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  • How To Cut Your Long Distance Phone Bill

    Due to rising utility prices, there is a lot of focus on savings. Whether it is water, Internet or any other expenditure, slashing bills is always high on priority. Long distance phone calls are often very expensive and you can reduce these bills dramatically by taking small steps. Both landline and mobile rates can be reduced by a little bit of planning.

    Remove added services

    Focus on analyzing your billing statement. Never toss your phone bills aside like a piece of paper; instead, read it carefully. Start by checking any added services that are a part of your total bill. Ask yourself how many times you have used these add-on services and if you feel you can do without them then it will save you some cash. You can get rid of them by simply calling your phone company and request a termination of such services which you don’t require.

    Make long distance calls through cell phone only

    Using cell phones for making long distance phone calls is much more economical than your landline. It doesn’t matter if you are calling your mother in San Francisco or your best friend in Boston, always use a cell phone and you will save lot of money.

    Paperless billing statements

    Many phone companies charge a small fee to their customers for paper billing statements. There is a cheaper and simpler way of checking bills if you ask your phone company to send all the statements electronically. It will also benefit the environment.

    Use VoIP

    These days, technology in mobiles and landline phones is such that you can call anyone using VoIP services. These services not only provide you a much cheaper alternative but some of these services enable you to call absolutely free of cost and in the process save you tons of money. Using VoIP applications you can call all over the world through the Internet. Some of these services also let you make a video call using a camera. But it requires a super-fast Internet connection.

    Buy a phone card for long distance calls

    If you rarely make a long distance phone call then it is better to purchase a prepaid telephone card for long distance calls. Also, ask your phone service to cut the option of long distance calls, when it’s done you will be able to receive a long distance calls only. One important thing to remember about calling cards is that, once used it has an expiry date. So try to use all the credit before it expires.

    Trends

    Today, more and more people are relying on mobile phones and eliminating the landline entirely. Both have their pros and cons. The only drawback of mobile phones (as the only source of calling) is its battery life. Most mobile phones batteries don’t last more than a day or two. So don’t forget to keep it charged, as you might need it in case of an emergency.

  • Innovative Ways To Lower Your Credit Card Interest Rates as Much as 50%

    How to lower your credit card interest rates

    The biggest fear for any debtor is the spiralling cost of interest rates by their credit card companies on their present debt balances. Sometimes, these rates can even rise to a massive 30% APR. All such companies take our signature on a legal document which authorises them to push increases in interest rates, subject, of course, to legal restrictions imposed by local, state, and federal governments.

    For those credit card users who wish to maintain a zero balance all the time will not be bothered by rate changes. But others who maintain a revolving balance will struggle to reduce their debt. For that reason, this article will focus on various techniques that will help with management of revolving debt and also lower card rates.

    Three effective techniques to lower your credit card interest rates

    1. Hardship Program

    If you are struggling with your debt then the best thing you can do is to ask your creditors whether they have any “hardship program”.  Not all the companies offer this option but many do. Usually these programs last no more than three to twelve months.

    Usually, for the first six months the creditor manages to cut down existing interest rates in half or even down to 0%. Its only disadvantage is that you won’t be able to use your credit card during that period. This is in fact a blessing in disguise if you want to get rid of your debt.

    2. Get used to cards that maintain relatively lower rates

    First step is to compare interest rates of various credit cards. Standard cards usually have basic features but offer lowest rates. People often buy them for their regular APR, which is considerably lower than those of rewards and travel cards. But lookout for the rates after the promotional period gets expired, anything below 10% is considered to be on the lower range.

    3. Transfer balance to a low interest rate credit card.

    There is another way to lower your credit rate. It can be done by transferring a balance transfer to a card which has low interest rate. For this reason choose 0% APR credit cards, such cards will help you reducing your debt.

