0% Apr Credit Cards: How to Take Advantage of 0% Introductory Offers

0% Apr Credit Cards: How to Take Advantage of 0% Introductory Offers

In today’s credit-driven world, companies want your business, and often offer enticing deals to get it. Perhaps one of the biggest of these deals is the 0% APR feature. Many credit cards come with a certain period in which you pay absolutely nothing in interest. This can really work to your advantage. If you understand how the 0% APR offer works and plan strategically, you can make the most of your credit card deal. Here’s how.

What APR Means

The annual percentage rate, or APR, represents how much you pay in interest on a credit card. It is expressed as a yearly rate. So if your card comes with an 18% APR, and you carry a balance of ,000 for a year, you will have to pay 0 in interest annually.

However, if you apply for a 0% APR credit card, you will not have to pay anything toward interest for an initial period of time. This timeframe varies from card to card, but usually lasts between six months to a year. Let’s say your card comes with a 0% APR for twelve months. If you carry a balance of ,000 during the first year, you will not owe a dime in interest. That’s a savings of 0 compared to the card with a rate of 18%.

Balance Transfers vs. Purchases

Some cards let you apply the 0% APR toward balance transfers. This means that if you are carrying a balance on a different card with a high interest rate, you can bring over the amount to your new card. Then you can pay off the debt, interest-free. This is a great option if you’re struggling to pay off a nagging balance. Simply bring it over to the 0% APR card. Then try to pay it off during the interest-free period. So if you have a balance of ,200 with 0% APR for six months, set aside 0 each month and pay off the debt.

Other cards apply the 0% APR to purchases. With this setup, you can use the card to shop, and then not worry about paying interest. You will have a few months to get rid of the balance, and will save a good amount of money in interest during that time.

Finding a card that offers an introductory period of 0% APR for balance transfers, purchases, or both, is easy. Most major credit card companies, including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express, include it in their list of features. If you browse a credit card website, you’ll quickly come across 0% APR options. As you look through the different listings, note which cards offer a zero percent introductory rate and for how long. After a certain period, a regular interest rate will set in. Check what the normal rate is before you apply.

Use it to Your Advantage

The benefits of a 0% APR card can add up fast. If you want to pay off a balance, you get the chance to do so without having to worry about interest. If you want to make a large purchase, you can take a few months to pay for it with zero interest charges. Fill out an application today, and get ready to watch the savings rack up.

To View 0% APR Credit Card Offers click the following link: http://www.credit-card-surplus.com/0-apr-credit-cards.php . Ed Vegliante runs http://www.credit-card-surplus.com , a directory helping consumers to compare and apply for credit cards.

21 April 10, My new laptop just bought in 9 April, from Pikom PC Fair 2010 first day, MITC ( Malacca International Trade Center ) Malacca. stay in Malacca Straits Hotel from 9 to 11 April 10, but still have to drive alone to PC fair, and the traffic was congested. I already paid a deposit from Pikom PC Fair 2010 in Batu Pahat, to buy Asus A52Jr-SX169V with total 4GB DDR3 Ram add on one week ago. but this 5745G model really new, acer reseller said it just came to malaysia 1 night before pc fair in malacca. even newspaper ad and internet also difficult to find its information. before that I was consider 5741G model too, but the cute chinese young girl was really good to introduce me to have a look for this model, in that time I was walk around there to take some video scenes. I am not thinking to buy, but she is really good to introduce, not in professional technical way, but make people feel comfortable and interested. as an experience customer, I always said that all the free gift I don’t want, I just want a discount. but she really can’t discount for me, acer prices under control by supplier, finally she give me double of the free gift . . . I can feel that chinese doing business there was really good, even you don’t want to buy, they still work very hard to serve you to try their new product, introduce very details, I know all the details of those new products, so I can feel that they are honestly to answer the questions. the facility there was good, payment make very
Video Rating: 4 / 5


Credit Card Customer Service Roundup

Credit Card Customer Service Roundup

When determining which credit card company is right for you, it’s important to consider everything the credit card company has to offer. Equally as important as a low APR or advanced security features is the credit card company’s customer service.

Because most consumers overlook customer service until it’s too late, we made calls to the top five credit card companies (American Express, Bank of America, Chase, Citibank, and Discover), then ranked them on how well they met the following customer service benchmarks:

Helpful Web sites. First we visited their sites to see how user-friendly they were, and whether toll-free phone numbers were easy to find.

Knowledge of agents. We asked three advanced credit card questions (security features, 0% APR availability, and debt consolidation features), then rated their responses.

Helpfulness of agents. Finally, we assessed our general sense of treatment as valued customers, which went into an overall rating of each company’s customer service.

American Express

TIME TO 800 NUMBER: Less than two minutes.

