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Tag: Caution

Which Low Interest Credit Card Is Best – Variable Or Fixed Interest Cards?

by Author on Jun.12, 2009, under Credit Card

When applying for low interest credit cards, you may think you know what you are looking for. After all, it seems pretty clear. The lower the APR, the less money you will have to pay, right? In reality, this is not always the case. In fact, one factor you will need to take into consideration is whether the APR is variable or fixed. Then, you can make a far better decision when choosing from among the available low interest rate credit cards on the market.

Low Interest Credit Cards with Variable Interest Rates

Low interest credit cards with variable interest rates are those that fluctuate with the prime rate. The prime rate is the rate top United States banks pay to borrow money from the Federal Reserve. Therefore, you will often see interest rates written as the prime rate, plus an additional percentage APR in order to provide the bank with a profit.

When the prime rate is in a downward swing, as it has been in the past few years, these cards can be quite attractive to the consumer simply because the APR is lowered. On the other hand, these cards can have skyrocketing interest rates when the prime rate is soaring. In addition, many credit card companies place a minimum APR on the cards. This means the APR will never fall below a specific rate, regardless of where the prime rate stands. At the same time, your interest rate will increase as the prime rate increases – and you won’t see credit card companies placing caps on how high these rates can become.

Low Interest Credit Cards with Fixed Rates

Low interest credit cards with fixed rates are those with interest rates that do not fluctuate or change. For example, if a credit card offers a 7.99% fixed interest rate, it means the interest rate will not become higher or lower that 7.99% – no matter what the prime rate may be. A word of caution, however: credit card companies have the right to change a fixed rate to a higher fixed rate by simply sending you a 30 day written notice. These notices can be very unassuming and in small print, and simply slipped in with your monthly billing statement. Therefore, it is important for you to read all paperwork included with your bill and to keep an eye out for changes in your fixed rate.

The Introductory Rate

When you shop through the numerous cheap credit cards available, you most likely pay the majority of your attention to the introductory rate. Usually, introductory rates on low interest rate credit cards are minimal and fixed. In fact, it is not unusual to see cheap credit cards with APRs of 0.00%. What you need to look at, however, is the APR after the introductory period is complete and whether it is variable or fixed. This is particularly important if you do not foresee yourself being able to pay your balances in full after the introductory period is complete.

The post-introductory period rate is often referred to as the “go rate.” With most low interest credit cards, the go rate is variable and based on the prime rate. The go rate is not always the same from customer to customer because credit card companies generally offer better APRs to the customers with the best credit history.

Deciding Which is Best

Determining which of these types of low interest credit cards is best for you depends on your financial situation. If you pay your balance in full at the end of each billing cycle, it really doesn’t matter if your rate is variable or fixed. On the other hand, it can be incredibly important if you do carry a balance. The perk to a fixed rate is that you are always sure of what your interest rate will be from month to month, so long as you make sure to read all information inserted along with your bill each month. This makes it easier to plan a budget and keep a closer eye on your finances. At the same time, you might save money in the long run by taking advantage of low interest credit cards with variable APRs when the prime rate is low. If you are disciplined enough to keep an eye on the fluctuating market and to take advantage of cheap credit cards when the rate is low, variable APR cards may be your best bet.

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How To Use A ‘Credit’ Card Online Safely.

by Author on Jun.12, 2009, under Credit Card

Please use caution when you use a ‘credit’ card on the internet. There are ‘criminal elements’ every-where, and online is no exception. I will actually go as far as to say that you should NEVER use a ‘credit’ card online AT ALL. Hear me out! I have a PayPal account and it can be quite useful for ebay or other places that accept it. To get a PayPal account you need some sort of credit card, right? WRONG! There are two main types of ‘plastic card’, the first is a ‘CREDIT’ card ( potentially very dangerous when used online ). The second card is a ‘DEBIT’ card – very SAFE to use online, if you go about it the right way.

You do not need a credit card to establish a PayPal account. ( or for lots of other online services..) A ‘debit’ card is much, much safer and I will explain why. Firstly, if you use a credit card online and you are unlucky enough to have your card details stolen or intercepted, then ALL the money that is available to that card can be lost – permanently. Can you afford that?? Even if you can afford to lose that money ( lucky you!! ) do you really want to hand it over to a criminal? My guess would be no. So don’t risk it happening! I don’t have a credit card at all, and that is largely irrelevant, but I can purchase things online.

What I use is a VISA enabled DEBIT card instead, and this is how it works. I have two bank accounts, one with all my money in it, the other is nearly always completely EMPTY. The empty account has the VISA debit card attached to it. How does that work if it is empty most of the time? Very easily. The first account has an online banking facility and I simply transfer money into the VISA account whenever I need to use it. I only transfer about ten dollars more than I think I will need to make a purchase, so that if my VISA card details are intercepted or used by any criminal organization, they can’t get at ALL my money.

