Credit Card ’s Talk

You got creditors calling you everyday. You could lose the car or house. Your teetering on the edge financial ruin - then you see an ad that may safe your butt! Typical headlines say something like Millionaire reveals Hidden Cash Sources, or help for people in debt up to their eyeballs!

HOW DESPERATE ARE YOU? IF YOU’RE IN TROUBLE, GET HELP. PROFESSIONAL LEGAL HELP!

It’s available free or on a sliding scale based on your ability to pay from any number of agencies that can, and will REALLY HELP YOU! No, they won’t give you money just for asking. Neither will anyone else.

Many ads will try to make you think that there’s little known secret funds that only the rich know how to get their greedy hands on. How millionaires are ripping-off the system. Getting money that was set aside for people just like you! Are you getting mad? That’s the idea. Now it’s time to get your share. What, you don’t know how? Send in for a secret program and collect your rightful share of free loot. It’s easy, legal, anyone can get the cash.

As of this writing the United States Government is deep in debt. Far worse then you. Over four trillion dollars worth. That’s $4,000,000,000,000.00. No, theres no loot stashed away in some forgotten vault, but some money is indeed available if you qualify. That’s the catch 22.

HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS GIVEN AWAY

That’s the part of this con that is the truth. A lot of schemes sell information that you can get for free, from a whole bunch of government and private agencies. Of course, NOBODY just gives money away. You have to qualify.

Here’s how to get your hands on some…

What are the con-artists selling?

Sometimes you’ll get information on the (SBA), the Small Business Administration, which will help you get a LOAN, if you can’t get one from regular banking sources. Of course the SBA has nothing to do with helping you pay off a stack of personal bills, a past due mortgage, car loan, utilities, medical bills.

The SBA arranges BUSINESS LOANS, and rarely, gives outright grants. You could also get details on how you may qualify for Medicare, or several other government programs. Of course, you could get exactly the same information for free from Uncle Sam!

Some plans tell you about Grants. That’s where you really do get money, and you don’t have to pay it back. Yes, there are many foundations that do give money away for worthy projects - if you qualify. That’s the catch.

I could tell you more, but you already get it. Don’t you? Sure, there’s all kinds of government special assistance programs, low interest loans and outright grants - but in order to get any of this money you have to qualify.

Chances are very good you won’t!

The agencies that give the money will tell you for free how to qualify so don’t send away for some plan that will cost you to find out exactly the same thing!

GRANT COORDINATOR

OK you learned that you probably can’t get any money for yourself. How about telling people that do qualify for grants and collecting a fat fee for your services? Sounds dumb? Several swindlers push a scam that goes something like this:

Like most schemes, there is a little truth to some of what is being pitched. Yes, like I already said, every day millions of dollars are given away by all kinds of government agencies, trusts, and foundations. It’s also true that sometimes more money is available then is applied for.

Here’s where you come in. What do you have to do? Hell - almost nothing…

Just let the companies that qualify for grants know that they got the grant. The money is reportedly just sitting around waiting to be given away, but the companies that qualify are too dumb or lazy to ask for it. Of course they will be so happy, they will pay you a fat commission for letting them know about it. Fat chance.

You have to have part with up to $100.00 for this little beauty! Several companies offer this goofy scheme. I’ll say this - the ripoff artists that peddle this garbage, must have taken a post-graduate course in swindling.

Remember the load of bull most chain letters promise?

Maybe $50,000 in 90 days. At least they say you’re required to send out a hundred letters, then of course everything just snow balls. Not with this offer. You only have to send one letter and get $50,000 for matching a grant to a company. Need $100,000? Send two letters. Need a million bucks? Should have it by the end of the month, just send 20 letters.

What do you get when you send away your money? A secret list - how original! What of? Companies that have been pre-approved for grants. Sometimes a list of companies that may qualify for grants. You usually get a list of organizations that issue grants as your bonus gift for ordering early!

SELF-LIQUIDATING LOANS

Come on, admit it - you did read at least one of these ads because they sound so good!

Typical headlines say something like Borrow up to $50,000 without ever repaying a penny! Now if that doesn’t get you to read at least part of the sales pitch, something must be wrong with you! The better ads will try and explain how this is on the up and up with fancy banking terms - some real, others made-up. Look for things like Arbitrage, Compensating Balances, Self-liquidating, etc.

Sounds interesting, but it even gets better. There’s no credit check, you won’t need any kind of collateral, if you have bad credit - no problem. Won’t ask where you work, or even if have a job. There’s no paperwork. Of course the ad says it’s 100% legal. What - you were worried it wasn’t?