HELPFULNESS OF AGENTS: When we got through, we talked to a helpful and professional representative. Even their automated voice system woman who greets you when you first pick up is very concise and polite, as far as robot ladies go.

KNOWLEDGE OF AGENTS: The customer service representative spoke confidently about their 0% APR cards for select customers, as well as low APR cards and offers. The only question the agent was not able to answer was about credit card debt consolidation features. However, Amex did provide direct and concise information for all other questions we asked.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: The service rep was clear and not pushy (albeit mechanical), and let us know that someone is available to help further at their toll-free number, 24/7.

Bank of America

TIME TO 800 NUMBER: Less than two minutes.

HELPFULNESS OF AGENTS: We called the main number and went through ten button-presses before being connected to a live human (though admittedly some of those keypresses were out of confusion). Some of the steps were obsolete and frustrating — for example, selecting to respond by voice or by hitting a key. On one occasion, a poorly-timed sneeze caused us to have to go back in the menu. When finally connected to a “Bank On Call Specialist,” it was clear that, though thorough, the gentleman on the other end was in as little mood to be friendly as we were by this point.

KNOWLEDGE OF AGENTS: When asking about the basic security features the card offered, the rep responded by mentioning the “Safe-card” feature that generates random numbers each time the card is used, instead of a traceable account number that “could potentially be stolen.” We playfully replied, “That’s got to be a good feature if you’re up to no good.” He did not find this funny. Even after saying “That was a joke,” the Bank On Call Specialist didn’t even give up a pity-snicker.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: Operating out of Los Angeles, the Bank of America 800-number is not 24/7 like some of the others, but does operate late and on weekends. (Please note, however, that this information was given by the service rep in person; meanwhile, the Bank of America Web site proudly boasts 24/7 customer service representatives on call. We didn’t bother calling back 23 times to figure out which it really is.)

Citibank

TIME TO 800 NUMBER: Less than a minute; quick and easy.

HELPFULNESS OF AGENTS: With but one button-press after calling, you are speaking to a live operator. We spoke to a good-humored gentleman who, though having to transfer us to the “application department” to answer general questions, laughed genuinely at the response “Okay, super-duper” when he asked us to briefly hold. (Customer service reps who don’t hate their jobs always reflect well on the company.) He transferred me to a female agent who was equally well-tempered, and the whole ordeal was genuine and friendly.

KNOWLEDGE OF AGENTS: They promptly filled me in on topics like rewards card bonuses and low APR credit cards. Citibank seems to handle issues like stolen credit cards with sensitivity and care, and they assured me that “Identity Theft Specialists” handle any potential issues one-on-one.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: Citibank agents seem particularly user-friendly in times of crises. Also, Citibank’s customer service hotline is available 24 hours.

Chase

TIME TO 800 NUMBER: Less than two minutes; one click from homepage. A little overwhelming were the various numbers to call based on topic, but the list was explained and labeled.

HELPFULNESS OF AGENTS: After a few selection menus and a reasonable amount of holding time, we got through to a professional (if somewhat dry) customer service representative. Also, right on the Web site was the information that cardholders can receive 24 hour automated services by phone, or live representatives from 7:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. daily.

KNOWLEDGE OF AGENTS: The agent answered questions about 0% APR and low APR cards generically, promising only that “select customers” are eligible.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: We left feeling that Chase dictates who is deemed “eligible” for certain offers the way the cool kids at high school decide who sits together at lunch. (Just a feeling.) The exchange is professional and void of hullabaloo, if not otherwise robotic and monotone.

Discover

TIME TO 800 NUMBER: It took but a moment to locate the phone number (listed in the style of Chase’s Web site, only minus the visual chaos).

HELPFULNESS OF AGENTS: Once calling this 24/7 live-operator (and automatic-optional) service number, it was only seconds before being connected. The customer service representative was the sweetest and not-in-a-fake-way of all the credit card companies we tested.

KNOWLEDGE OF AGENTS: The agent answered all questions with specifics, and plenty of pertinent information (security issues, costs, eligibility for special offers, etc.). Additionally, many of the offers seemed to far surpass the competition: for example, 0% fraud liability on the spot, and more-than-fair graces towards simple customer errors or lapses.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: Both for the information and the manner in which it was delivered, the taste left in our mouth was all sweet and no-parts bitter.

Summary

We ranked the top five credit card companies on customer service (American Express, Bank of America, Chase, Citibank, and Discover), and here are our final results.

#5: Bank of America. Though offering the standard services, and having a widespread name and corporate recognition, the actual customer service perhaps suffers at the hand of being such a titanic operation. It’s difficult to find information on the Web site (at least, information that agrees with their live operators), and the personal care touch is gone. Perhaps Bank of America outsourced their customer service operation. Outsourced it to Mars.

