Debt consolidation - Options for Reducing Credit Card Costs


Americans are using credit cards more than at any time in history, and credit card companies are reaping record profits. One of the reasons that the credit card industry is so profitable is that so many of us use our credit cards unwisely.

If you have good credit, you can get a credit card with a reasonable interest rate; say 10% or so. You can keep that rate by paying your bill on time. On the other hand, if you pay your bills late or fail to pay in full, then you will have to pay late fees and interest. Late fees often range between $15 and $29; some card issuers may charge even more. Adding to the pain of paying late fees, however, is the likely change in interest rates on your card if you pay late. A late payment may trigger a substantial increase in the interest rate on your card, and that "reasonable" interest rate of 10% may suddenly rise to 20% or even 25%!

It's hard to pay off your credit card balance when you have late fees and 25% interest, so this is something you definitely want to avoid. If you usually pay on time, and you pay late once and are charged a late fee, ask your credit company if they will waive the fee. They will often do it - once. Some will not do it at all, but it is always worth taking the time to ask. If they are unwilling to help you, then you may be better off shopping around for a better credit card deal elsewhere.

You can often save money by transferring your balance to a lower interest credit card, if you have one. Competition has been fierce during the last few years among credit card companies, and it is fairly common to receive "promotional" rates of less than 5% if you transfer your balance to another card. Be sure to read the fine print, however. Those low rates usually apply only to transferred balances, and not to new charges placed on the card. There is usually a time limit associated with the promotional rate, and higher rates may apply at the end of the time limit, perhaps even retroactively!

In summary, if you want to minimize your credit card costs, try the following:

• Shop around for a credit card with a low interest rate.

• Pay your bills on time. A good way to do this is to pay online. That way, you won't have to worry about your check being delayed in the mail.

• Transfer balances from high interest rate cards to cards with lower rates.

• Use your cards wisely. If you can pay cash, do it.

A few simple steps can save you a fortune in interest charges and late fees.

©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to debt consolidation and credit counseling, and HomeEquityHelp.net, a site devoted to information regarding home equity loans.


More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Debt Consolidation Information:

Related Articles


Stafford Loan Consolidation
Stafford Loan ConsolidationA Stafford Loan, which can help to finance your way through a college or university, comes in two forms:Subsidized Stafford LoansA subsidized Stafford Loan, which you can receive based upon your specific financial aid. When a Stafford loan is subsidized, you are not required to pay any interest on the loan while you attend school.
Negotiate Your Way Out Of Debt
Eliminating your debt is a daunting task. What can you do to get out of debt fast? Believe it or not, negotiation along with proper financial responsibility is your foothold out of the rat race.
Debt Consolidation for Homeowners: Saving Grace for Inept Borrowers
You cannot understand the importance of being a homeowner until you enter the loan market for debt consolidation. Debt consolidation for homeowners is a responsible way of getting out of debt.
Student Loan Consolidation
Student loan consolidation is one of the most used methods for reducing and working off student debt. If you want to consolidate debt, whether it's a student loan debt or not, you have to follow a certain process.
Online Debt Consolidation Services - Lower Your Monthly Payments Now
Consumers looking for a way out of debt may want to consider the services of a debt consolidation firm. If you are spending more money than you can reasonably afford each month on paying credit card bills, medical bills, or other types of unsecured debt, a debt consolidation firm may be able to help you become debt free much faster than you ever expected.
A Simple Question We All Wonder - Are Debt Settlement Companies Scams?
Are debt settlement companies scams? It's a simple question so does it have a simple answer?Along with the genuinely helpful firms, there are plenty of operations billing themselves as legit debt settlement companies. These debt company scams prey on debtors by promising relieved debt and empty their pockets forcing payment of outrageous fees.
Debt Settlement Strategies
One of the most common social diseases remains dormant for a long time. And when it raises its head, it reveals its monstrosity slowly.
Debt Consolidation Makes Sense Only with Low Interest Rates
Credit that cannot be managed or is not being repaid requires debt consolidation. Debt consolidation offers borrowers with a chance to repay their high interest loans at low interest rate.
Thinking Beyond Debt Consolidation Loans
Planning to devise a permanent solution to the problems of debt? The chances of success, to be exact, are lesser, given the features which characterize the debts. Debts are the result of the disequilibrium in the relationship between income and expenditure.
Getting the Most Out of Consolidation Loans UK
Before letting too much debt or too many payments get the better of you, consider applying for consolidation loans UK.If you're wondering what they are, consolidation loans UK are loans that are designed to "consolidate" debts of various kinds? paying them off with the amount of the loan, leaving the one loan payment in the place of the multiple payments you were having to make before.
How To Get Rid Of Debt Problems Step 1 -- How To Deal With Your Creditors
However far you are along the road of financial/debt problems,the same principles apply to dealing with your creditors.However rude, intrusive, threatening thecorrespondence/telephone calls FROM your creditors, yourcorrespondence/phone calls TO your creditors must be:* Calm * Brief * Factual * Relevant * To the pointYou must create the impression that you are efficient,knowledgeable and trustworthy.
Debt Consolidation - Consolidate Your Student Loans Now!
The Federal student loan program has benefited thousands of college students in the forty years since it was introduced. Interest rates for the program have historically been quite competitive, and the program has allowed many people to acquire a college education who otherwise might not have been able to afford one.
Tracking Down Cheap Debt Consolidation Loans
In the modern world of expensive living and high interest rates, it might seem nearly impossible to find cheap debt consolidation loans. If you're one of the people who desperately need one of these loans then there's a good chance that you have less-than-wonderful credit? meaning that you've probably already accepted the seemingly-inevitable fate of paying high interest rates for any loan that you get.
Dangerous Debt Consolidation Loans
On the surface, debt consolidation loans offer cash-strapped consumers some relief from high interest rates. Looking deeper, consumers should be wary of both the pros and cons of this fast growing practice.
Overwhelmed By Student Loan Debt? Consider a Consolidate Student Loan
A consolidate student loan is the perfect solution for people who need help managing their debt. If you have several different loan payments but want to make only one payment per month, you should apply for a Federal Consolidation Loan.
Debt Consolidation Loan
Debt Consolidation of Different LoansDebt consolidation refers to the restructuring of a large number of unsecured debts into one low monthly payment, while eliminating interest and reducing the total amount owed to creditors. Debt consolidation has become popular with people as they cope with increasing amounts of credit card debt, home mortgage loans, car loans, and student loans, along with low credit ratings and threatening phone calls from creditors.
Debt Consolidation: Its all in the Planning
If you're like thousands of other people who find themselves deeply buried in debt, facing a daily barrage of creditors and bills, and wondering how on earth they are ever going to dig themselves out of this hole, a debt consolidation re-mortgage could be your best bet.By consolidating all of your bills into a single, easy to make, monthly payment you are able to get a handle on your debt before it gets any more out of control than it already is.
Guide to Debt Consolidation Loans
Here is a useful guide to Debt Consolidation Loans. A Debt consolidation loan is a loan used to repay several other loans.
Bad Credit Debt Consolidation Loans
Are you looking to consolidate credit card or other debt? Do you have bad credit history? There are many options available online nowadays to help you consolidate your debt. Whether you are wanting to consolidate credit card debt or other kinds of debt, it can be overwhelming searching online to find the best ones for your situation.
Best Debt Reduction Service
There was a time when incurring debts was looked down as one of the worst crimes ever. People were punished for not repaying within the stipulated time.