    There are two key points which should be kept in mind while moving your balance successfully:

    a)      Stop racking up balance on cleared card

    Many people made the cardinal mistake of pilling up debt again on the cards whose debt have been shifted on to low interest rate card.

    b)      Read the fine Print

    Make it your habit to read all the terms and conditions and know well in advance the balance transfer fees on the new card. You should know how long will you be paying the low interest  rate and when that period expires what will be the regular rate applicable on your debt.

  • Cut Your Insurance Bill Aggressively

    Nobody likes to overpay for insurance. So before talking to the insurance companies it is a good to know in advance what types of coverage you need, otherwise you might end up paying much more than required. In order to avoid falling prey to such companies you should follow these three easy steps to cut your insurance bill.

    Get membership in professional organizations and associations

    It is commonly observed that memberships can be very beneficial, as you can get discounts on various restaurants, airfare, and other services. There are also many employers who offer memberships to their employees and help reduce the amount of the insurance bill. Contact your insurance firm and talk to your employer. It is beneficial to both the employer and the employees to participate in such money-saving programs.

    Bundle insurance needs

    This method has got many advantages. Besides the usual reduction in auto insurance costs, the overall insurance bill is lowered significantly. Having several insurance policies with different companies is not recommended at all, as combining all of these services with one company will lower the rate appreciably. As you will become a major client, the company will reward you with one low rate.

    The best possible way to bundle your services is when you speak to an authorized person from the company who can sanction the required changes to your policy. See what rates that company is prepared to offer to you and then visit other insurance companies and compare these rates with what they are offering. Tell other insurance providers what rates your company is providing and you will be surprised to see that these companies will go all the way in order to compete with your current insurance company. This way you can effortlessly reduce insurance rates.

    Assume more risk (or go for a higher deductible)

    The simple strategy of opting for a higher deductible could lower your insurance rates by double digit percentages. The savings in premium amounts may offset the higher deductible option over a course of time and if you manage your insurance program carefully, it could actually save you more money.

  • 0 Card Credit Introductory Offer

    It is evident that the modern day credit card companies and banks are taking this age-old adage to heart. Why else would they come up with something like a 0 card credit introductory offer?

    Introductory offers by these banks and companies are meant to make an excellent first impression upon the consumers. Who would be able to resist a tempting 0 card credit introductory offer, after all? Would you say no if you were offered an introductory offer of 0% interest rate on your new credit card?

    How does a “0 card credit introductory offer” work?

    0 card credit introductory offer is an unusual coinage of the term but denotes the fact that APR rates are 0% or nil on that credit card, at least for a specified period of time. Since it is an introductory offer, it implies that it is meant to promote the credit card and the offer will be for a short term. Usually, the duration of the offer is anywhere between six to eighteen months.

    The 0% interest is mostly limited to the balance amount transferred to the new credit card, which means that no interest will be charged if you want to repay the balance that is outstanding on the new credit card. But this does not apply to any new debt taken against the new credit card. Taking a cash advance on the new credit card will cost you very high interest rates and this will not be covered by the 0 card credit introductory offer.

    What is the best use of a 0 card credit introductory offer?

    Intelligent credit card consumers tend to look upon a 0 card credit introductory offer as a fabulous opportunity to repay their debts that are outstanding on their old credit cards. There are many savvy credit card users who are constantly on the lookout for such offers and will not waste any more money in paying interest on their old outstanding balances.

    For instance, let us suppose that the first credit card charges 18 % interest on the outstanding balance. Now if this credit card user comes across a 0 card credit introductory offer, he / she can save a lot of money that was supposed to be paid as interest in the process. This is the best way to make the most of such a magnificent offer. But this tactic will work only if the outstanding balance is paid before the 0 % interest offer ends.

    If you ever you come across a 0 card credit introductory offer you should not let it go, especially if you are carrying an outstanding balance on your old credit card. Credit card companies and banks use these kinds of offers to entice new customers and that is why they extend the 0% interest rate offers for six to eighteen months at a time. It is up to the consumers to make the best of such limited time duration offers and save a considerable amount of money in the process.

  • How To Make A List of Credit Cards And Get The Best Out Of It?