LET’S REVIEW

A company you never heard of, is willing to give you - a total stranger, that may have a bad credit history, and be out of work, a large amount of money that you won’t have to pay back. No forms to fill out except for a tiny little order blank.

This one really stinks! It costs anywhere from $7.00 up to $50.00 to cover a processing fee. What about your loan? Well maybe you’ll get it tomorrow. This plan, like so many others, works on simple greed. Just about anybody at one time or another got turned down for a loan. So, this is your chance to get even. No paperwork, everybody accepted. Don’t even have to repay because of some secret method - it’s a shame people fall for it.

GET AS MANY CREDIT CARDS AS YOU WANT

OK, you didn’t jump on the previous offers, how about this one?

Maybe you have a poor work history. Can’t hold a job, or just living beyond your means. Down on your luck - no problem. You can get as many credit cards as you want! Easy! Everybody! Sounds too good to pass up. Most offers are modestly priced - after all, we’re talking about people who may be desperate, don’t have much money to spend. How does it work? You simply apply for secured credit.

THIS PLAN IS PERFECTLY LEGAL!

How? You put money in a secured bank account.

The bank then issues you a credit card equal to the money you placed in the account.

OOPS!… you didn’t know that?

Let me run that past you again a little slower. You want a credit card where you can charge up to $500. So you have to deposit $500 in a special bank account and then the bank will let you use the credit card they issue up to the amount of money you have on deposit. Want two cards? Deposit $500 in two different banks.

Repeat the process as many times as you like. Of course if you had money to put in the banks, you probably won’t need the credit cards. Shame they don’t tell you that in the ads! Something about let the buyer beware I guess!

Actually it is important to build a good credit history, and this is one way to do it.

There is nothing illegal with using this method. Surprise!

You don’t have to send away for any offer either. Just walk into your local bank, and ask to open a secured credit account. Not every bank provides this service, but a surprising number do.

The only catch is of course you can’t touch the money in the account, and if you don’t pay off your credit card balance in full each month you will rack up quite a bit of interest charges on top of whatever you charge with the credit card, so be careful.

A lot of ads claim you can get $100,000 in credit. Sure you can.

I just told you how. Deposit $100,000 in several banks as secured credit accounts, and you will get the cards.

Watch out for offers that ask you to send in a big application fee. Sometimes they use a 800 phone number, and tell you up front what the application fee is. Others claim the processing is free, have you dial a 900 phone number, and a $20.00 charge magically appears on your phone bill next month.

Still others start with a free 800 phone number that is nothing more then a recorded message that asks you to dial a 900 number to complete the transaction. No 900 phone numbers are free calls that I know of.

You could end up paying fifty dollars for so-called free credit cards. If you can’t find a local bank go ahead and apply, once you know how much the total charges are, but ask what bank is issuing the card first. Check them out with local authorities where the bank is located. It’s worth the phone call.

However, you just might find out there is no such bank and a rip-off artist is just trying to steal your money, so proceed with caution. This type of offer is very heavily advertised on television. As I already said most offers are legal, but you will be required to put up cash equal to the amount approved for the credit cards offered.

There is another method that will give you a good credit history in time.

Open a regular savings account and deposit $200-$500.

Leave it there 30 to 60 days, then get a loan on the account.

Pay the loan off before the due date.

Withdraw part, or all of the money.

Open another account at some other bank.

Repeat the process over and over.

Your local credit bureau will get good reports on you, and before you know it, your mail box will be stuffed with offers for really free credit cards - no more secured account!

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Copyright ? Andre Vas, Direct-Credit-Card.com, All Rights Reserved.

A Message To People Who Want To Apply For The Best Credit Card —
But Can’t Get Started, Don’t Know Where To Go, Or Simply Feel
Overwhelmed With The Insane Amount Of Credit Card Offers…

==> http://www.Direct-Credit-Card.com

Also go to link below to get TONS OF FREE money saving and personal
finance tips & tricks…

==> http://www.Direct-Credit-Card.com

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There are many different ways to borrow money. Outlined below is a useful guide to some of most common ways of borrowing money.

Loans

There are many loan companies offering to lend you money. They will check your credit worthiness and may offer you a secured loan or an unsecured loan.

A secured loan means that you undertake to give the lender property you own if you do not keep up the repayments. In return, you usually get a lower APR and longer repayment period. An unsecured loan costs more in repayments but does not carry all the risks of a secured loan.

