Studies have shown that people generally maintain a business relationship with their first card issuer for 15 years, which is why creditors want to get customers when they are young. The relationship lasts so long because the young consumer doesn’t know how to find better deals.
Many people are suggesting that credit card companies are aggressively trying to get students hooked on credit by luring them with T-shirts and other freebies when they apply for cards. This guide is designed to give you the facts you need to be a wise consumer and the tools to use credit to your
Read more…Credit Cards: What You Need To Know
The information in your credit report is key to getting the loans you need, but it is only half the story.
Before deciding whether or not to lend money, many organisations take your report, plus additional information included on your application form, and generate a credit score. This score predicts the risk involved in granting you credit.
Calculating your score
Computer programs score your application by looking at how past customers with similar profiles to yours repaid their credit commitments. Every lender uses a slightly different formula that represents its own and industry experience and these may be adjusted according to the type
Read more…Your National Credit Score (United Kingdom)
To get a good credit card, you need a good credit history. Here’s how to build or rebuild yours.
It has never been quite that simple for borrowers with credit problems or without a credit history to get a good credit card deal. And with lending criteria getting tighter, it looks set to get even more difficult.Nowadays, the most competitive credit cards are usually reserved for people with excellent credit ratings. If your credit score doesn’t measure up, don’t be surprised if you get turned down if you apply for a top credit card.But that doesn’t mean you can’t get credit
Read more…How to biuld, or, rebuild your credit history (United Kingdom)
As surprising as this may sound, the vast majority of consumers don’t know what their credit score is. That fact is almost as bad as not knowing what your blood pressure is, because by the same token, by the time you discover that it is not where it should be, it is frequently too late to avoid the detrimental or adverse effects of a poor credit score, or high blood pressure.
Sometimes, credit scores go by the name of FICO scores. Approximately ten percent of your FICO score pertains to a detailed analysis of the number and types of accounts
Read more…Improve Your Credit Rating
Keep your balance low in relation to your available creditKeeping your credit balance to 25% or below your available credit is a good general rule. But, don’t open credit accounts you don’t intend to use just to increase this ratio.
Pay your bills on timeLate payments make a huge (negative) impact on your score. If you have missed payments, get current and stay current.
Make more than the minimum paymentIf you make only the minimum payment on your credit card each month, it may take longer than you think to pay off your balance. For instance, say you have a
Read more…6 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score
Paying bills lateOne of the biggest factors in determining your credit score is your past payment history. While one or two late payments on your credit cards, loans, or other important obligations over a long period of time may not significantly damage your credit record, making a habit (or mistake) of it can count against you.
Not paying the minimum amount requiredI f you don’t pay at least the minimum amount due, your creditors will eventually report your account as past due, which can damage your score. Additionally, paying less than the minimum can result in late fees and additional
Read more…7 Common Mistakes That Can Lower Your Credit Score
Understanding the language of credit cards will help you make informed decisions when choosing one. Below is a list of some of the most commonly used credit card terms.
Annual FeeThe once-a-year cost of owning a credit card. Some credit card providers offer cards with no annual fees. The annual fee is part of the total cost of credit.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)The yearly interest rate charged on outstanding credit card balances.
BalanceAn amount of money. In personal banking, balance refers to the amount of money in a savings or checking account. In credit, balance refers to an amount of money owed.
Credit BureauA
Read more…Credit Card Terminology
InterestWhen you use your credit card, the issuing bank is really giving you a loan for the amount of your purchases. The bank charges a fee, called interest, for using its money. The credit card company pays the dress shop or the furniture store within a few days of the transaction, and you must begin repaying the loan when your monthly statement arrives in the mail.
All interest charges can usually be avoided by paying the balance in full within the time limit specified on your statement. Obviously, the quicker the balance is paid in full, the less interest is paid.
Read more…Understanding Credit Costs