    With each day, newer banks and credit card companies are coming out with credit cards in the market. A person who wishes to apply for a credit card is often bewildered by the host of choices and fails to come to a conclusion when making a decision as to which credit card is the best for him/her.

    How to make a good list of credit cards?

    The best way to make a good choice when it comes to credit card selection is to prepare a list of credit cards. Instead of making a random list, you can use certain criteria to make this credit cards list. The criteria for selection should be according to your personal preference of credit cards. For instance, if you are interested in credit cards that give cash back, then you need to make a list of credit cards that belong to this category.

    Or if you want a credit card that will help you save some money on your balance transfer, you can make a list of credit cards that offer low or zero interest rates on balance transfer. Similarly, you could make lists of credit cards that offer air travel miles, bonuses or zero APR.

    How to use this list of credit cards?

    Making the list is the first step, and you can use the criteria mentioned in the previous section to prepare it. You can do some research online to find out which cards to include in your list. There is no need to include a lot of credit cards in each of your list of credit cards. The five topmost or five most popular credit cards are all that are needed.

    After the list prepared, you can use the information on the credit card review sites to compare between the cards and find out which one is the best suited for your needs.

    When to make a list of credit cards?

    You can make a list of credit cards whenever you want to make an informed decision between the numerous credit cards that are available in the market. This applies to people who are applying for credit cards for the first time and also for those who are trying for a second or the next credit card.

    It is better to make such a list every time you need to choose a new credit card. Credit card offers keep changing all the time and new banks and credit card companies keep entering the market regularly. So try to use an updated list of credit cards each time, no matter how recently you had created the previous list.

    A list of credit cards will always come in handy when choosing a good credit card for your needs. Just make sure that you use the right criteria to create this list. Also be prepared to do some amount of market research to find the best performing credit cards at that point of time.

  • What Criteria Are You Using To Find Credit Card Offers?

    Irrespective of whether you own a credit card already and are looking to find credit card offers to add to your list of cards in your wallet or are just looking for a new card, you have multiple choices. Finding offers on credit cards should not be a problem at all because credit card companies and banks are over vigorous when it comes to promotion and marketing of their cards. There are various criteria that you can use to find credit card offers that suit your needs. Let us go through a detailed overview.

    Find credit card offers by credit score

    If you have a lower than average credit score, you will be forced to find credit card offers that are meant for people with a bad credit or not so good credit score. Even if you have an excellent credit score, you might want to find special offers that are meant for good credit. Good credit holders enjoy a hoard of benefits like low or 0 % interest rates, access to high end spas and travel miles etc.

    Find credit card offers based on rewards

    These days, credit card consumers are on a roll because they are being pampered with umpteen numbers of rewards and bonuses. You might want to check out the credit card offers just for the rewards and bonuses that are on offer with the new credit cards. In case you are interested in finding some specific offer like travel miles, gas cash back or plain cash back offers, you will have to search for credit cards that are focused on each of these specific needs.

    Find credit cards based on your special needs

    If you are a student and have not yet established any credit score, you might be interested in student credit cards. Or if you are an entrepreneur, business credit cards will suit your needs best.

    Find credit cards for special offers

    Some credit card users are interested in cards that offer special benefits and there are quite a few people who use credit cards only for availing these special benefits. If you are one of them, then you have a variety of choices like cards that offer access to spas, concerts and posh restaurants.

    How to find credit card offers?

    Most of the credit card companies advertise about their latest offers online and offline as well. If you have already decided which kind of card you need, then finding offers is very easy. You can check out the company / bank website to know of their latest offers in detail. Or you can also check out credit card review websites as well. The benefit of checking out review websites for offers is that you can see all the best offers from all the top companies and banks in one place.

    There are various kinds of credit cards and you have to find out the best ones that are suited for your needs. Using credit card review websites is the best when you want to find the best of the available credit card offers.

  • How To Compare Credit Card Balance Transfer Offers?