Overdrafts

Your bank might allow you to overdraw - that is, borrow from the bank by taking out more money than you currently have in your account.

You will be charged interest on your overdraft and possibly a fee as well. If you go over the overdraft limit set by the bank, you will have to pay a lot more.

Check what the bank charges for overdrafts and try hard not to go over your limit. If you do need to borrow and cannot repay the amount very quickly, you might be better off with a bank loan.

Always check the bank’s interest rate and other charges.

Credit cards

Using a credit card to buy things means that you do not have to pay right away. Each time you use a credit card, you sign a slip of paper (or type in your PIN) to say that you agree to the cost of your purchase being added to your credit card account.

You will get a bill from the credit card company at the end of every month listing all the things you have bought. With most cards, if you clear the balance in full before the date given, you will not have to pay any interest.

Be very careful when using a credit card. Small purchases mount up very quickly - keep a record of what you spend. If you spend more than you really mean to and can’t pay it all back in time, you will be charged interest.

Take great care of your card. If it is lost or stolen, report it immediately.

You may freely reprint this article provided the author’s biography remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

On one hand consumers are being universally criticised for running up significant amounts of debt on credit cards, yet conversely many companies are capitalising on the growing credit card debt, from charities and political organisations to football clubs, the Association of Surgeons and somewhat ironically ActionAid, an international development agency whose aim is to fight poverty worldwide.

Financial comparison site moneynet.co.uk provided 226 credit cards in a general credit card search, from which the consumer could choose a product to suit their lifestyle, as well as their wallet. Credit cards with charity branding involve many major organisations including Amnesty International, Christian Aid, WaterAid, RSPB, Save The Children, the Ramblers Association, Oxfam, Greenpeace, the Vegetarian Society, RSPCA, ActionAid, Children In Crisis, Help The Aged, Tearfund and the Terence Higgins Trust.

Perhaps it is fair to say that if people are going to spend on plastic, they should be helping charitable organisations on the way and should they feel inclined to contribute to a political institution, donating a small % of each transaction is a convenient method. If most consumers were ethical spenders, then associations between transactions and third party beneficiaries would inherit this quality, but as debt spirals out of control, is it responsible or ethical that someone should benefit at the cost of someone else?

Although it is standard for most card providers to offer an introductory free period, the consumer may be hit by a more substantial annual percentage rate (APR) later on the year, with some providers, such as ASDA charging a massive APR of 28.8%. Even ActionAid charges an APR of 17.9%, rescuing the developing world at the expense of the developed.

For further information about credit cards and details on specific providers:

http://www.moneynet.co.uk/
http://www.eiris.org/
http://www.creditaction.org.uk/
http://www.moneybasics.co.uk/mb/site/Home.html

Rachel writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla: http://cashzilla.blogspot.com/

Rachel drinks Guinness and has the Best Hits of 1987 in her music collection.

Cashzilla is an Aries. He has a flamboyant character and a tongue that could heat up any conversation. If Cashzilla was an A-Team character, he’d be Murdock.

Borrowing money has become easier in recent years, and credit cards have become abundant and more and more competitive. It seems to be so much easier to get hold of credit nowadays so it?s no surprise that there is more debt in the developed countries than ever before.

Credit card companies, banks and other lenders all make their money on the interest they charge you for borrowing money from them.

Obviously we can never predict in life when something is going to go pear shaped, we may lose our job for one reason or another, we may have ill health and be unable to work, we may have other financial commitments and find that the money we have doesn?t seem to stretch very far. This is unfortunate but quite often things can be resolved quite soon with the least upset.

People on lower incomes or poorer credit ratings are generally offered higher interest rates, and this is where many people come unstuck. Each month you have to make a payment, and quite often people on low incomes will pay just the minimum balance from their credit card statement, now this seems great for a while, until one day you realise that all you seem to be paying is interest! Your balance is just not going down! So what do you do? Well some people starting weaving a very tangled web by transferring their balance to another card with a great introductory offer (if they are in the lucky position to be accepted for another card).

Again this seems fine for a while until the introductory offer expires and you have to pay full whack interest!

Meeting the monthly demands becomes quite difficult, and in the end people are borrowing from one lender to pay another.

This is where debt consolidation comes in. Basically, a lender will pay off all of your debts, and then you will pay just one bill, to them, they claim that they could even reduce some of your debt. Research is the best tool here, before you go off and sign up with any old debt management company, read all of the terms and conditions and make sure you are aware of what is going on. Approached correctly debt management could avoid getting to the nasty stage of Bankruptcy!