Yes, online banking has potential risks as well, but with the added layers of security that a bank provides, the risk is much reduced. Also you can directly visit your bank to sort out any problems should they occur, but it is much ( very much ) harder to do that if you are dealing with an online organization that may be based a different country altogether. So, I hope you aren’t using a credit card online. (!?#!!)

Note 1 : The reason I transfer about 10 dollars more than I think I will need for any given transaction is to cover currency conversion variations and un-noticed packaging, postage, or insurance costs. I also like to leave a balance of about 20 dollars to feed my online insurance policy. ( see the paragraph below note 2. )

Note 2 : Most online banking facilities allow an unlimited number of transactions, with no transaction fees. So you can use it as much as you want to and it costs you nothing. Now that’s how much I like to pay!! Don’t forget that in some cases you can do direct bank deposits to make a purchase online. That means even less risk to you because the vendor doesn’t even have the chance to get at your card at all. They only get the money, and that’s just fine by them. If you need to set up recurring payments for a membership or subscription service, the best way is by direct bank deposit. You set it up, you control it, and ‘they’ can’t change what they charge you or add extra charges without you knowing about them :-)

There is a cost involved with having a second bank account and that cost is usually thought of as dead money, but if you look at that monthly ( or annual ) cost as a form of ‘pay as you go’ insurance, then it is a lot more acceptable. What I mean by pay as you go insurance is the charges ( account keeping fees ) for the usually empty second account are your insurance policy against losing the contents of your main account to an online criminal. When you look at it that way, it is really rather cheap. You also get insurance against financial loss from VISA if your card is lost or stolen in the ‘real world’- not that there would be a substantial amount available to that card if you operate it the way I have outlined above. You can use either type of plastic card on the internet, and the vendor of whatever you purchase will never know what type you are using, but I know what type of card I will always use. The debit card.

Footnote : No, I don’t have a ‘credit’ card at all, so without the services of a debit card I wouldn’t be able to purchase much online. But I wouldn’t have a credit card even if I could ‘afford’ one. I personally think that credit cards are just too big a temptation for the average person. If you have thousands of dollars available to be spent as credit, that is just what most people do, they spend it. Why is that a problem? Well if you don’t have the money to buy whatever you have bought using your credit card, where are you going to find the money to pay that credit back?? Oh, and what about the rude amount of interest that a lot of people end up paying on their credit cards? Sometimes for years.. I may be old fashioned in this regard, but saving your money by having a budget, and buying something when you can afford to do so, really does save you a lot of money in the long run.

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How To Create A Blog That Pays The Bills

by Author on May.30, 2009, under Blogging

The statistic is really staggering. Only one percent of those who start a blog succeed to monetize the site. However, the good news is those who did succeed as loggers are able to earn enough money to live comfortable while working in the comforts of their home.

In fact, there are a number of bloggers out there that are earning a good five digit income a year. The truth is that blogging can be a very lucrative online home business if and only if you have the talent and the right attitude towards your business.So, Blogging for a living is really possible.

What makes other fail while others succeed? Successful bloggers invested a lot of time, efforts and talents into their site. They believe that writing a bog is not just a hobby that they can do during their spare time but rather something that should be taken seriously.

In other words, blogging is not just about writing something, it about writing something interesting for the readers. To become a successful loggers must anticipate what his or her readers want to read. They must know how to hold the interest of their readers.

Once a blogger gets the attention of his or her readers, there is a big chance that these readers will keep coming back to read more of what the blogger has to say. As the traffic to the site increases, there is now a high potential to earn money through the site.

Monetizing your blog

Some writers feel rather strongly about putting ads on their bog. These writers believe that having all those icons, banners and logo all over their site is taboo. Sure, nobody really wants to put so many ads on their site but the thing is advertisements bring in the money.

If your site has huge traffic and to want to monetize your blog, you must be prepared to set aside some space for your advertisers. You must design your site in such a way that it will be easy for advertisers to put up their logo.

A word of caution though, you must not put too many advertisements in your site otherwise your site will become too crowded and difficult to navigate. Most readers would shy away from blogs that are difficult to navigate and if you lose your readers, you will lose your income.

Most online advertisers pay the site owners according to the number of views or clicks make on their ads. If the traffic to your site decreases, naturally, your income will be affected.

Another way of earning money through your blog is through affiliate programs. Choose an affiliate program that is relevant to the contents of your blog. For instance, if your blog is all about children and parenting, it would be wise to join affiliate programs that are selling products for children.

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5 Mistakes And Can Make Your Blog Useless

by Author on May.04, 2009, under Blogging

Too often bloggers complain that after a great start, a year later their blog is as dead as can be. This is a common problem that almost always revolves around a small list of common mistakes made by the blogger. A blogger can sit back and expect the blog to do all of the work for him or her, which is a terrible way to approach blogging. A successful blogger would tell you that great blogging takes a certain amount of dedication and hard effort to make it work. You have to put effort into a blog to sustain it, especially after the first month or so of completing the design. Many people work so hard during the initial design phase that they get lazy after it is complete. To avoid this happening to your blog, check out these five common mistakes that can bury a blog.