    Credit cards are increasing in popularity and nowadays most of us in America have at least three credit cards. But most credit users start accumulating new credit cards after using the first one for at least 6 months to a year. It is obvious that these users might have accumulated some credit balance over this time. Now, when they decide to get a new card, they might opt for a transfer of the outstanding balance to the new card. But it is necessary to compare credit card balance transfer offers before taking this decision.

    Low balance transfer offers

    When credit card users compare credit card balance transfer offers, the main criterion that they should consider is the balance transfer rate offered by the new credit cards. It is obvious that unless the balance transfer rates offered by the new credit cards are lower than the previous credit card, there is no point in attempting to transfer the balance from the old card to new card.

    Nowadays, there are many credit card companies that are trying to get new customers and one of the most common ways in which they lure customers is with low balance transfer offers on their credit cards.

    Usually these offers are very low when compared to the rates on balance transfer that these credit card users are currently being applied.

    0 balance transfer rate offers

    No matter how low the offers on balance transfer rates may be, nothing can compare to the 0% balance transfer rate offers. Since there is a lot of competition going around, credit card companies want to get the better of their competitors. No wonder that most of the latest offers on balance transfer rates are in the 0 % range.

    Points to check when you compare credit card balance transfer offers

    When you compare credit card balance transfer offers, be sure to check if the low rates apply only to balance transfer rates or to all transaction on the new credit card. Many a times, people jump to conclusions and think that the rates applied to balance transfers are applicable to all transactions on the card, but that has to be confirmed from the terms and conditions first.

    Another point to note is about the balance transfer rates that will be applied after the offer period comes to an end. This is very important because any amount that is pending after the offer ends will be charged at high interest rates.

    There might also be charges like annual charges or extra charges that are combined along with 0 % or low interest rate balance transfer offers. It is better to read through the fine print before you transfer your balance to the new card.

    It is necessary to compare credit card balance transfer rates offered by the various credit card companies before you transfer your balance to the new card. Read the fine print and double check the terms and conditions to avoid pitfalls later on.

  • Do You Know Low Introductory Rate Credit Cards Well Enough?

    Much has been said and heard about low introductory rate credit cards already. Most of you know that these credit cards offer a low rate of interest as an introductory offer and also that these low rates are valid for a short time only. We all receive several offers promoting low introductory rate credit cards each day in our mail boxes, inboxes, magazines etc. Though the basics about these cards are well known, there are certain facts that are yet unknown to the general public. Let us try to understand how these low introductory rate credit cards work.

    What should you know when looking for offers?

    When you are trying to find the best offers for low introductory rate credit cards, there are certain factors that need to be taken into consideration. The annual charge on some of these cards may be quite high and that makes such offers not so worthy of your attention. But at the same time, if you find that some of these low rate credit cards are charging a high annual fee while charging lower interest rates on the balance, then such offers are really worth your while.

    Annual charges are a onetime fee irrespective of your outstanding balance, but interest rates are dependent upon your total outstanding balance and also takes in to consideration any delayed payment etc. So it makes better sense to opt for a slightly higher annual charge when compared to a higher rate of interest.

    What is the relation between low introductory rate credit cards and credit score?

    Your credit score has a huge say when it comes to low introductory rate credit cards. It goes without saying that the better your credit score is, the more are the chances to get one of these credit cards issued to you. Most of the offers related to these low introductory cards are specifically targeted to consumers with excellent credit history and score. But that does not mean that these cards are exclusively meant only for them.

    It is possible to get hold of these low introductory rate credit cards, even if you have bad credit. Just apply for a checking and savings account with a bank or credit union. Then you can apply for a low rate credit card via your bank. Your chances of getting a low rate card issued are good if you apply via your bank, but do not expect a large credit limit to go with it. Often times you have to compromise with a lower credit limit when you want to get low introductory rate credit cards with bad credit history.

    Not everyone gets to enjoy low introductory rate credit cards, but if you get one then consider yourself lucky. These low rate credit card offers will help you pay off your outstanding debts on your credit cards without having to pay through your nose towards interest charges. Even if you are offered these low rates only for a short while, you are bound to gain from them in one way or another.