Pearl Deloria is a proud contributing author, read more here. Find more information about consolidation or Loans.

There are not many of us who do not have a credit card these days. But, not all of us are as wise in the area of understanding how they work and how they make money. There are many types available to the young and old. Student credit cards even begin to get teenagers into the world of credit cards. Secured credit cards, cards that usually can’t be written off, are even misleading in their name. So, what does that discover credit card in your wallet actually do for you?

Even young adults are being lured into the world of credit cards. Student credit cards are widely available. Some link the parent to the card, others are geared towards college students who most of the time don’t even have jobs to pay for them. They seem like a great way to pay for college expenses, but the fees can be outrageous.

A big trap is secured credit cards. While there are always options out there that are legit, there are many others that are not. Often times, people with little or no credit or even bad credit can get a secured credit card. These are credit cards that are linked to savings accounts which require a minimum balance to be kept. While this seems easy enough, if you default on it, they can claim their money through that savings account. Another aspect of these types of credit cards are the fees associated with them. They often require set up fees, sometimes in the hundreds of dollars. They may have monthly and yearly fees as well. They may seem like a great way to establish or reestablish credit, but you will need to read the fine print for the secured credit card.

The goal of any credit card company is to make money. They do this by charging you an interest rate. The rate varies greatly from one company to the next depending on your credit status and credit history. But, your goal is to find the low interest credit cards. Many times, if you are in good standing with a credit card company, you can call them and request that they consider you for an interest rate cut.

Next to paying off your entire credit card bill each month, finding the lowest rates is often very important in order to save money. With the Internet as a tool, you can search for different types of credit cards and learn which companies offer the lowest rates. Many companies are equipped to take and accept credit card applications online within minutes. But, be wise and read the fine print to avoid falling into traps and outrageous fees.

About The Author

Mike Yeager, Publisher

http://www.a1-loans-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

Low Interest credit cards are exactly what their name suggests. They charge low rates of interest (APR). The APR is calculated in the same way as with other credit cards; this facilitates an easy comparison for an individual who is planning to switch over to these cards. Low interest credit cards are favored by individuals who habitually carry their monthly credit card balance forward. Low interest rates can lead to significant savings on financial charges.

For the introductory period, most low interest credit cards offer 0% APR; however, most credit cards offer 0% APR only for select situations such as balance transfers and major purchases. The introductory period offer can be used for consolidating multiple credit cards that charge high rates into a single low APR credit card. This helps people to reduce the financial charges associated with credit card debts and pay off the existing balances quickly. Often, low interest rate credit card companies will waive the balance transfer fee upon a client?s request. Thus, low interest rate cards with rates that can be up to 9 percentage points lower than those of other cards are a great way of saving for those inveterate shoppers who invariably end up with a monthly balance on their credit cards. It is also less taxing to take a cash advance with low interest credit cards. Individuals with poor credit scores may find themselves ineligible for low interest credit cards.

Low interest credit cards may or may not offer other advantages like cash back and travel insurance and should therefore be used with another card that does. This helps a card user to earn benefits from the other card which he may use when he does not intend to keep a balance; for other purchases, the low interest credit card can be used. It is advisable that the oldest extant credit card account that an individual has should not be closed for acquiring a low rate credit card; this is because maintaining credit accounts for long periods reflects well on the credit ratings.

There are several low interest credit cards available in the market. Individuals should do a thorough research to find a card that offers a perfect fit for their needs.

Drew Hanson recommends that you visit http://www.creditcardsearchengine.com for more information on low interest credit cards.

Some credit cards offer a cash advance option. But how good a deal is this?

Not very. In fact, it can be downright expensive.

Why?

Because every time you use your credit card to withdraw case, more fees kick in:

* Cash advances can carry an upfront fee of 2 percent to 4 percent of the amount advanced.

* The advances have a higher interest rate than regular card charges.

* Interest charges begin to mount as soon as the money comes out of the ATM.

* Many issuers also require you to pay down the balances for purchases before you pay down the higher-interest cash advance balance.

Here’s an example of how these fees kick in:

Assume you bought a television for $500 on your credit card and then took out $50 in cash. Even though you pay the $50 back the next day, you still lose your interest-free period because the credit provider deems you pay the cash back last.

As a result you will still owe the $50, but you will now only owe $450 on the $500 worth of purchases.

You’ll continue to forfeit your interest-free period up until you have completely paid back the full $550. Any future purchases will still be ahead of the $50 in the payback line.

