unsecured credit card without credit history. However, building solid credit will largely depend on how you utilize your college credit card.

If you can keep up with your repayment obligations, then you should be able to maintain good credit standing. On the other hand, if you are often late in making payments or if you usually exceed your credit limit, you may end up with bad credit.

Listed below are smart tips on how you can spend with your student credit card while avoiding bad debt.

Pay your monthly bills in full. Paying off your monthly balance in full is the best way to be free from the interest rates and additional charges. Avoid charging expenses to your card that will be difficult for you to back at once.

Monitor your own spending. Almost all credit cards today provide an online account access features. That means you can check your account at anytime, anywhere there is internet access.

Read more…

Tags: Cards, Credit Cards

Credit Q&A: “What stores sell prepaid credit cards?’

If you’re in the market for a prepaid credit card, they’re certainly not hard to find these days.

A number of stores carry Visa, MasterCard, and American Express prepaid credit cards, from the local drugstore to the supermarket.

In fact, if you visit your neighborhood gas station, you’ll likely find a selection of prepaid credit cards and other gift cards in a kiosk or at the checkout counter.

You’ll also find prepaid credit cards at office supply retailers, bank branches, check cashing stores, malls, in vending machines, and even Blockbuster movie rental stores.

Mega retailers like Walmart, Target, and Kmart also carry prepaid credit cards from all different providers, so you’d be hard pressed not to find them.

American Express gift cards, which no longer charge inactivity fees, are also available for purchase in most of the aforementioned stores and via their website.

However, if you purchase them online or remotely, you’ll be assessed shipping charges, so I recommend picking one up in a store.

They also come with a purchase fee of $3.95 per card, regardless of the value, which could range from $25 to $3,000.

On the $25 prepaid card, that fee is nearly 16% of the total, while only about a tenth of a percent for the $3,000 card.

Visa and MasterCard prepaid credit cards are also available for purchase online, but carry higher fees and shipping costs, which can vary based on where you purchase them.

And these types of prepaid credit cards typically still carry the monthly maintenance fees once 12 months have gone by, so they’re not the best choice if not used promptly.

I’m not a big fan of prepaid credit cards because of all the related fees, and the fact that a small balance is usually left on the cards as well.

Tags: Cards, Credit Cards, Prepaid Credit, Prepaid Credit Cards

As the holidays approach, it’s a good time to look at credit cards that offer 0% interest. Unlike a balance transfer offer that charges a balance transfer fee, these cards offer no interest on purchases without any fees. In fact, with the card options below, you’ll find 0 interest credit cards for 12 months and some that last for 6 months. In addition, many of the cards offer cash back rewards.

We’ll start with an editor’s pick card, the Chase Freedom.

Chase Freedom–Editor’s Pick

Chase Freedom Card

The Chase Freedom card earns the CCOiq Editor’s Pick. It offers 0% interest for up to 12 months, a $50 bonus after the first purchase, up to 3% cash back, and all with no annual fee. Here are the details: $50 Cash Back after your first purchase 3% bonus cash back offers in categories like gas, home improvement and department stores Full 1% Cash Back on every purchase No spending tiers or caps on how much you can earn Up to an additional 20% cash back at select merchants when you shop online through Chase

Citi Forward–Rewards Good Behavior

Citi Forward Card

The Citi Forward credit card offers 0 interest for 6 months on both purchases and balance transfers. In addition, th Read more…

Tags: Cards, Credit Cards