Infrequent Updates

One of the biggest mistakes a blogger can make is to “forget” about posting. The most successful blogs are updated with new posts at least once a day. Some larger blogs are constantly being updated. You should try to create new posts as often as possible. If you miss a day here and there, it will be no big deal. However, if you miss a week or more without posting, you might as well consider the blog dead already. You have to take a few moments, even as few as five, a day to create interesting posts or content. If you are writing short and concise posts like you should be, this should not be that challenging. It is easy to keep your blog updated, if you make it a priority.

Too Much Advertising

Most bloggers today do want to make a profit from their blog. This is a trend that can get out of control quickly however. If you are interested in adding ads to your blog, do so with caution. There is nothing wrong with a few appropriately places ads that offer viewers links to places that correlate with your blog’s content. However, adding a massive amount of advertisements on your blog is a mistake. If you have a bunch of flashy ads on your blog, your content will get lost within the hoopla. Therefore, you should always limit your ads to three or less per page. Make sure you place them in appropriate places that let your content shine through. Don’t allow enormous ads to fill up your pages either. They will simply annoy readers. Be smart about including advertising on your blog!

Unprofessional Look

Looks do matter when it comes to your blog. The more professional and crisp your blog looks, the more your readers will take you seriously. If you are interesting in boosting traffic, you should try a more serious layout or presentation for your blog. If you can afford to hire a professional, you should. If you choose to do it yourself however, you must make sure the end product is good. If you have a sloppy blog that looks “homemade” you will not likely have a great response. Try different layouts and approaches to see what gets you the most traffic.

Graphics Overload

Pictures can add a ton to your blog and draw in more readers. However, when done excessively, much like ads, pictures can drive people away. The main reason too many pictures can ruin a blog is because there are many web surfers who still use slow internet connections. When they try to load your page, it will take an excessively long time to do so. This in turn will likely drive them and anyone else with this problem away. Try limiting to a few pictures per page.

Inappropriate Content

Everyone knows that the web is a place where you can freely express yourself. However, if you want your blog to survive, you might want to think about that freedom of expression. Although you should always say what you feel, you can do so in appropriate manners on your blog. There are ways to say anything on your mind, without using profanity or any offensive lingo. If you want your blog to be successful, you cannot be inappropriate with your content.

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Helpful Info On Credit Card Reward Cards

by Author on Apr.28, 2009, under Credit Card

No matter where you look, there is always a credit card company that is presenting reward programs with their credit cards. New ones pop up all the time, making it sound too good to turn down. Even though they may sound great, you may wonder if the rewards are truly worth it. In some cases they are, although in others they may not be quite as good as you would like.

Although having more than one reward card is something many folks instantly think about, you should always keep in mind that not all of them are worth having. Even though using your credit card is always good, you can sometimes end up paying quite a bit if you don’t pay attention to what you are obtaining. When it comes down to credit card reward cards, you should use caution – with a dash of common sense.

Any reward cards that come with high interest rates should always be relinquished. With most reward cards, you’ll find that they include higher rates of interest than standard cards. This higher interest rate can quickly and easily offset any kind of reward. To be on the safe side, you should always look at the interest rates and determine if the reward is indeed worth it. If you pay off your entire balance at the end of every month – then this won’t be a concern at all for you.

You should also keep your eyes peeled for reward cards that offer a high annual fee. These cards can be very tough to keep a grasp of, and they can also interfere with any form of reward you may think your getting. If you look at the fine print before you get choose your reward credit card, you can assist to eliminate problems.

Cash back is a form of reward card that is becoming very accepted. A lot of the top credit card companies and banks offer cash back programs that are most of the time around 1% for every purchase that you make. Before you rush out and get a reward card, you should always make sure that you read the fine print and see if there is a maximum limit on the card.

Another kind of familiar reward credit card is the type that give you points for every purchase you make using that card. Once you have accumulated enough points, you can redeem them for items and other cool things. Some cards will have limits as to how many points you can receive, which again makes it your best interest to shop around.

There are also credit cards with frequent flyer miles, which have been around the longest. Some cards will base their rewards on points, while some choose to use actual miles. For every dollar you spend using your frequent flyer credit card, you’ll receive either a point or a mile. Once you get enough accumulated, you can redeem them. Most frequent flyer rewards take about 25,000 points or miles in order to redeem them, which can make it nearly impossible for some to reap the benefits of using the card.

No matter where you look, unearthing the right credit card reward card can take some time and effort. You may have no dilemma unearthing the card to fit your needs, and if you do, you should consider yourself lucky. Before you choose your card however – you should always take the necessary time to read the fine print and compare what each unique agency has to offer you.

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