Common Credit Card Terms And Their Meanings

Writen by Karyn Kudrna

When shopping around for a credit card, it is very important to understand the terms and fees that each card offers in order to make an informed decision regarding the best credit card for you. Because these terms affect your overall cost, it is important to compare the terms and fees of various cards before opening an account.

Annual Fees

These are the annual membership fees, or participation fees charged by some card issuers. They can range from $25 up to several hundred dollars.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

The annual percentage rate, or APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate. By law, this rate must be disclosed to all applicants of a credit card. This rate is often variable, meaning that it can be raised or lowered depending upon the performance of the index, or econonmic indicator, that it is linked to.

Balance Transfer

This is the process of transfering an unpaid credit card balance from one card to another. Often the card receiving the balance will charge the card holder a balance transfer fee.

Cash Back

Some credit cards offer cash back incentives to the card holder. These offers usually mean you will receive some percentage of the total amount charged to the card monthly, quarterly, or annually. This percentage may be paid to you by check or may be reflected on your account as a credit.

Grace Period

This is the period of time offered by some cards that allows the card holder to pay the balance in full without accruing any interest charges. If your card does not offer a grace period, then you may be paying finance charges from the date the card is used.

Introductory Rate

Credit cards often offer special "introductory rates" to new card holders. These rates may be as low as 0% for a specified period of time. After the introductory period ends, the annual percentage rate will increase to the cards regular ongoing rate. It is important to know what this rate is as well as how long the introductory period lasts prior to applying for one of these cards.

Transaction fees

Some credit cards will charge additional fees for transactions such as cash advances or balance transfers. Late fees may also be applied when a payment is received after the due date.

Karyn Kudrna is owner of the website http://www.credit-123.com which offers information on low interest credit cards

5 Tips For Finding No Credit Credit Cards

Writen by Rebecca Spitzer

Millions of people have trouble with their credit each year. From late payments to bankruptcies, families and single individuals work to overcome their poor credit histories and find a way to get along in this world of fast cash and credit card payments. So if you have poor credit or no credit at all, how do you get a credit card? Well, poor credit and no credit are different, but the methods for finding a credit card are very similar. So let's go over a few here:

· Check your mailbox. Unless you have opted out of pre-screened credit offers, you should get a few in the mail. Read the fine print and see if any of these offers suit your needs.

· Search online. The World Wide Web is an endless resource for credit card possibilities. You can use search terms like "no credit credit cards," "poor credit credit cards," and "secured credit cards." You will get a list of results that is longer than you need.

· Ask your bank. Many banks these days offer secured credit cards for people with poor or no credit. A secured credit card is simply a card that is set up after you make an initial deposit to your credit account. Usually, this amount is between two and five hundred dollars. After your deposit is made, you will have a line of credit up to the amount of you deposit, depending on the financial institution's regulations. Use your card as you would any credit card, and after a year, you may qualify for a standard credit card that is unsecured.

· Check out college bookstores. Believe it or not, these are great places to find random offers for no credit credit cards. Companies want to appeal to students, who have little or no credit, by offering credit cards for an annual fee. You can ask for any brochures the bookstore includes in bags at the point of purchase.

· Get referrals from people you know. If you have a friend that has overcome bad credit or has built their credit from scratch, ask them how they did it.

Rebecca Spitzer recommends Find Credit Cards for comparing no credit credit cards.