The lesson is simple: Avoid using your credit card to withdraw cash wherever possible. You’ll save money as a result! Shop around the amount of Credit Card offers is now staggering. If you are prepared to shop around your next Credit Card could save you money.

Keith Davies of http://www.searchforcredit.co.uk is always on the look out to save people money. Loans, Credit Cards, Mortgages we have all the latest deals.

Keeping your credit card debts in check should be your sole aim in life if you want to live a financially viable life, because if you don?t the fall out of having a lot of debt on your credit cards can start to affect other parts of your life.

As much as credit cards are a handy spending tool, they are double the trouble if they are not taken care of and can give you problems that you could never have imagined when you first applied for the card.

Though credit cards are becoming a must have tool to have in this day and age, to book things such as concert tickets and theatre tickets over the phone or to buy goods at cheaper prices on the Internet, what you have top remember is that a credit card has a higher than normal APR attached to it, than other debt such as Personal Loans and Mortgages.

There are though a few simple and common sense practices that you can apply to your credit card and the way that you spend on it.

Firstly you can try and be a little choosier on the purchases that you make, we all know how handy the credit card is to use on purchases that you don?t have the ready cash for, but to buy goods that your income can simply support is a bad practice, as it will only lead you in to debt interest charges being added to the already obscene cost of the item and by the time that you have eventually paid it off, there?s a new model out and the one you have costs less than half the price new. Lesson: Avoid temptation.

This first practice could then lead to you only being able to afford to pay the minimum payments to your credit card, this has to be avoided also as it will leave you paying off debt for many a year and for goods again that are either past there sell by date or already in the back of your council refuge truck. Lesson: Pay more than the Minimum Payment.

Always check your credit card statement for any phantom payments taken from your card, though not a regular occurrence, mistakes can happen and it will also let you catch any fraud being applied to your credit card account. Lesson: Don?t pay for something you haven?t bought.

There are few things that the credit card issuer will also change about your card and they can do so when they please, one is to raise your APR, if they do so be prepare to move to a credit card issuer who can offer you a better deal. Lesson: Switch to save.

Another is the raising of your credit limit, again when you are checking your statement check this as well, as the hope of the credit card company is that you get the false security of being better off than you are and that if the credit card issuer says I can have it, then I must be able to afford to spend it. Lesson: Stay within your means.

Keep on top of your credit card and don?t let it get on top of you, by doing this you will master the card, rather than the MasterCard getting the better of you.

Peter Kenny is a writer for creditcards-gb For additional articles and an extensive resource for everything about credit cards, please visit us at http://www.creditcards-gb.co.uk and http://www.creditcards2go4.com

Your Credit History:

Three simple words but words that determine your financial success. Your credit history has an influence that all lending institutions consider when assessing their level of risk when looking at your application for credit. Because of its importance it is vital that you know and understand what your credit report says about you.

Your Credit Report:

This is a document that shows your personal financial information, good and bad. Based on this information you are given a score called a FICO score. The higher the FICO score the better. All three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and Transunion, report this information. When you apply for any kind of credit, the lender will get a copy of your credit report from one of these three companies.

While this all sounds very technical, what it really means is that your credit score will influence all financial decisions about you in the future. For this reason it is vitally important that you read your report regularly and keep a record of it. Sometimes mistakes have been made on your report. By frequently checking your report you can find and resolve these errors before they can harm your credit application.

What Your Score Means For You:

It means everything! As mentioned above, your credit score influences decisions made by institutions considering your application for credit. If your credit score is less than perfect, your application may be turned down or you may have to pay a higher interest rate than someone with a higher score. Problems can remain on your report for as long as two years even after you think they have been resolved.

What Influences Your Score:

One of the main influences is your payment history. Have you paid your bills on time? Your score will be negatively affected if you are routinely late with payments.

Another factor is the size of your outstanding debt. This includes outstanding balance on loans as well as the credit limits on credit cards. If you have several credit cards, even if they have small balances, the possibility that you could theoretically charge these cards to the limit will negatively affect your credit score.

The length of your credit history is also considered. It may seem strange but not having a credit history can be a detriment. The fact that you have no debt means that you are an unknown quantity. The lender has no idea how you will actually handle credit.

Obtaining Your Report:

As of January, 2004, all credit bureaus are required by law to give you one free copy of your credit report each year. The credit report will list your debts and problems such as the number of payments late by over 30 days, etc. They can, however, charge you for the actual FICO score. Get on the phone or online to see what the policy is for each of the main credit reporting bureaus.

Restoring Credit Worthiness:

This topic will be covered in a subsequent article.