By Amy Turner on 12-11-2011
British shoppers are falling out of love with storecards, with spending on the cards down 20pc in a year.
Figures from the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) which represents lenders, showed that customers spent 2pc less on their credit cards in the year to August 2011 than the year previously. However, their spend on store cards declined 20pc in the same period. Second mortgages, car finance and payment to stores through instalments also declined.
Store cards, which are offered by most of Britain’s major high street stores, are one of the most expensive forms of credit – many have interest rates of well over 20pc. Many offer one off discounts to shoppers who take them out, but then they are hit by unexpected bills because interest charges rack up.
Santander, which is the largest of Britain’s store card operators, wrote to customers late last year warning them that they could be charged a 10 fee if they do not use the card for six months. I
Read more…
One of the most popular types of credit card is the 0% balance transfer credit card. There are quite a few reasons people use these credit cards but if you are unfamiliar with the subject, you might not know what they are. So, read on to find out about three reasons people use 0% balance transfer credit cards.
Balance transfer benefits
As you might expect, one of the main reasons people use this type of credit card is because they have balance transfer benefits. This essentially means that you are able to transfer the balance from an existing credit card onto your new balance transfer card. This effectively pays off the original credit card, leaving you with just one.
Then you can pay off the outstanding balance of the new card at a 0% rate of interest, which helps to minimise what you owe and can help you pay it off quicker. Read more…
By Jeffrey Campbell on 05-11-2011
Student credit cards are often perceived as a lure to get young adults in a cycle of debt. While it is true that the result of students using cards irresponsibly can be disastrous, it is also true the student credit cards can be beneficial to young adults just establishing their foundation of good credit.
Here are some of the ways student cards are key to building a good credit foundation:
Credit History Starts Early
Student credit cards cater to college students just starting out on their own. It is an ideal way for a student to establish a credit history early. A long credit history is just one element of a good credit score. Student credit cards report back to the major credit reporting bureaus and the information about how the account is handled is kept on file for review by other creditors.
Student Incentives
Since student credit cards were designed to cater directly to the needs of young college students, many card companies offer incentives that benefit the student financially.
Read more…
The extent to which debt reduction has been heightening all over the world has become the talk of the town especially in the US. For those who have been sustaining a livelihood with a basic income are the ones that are under the hammer.
Debt reduction agencies
With the worsening scenario in terms of debt reduction in several countries, there has been a boom in the arrival of debt relief agencies. Such debt relief agents are one of the solutions to attaining relief from all debt related issues.
Debt helpline
Apart from the help of a professional who is insured in the field of debt reduction, you can also avail the services of debt helpline. A debt helpline is similar to hotline services by virtue of which you can easily have your debt condition accessed and evaluated by way of following steps as would be demanded by you when you dial the hotline number.
The level of support that you need depends entirely on the choices you make on the helpline. Read more…
By Amy Turner on 01-11-2011
If you like to take cruises on Holland America, then you might be interested in the Holland America Line Rewards Visa credit card. This card is a rewards card that allows you to earn points that can be redeemed on your cruises.
Compare credit cards and their options right now by the free credit card chaser tool!
The Holland America Line Rewards Vis is offered by Barclaycard, which is a member of the Barclays Group. Barclaycard has an average rating in all categories from the 2011 Credit Card Satisfaction Study conducted by JDPower.com. You can see how Barclaycard compares to other companies on the JDPower.com website.
As a rewards card, you are able to use your rewards Visa to earn one point for every $1 you spend on purchases anywhere.
Read more…