  • What Does 0 APR Mean To You?

    It is tough to avoid the marketing by credit card companies and banks because wherever you turn, you are greeted by exciting offers. You must have heard a lot of mentions about 0 APR in these offers and wondered what does 0 APR mean.  In order to understand about 0 APR, you would need to first understand what APR means.

    What is APR?

    APR is the acronym for Annual Percentage Rate, and is also frequently known as nominal APR. APR is the rate of interest that will be charged on your outstanding credit. So, if your credit card carries a nominal APR of 10%, it denotes that you will have to pay $10 per year as interest for every $100 credit availed by you. Nominal APR is calculated as simple interest rate for 1 year.

    What does 0 APR mean?

    Based on what you read and understood in the previous section, you now know what 0 APR means. It means that you will be charged 0% interest on your credit card usage. To put it more simply, it means that you can make use of the credit for free, without any charges whatsoever applied to you.

    What does 0 APR on balance transfer mean?

    Speaking of 0% interest rates, you might have come across several credit card offers that promise 0% APR on balance transfer. If you were wondering how to deduce any meaning out of that, here is a detailed explanation. Most of the credit card users carry a balance on their credit cards. This balance is the credit that has already been availed of by the credit card user but has not been repaid till date.

    Credit card companies offer an option of transferring the unpaid balance on your credit card to any new card that you may decide to sign up for later on. But there is usually a fee/interest rate applied for this balance transfer.

    0 APR on balance transfer means that you can repay the outstanding balance on your credit card at 0% interest. What more can you ask for than this? It is as good as using the credit card company’s money for your needs and that too for free.

    Are 0 APR offers good for you?

    If you are seeking a one word answer to whether APR offers are good or bad for you, I must say that they are good, but under certain conditions. 0 % APR rates are mostly short time offers proposed by credit card companies to entice new customers. Many of these offers usually promise a 0 APR for 12–18 months and then charge very high interest rates after this period is completed. Be wary of such deals and say yes only if the post-offer interest rates are affordable to you.

  • How To Choose The Best Credit Card In Three Easy Steps

    When we are given thousands of different choices, making a selection or even a decision becomes a tough affair. Now, if these choices were related to credit cards, the decision-making process could only become more complicated.

    Any credit worthy individual knows how important it is to select the right credit card and also realizes the fact that a bad credit card decision could mean a very bad financial decision which could have lasting impact and effects. Now, all these facts only serve to add to the existing confusion on how to choose the best credit card. Let us see if this problem can be solved for you in today’s post.

    Before you choose the best credit card

    To choose the best of anything, you first need to know what you are searching for. Additionally, you must be well aware of the choices too. Unless you know of all the options that are available for you to choose from, making an appropriate selection is not practical. So, before you choose the best credit card, get familiarized with the wide variety numbers of choices that are available.

    While there are plenty of choices for credit cards, you also need to realize that not all are suitable for you. For example, if your credit score is in the bad credit range, there is no point reviewing or comparing the credit cards that are meant for people with good and excellent credit, simply because you are not going to be eligible for those cards. You will have to limit yourself to the cards meant for people with bad credit and then choose the best among them.

    In the same way, there is no point looking at credit cards that provide excellent travel miles and benefits for frequent flyers, if you have no plan to travel by air anytime in the near future.

    Ascertain your needs before you go about choosing credit cards.

    How to choose the best credit card?

    Now that you have your first step covered, you can proceed towards the next step in choosing the best credit card for you. The next logical question is where to check for the best credit cards and find the offers. Online reviews of credit cards are recommended due to a variety of reasons. First, you can get all the reviews for free without having to spend a cent of your money. Second, you have a huge number of choices online. On our site, for example, we have a huge selection of the best credit cards in the market. Do take a look.

    Before worrying about how to choose the best credit card, you have to get your priorities straight. You also need to realize your limitations, if any. Only after you have successfully completed these two steps, can you proceed forward with selecting the best credit card for you. You will find the best credit card offers on the Web and applying for them online is also very expedient.