#4: Chase. Although adequate, Chase has every one of those small-annoyance features that are frustrating to customers: limited information about APR and the like until agreeing to apply; hold time with crummy music; a slightly confusing Web site; dull and/or mechanical service representative interaction; and limited hours of live person availability. are all attributes that prevent Chase from boasting wonderful customer services. Not really a pain-in-the-neck customer service system, Chase is just average. Not bad bad, but not great.

#3: American Express. American Express does the job. No bells and whistles, but a well-rounded customer service department, with enough features to leave us generally satisfied. The rep made a card recommendation for me after only a few questions, and after further talking it turned out to be a good analysis. American Express’s customer service skills are much like the aesthetics of the card itself: not the most brilliant gold color, but definitely still gold.

#2: Citibank. Great customer service. It’s nice to report that there was almost a tie for first place rather than a tie for last place, and in this case Citibank should be proud of that close call. Nice clear Web site directory, one-touch access to a live person, and interactions with human beings who made it clear they didn’t hate working for Citibank at all. Agents told us about great featured bonuses for customers, but not in a way that made us feel pressured. Wonderful customer service upkeep, Citibank!

#1: Discover. Who knew it really pays to Discover™? Aside from offering the easiest, most practical perks (regular 5% cash back on purchases made at restaurants, gas stations, etc., as well as comprehensive security and credit rating services), the interactions with the Discover folks make you feel valued and respected. Be it hospitality or above-and-beyond professionalism, the general response we had after interacting with Discover is that we want to move to where Discover is headquartered, then raise our families and send our kids to school there. Talking to a credit card company’s customer service line rarely leaves you feeling so warm and fuzzy.

We hope our credit card customer service roundup is helpful, but as always your mileage may vary. The best way to find out is to call yourself. Good luck finding those 800-numbers, though!

This article has been provided by CreditorWeb.com. At creditor Web you can easily compare credit card offers in order to find the right card for you.

It’s important to understand the details of your credit card.
Video Rating: 5 / 5


Credit Card Debt Solutions – How to Negotiate and Cut Your Credit Card Debt in Half Right Now

Credit Card Debt Solutions – How to Negotiate and Cut Your Credit Card Debt in Half Right Now

This article will focus on how you can negotiate your credit card debt with the creditors so that you only have to pay half of it back. I know it may sound a bit too much, but this option is proven by the large number of consumers that have already used its services.

Let’s start by saying that credit card debt is an unsecured debt, this basically means that you will not lose any assets or be forced to sell them in case you can’t afford to pay your debt or you file for bankruptcy. Other unsecured loans are personal and student loans; you can use debt relief options to clear any kind of unsecured debt.

A good credit card solution is debt settlement. This is a way to negotiate and cut your credit card debt in half and just pay the rest. The process itself is very easy and it will be done quickly by a debt settlement company so that you don’t have to worry about it. Also, you don’t have to worry about high interest rates for your further payments because the debt settlement company will also take care of that aspect.

The reason why negotiating your debt is so easy is not due to the fact that the credit card company wants to help you but they are just afraid that you will file for bankruptcy and they will lose all of your debt. At least this way they get a half back from you and you get the opportunity to pay back your debt without damaging your credit score even more. Don’t think that they lose money doing this because they will also receive founds from the government that is trying to make up for this deficit. Stimulus money is given to the major credit card companies that accept to settle debt for their clients; this way both parts win and none of them are forced to make any wrong decisions.

And with the new tax breaks, there are even more reasons to settle your debt and simply pay the rest rather than file for bankruptcy and harm the already vulnerable economy as well as yourself.

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Expand the description and view the text of the steps for this how-to video. Check out Howcast for other do-it-yourself videos from stevenkittinger and more videos in the Credit Cards category. You can contribute too! Create your own DIY guide at www.howcast.com or produce your own Howcast spots with the Howcast Filmmakers Program at www.howcast.com Be confident, firm, polite, and patient when negotiating with credit card companies to reach a better deal. To complete this How-To you will need: Time A phone Patience Determination Step 1: Contact card company Call your credit card company. Step 2: Ask for better deal Ask nicely if they will lower your interest rate. Tip: Remind them of your history with them and consistent on-time payments. Step 3: Present other offers Mention other, more appealing offers you have received from their competitors. Step 4: Ask for a settlement Ask them if they will agree to a reduced settlement. Warning: Settling on a credit card debt for lower than what you owe will hurt your credit score. Step 5: Improve your credit rate Improve your credit rating, which can get you a better interest rate, by paying bills and minimum balances on time, and by checking your credit reports for incorrect information and correcting them. Thanks for watching How To Negotiate With Credit Card Companies! If you enjoyed this video subscribe to the Howcast YouTube channel! www.youtube.com



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