Aiming to save money on our credit cards should be something that we all should be doing. This can be done by switching your credit card to one that has a 0% interest free offer on balance transfers and purchases, or simply playing a credit card game such as “stoozing”. The term stoozing is used to describe the practice of using the credit limit you receive on a credit card to make money by transferring the balance to high interest savings account.

It can be so much simpler to save money without having to go through all of these games and switching from one credit card issuer to the next. Many people while on holiday use their credit card to either make purchases or to withdraw cash from an ATM. This is one credit card usage you should always avoid.

Your credit card will incur a load of different charges when it is used abroad, which will be adding up on the bill when you return from your trip. Many of these charges you will not even be aware of, as many of us do not even realise that the charges exist.

Every purchase incurs a foreign usage fee…

Did you know that you could be charged by up to £2.00 a transaction on your credit card for every transaction that you make or £1.50 if it’s a debit card? This is bad enough, but you could also be getting charged interest from the moment that you have made the purchase, even though when you are back home you will not be charged interest from anything up to59 days. So if you have purchased goods or paid for your meals using your credit card when you first arrived, then depending on how long you are away the interest has already built up by the time that you return home.

Every cash withdrawal from an ATM is charged interest immediately…

If you use the card in an ATM, you could be facing further charges, as we already know we are charged for using our credit cards in a hole-in-the-wall here. So it is going to be much more expensive to use the card in an ATM on your vacation in a foreign country and are charged at a higher level than a credit card transaction in a store or restaurant.

For credit card advice please visit here http://www.creditcards-gb.co.uk/creditcardadvice.html

The best thing to do is contact your credit card issuer and find out where they stand regarding the charges that they make when using your credit card abroad. When you add up the details, you may very well find that travellers cheques or changing the your cash to the currency of where you are travelling to will be a whole lot cheaper and easier on the finances.

Remember…

1) Avoid using your credit card to withdraw cash from an ATM (you are charged interest immediately)
2) Every you make with your credit card incurs a foreign usage fee (there are some exceptions)
3) Some credit card issuers charge interest on foreign purchases as soon as they are made

Peter Kenny is a writer for creditcards-gb
For additional articles and an extensive resource for everything about credit cards, please visit us at www.creditcards-gb.co.uk and www.creditcards2go4.com

Credit scores: all lenders use credit scores to determine interest rates and credit limits.

The credit scoring system was developed in the early 1950’s. However, it was not widely utilized until the early 1980’s, when it was overhauled by Fair, Isaac & Company. At that time the 3 major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian and Trans Union, worked with FICO to create three separate credit models, one for each bureau.These agencies still use their own criteria to rate credit holders but the numbers have been normalized so that a score of 650 at Bureau A is equal to a score of 650 at Bureau B, etc.

Simply put, a credit score is a mathematical equation calculated by the review of a potential applicants credit history. It is based on factors such as income, instances of late or missed payments, types of debt owed, number of credit inquiries on file and the percentage of available credit that is actually being used.

Credit scores generally range between 300 and 800. The average credit score lies somewhere between the 600 and 700 range. As a rule, in order to receive a standard, lower cost loan a score of 620 or above is required. A high score indicates a low credit risk, meaning those with high scores find it very easy to obtain credit.

It is important that credit issuing companies indicate a credit holder’s limit on their credit report. Failure to do so will usually result in a lower credit score. This is due to the fact that most scoring models plug in the highest balance from another listed account, when a credit limit is missing. This is an action which causes it to look as though a greater percentage of an individuals total available credit is actually being used. To avoid this type of situation, deal only with lenders who include this specific piece of information in their bureau reports.

There is a law which requires each of the three major credit bureaus to provide you with a no-cost credit report, once a year, should you request it. There is no such law pertaining to credit scores. Credit bureaus are allowed to charge consumers a “fair and reasonable” fee, for them.

There is an exception to the law above. Consumers are eligible for a no-cost credit score when applying for any type of home loan. As long as the mortgage lender uses a credit score when making an approval determination, he or she must supply that information to each applicant who requests it.

The questions you should be asking.

1: How do I order my free report?

2: What information do I have to provide to get my free report?

3: Are there other situations where I might be eligible for a free report?

4: What is a credit score, and how does it affect my ability to get credit?

For the answers to these and many more questions visit www.usacreditinfo.com

Cornelius P Crumpacker
http://www.usacreditinfo.com

One of the most important factors when deciding which credit card to choose is a comparison of the APR, or Annual Percentage Rate. This is the cost of credit, the actual interest rate, determined on an annual basis and expressed as a yearly rate. By comparing the APR of credit cards, you can determine which card will cost you most, barring fees such as late payment charges, ATM fees, or cash advance charges. The APR offers a standardized way to compare yearly interest rates, whether the interest is computed on a daily, monthly, or yearly basis.
Under the federal Truth in Lending Act, credit card companies must provide you with information about the APR. If you understand the APR, you have a better chance of making your money work for you. When it comes to calculating the APR, you will have to do a little math, but it is well worth the effort to know exactly where you stand, financially speaking.

If you look at your credit card statement, you’ll find that the finance charge, interest, is expressed both as a periodic rate and an annual percentage rate. If you divide the annual percentage rate by 12, you will come up with the monthly periodic rate. It is important to recognize that when you sign up for a credit card, you are signing a contract. If you understand how the interest on your account is calculated, you are much more likely to use your credit card wisely.
There are other things you need to know about the APR. Your card may, in fact, carry different APRs for various transactions. For instance, regular purchases might be subject to an APR of 16 percent, while cash advances carry an APR of 19 percent. Also, if your card has a variable rate, it can be altered throughout the year. You should consider reading your credit card agreement and talking to a customer service representative to find out more information about your card’s APR.
You should also consider selecting a card with an APR that is appropriate to your needs.

For example, if you are able to pay your balance in full at the end of the month, select a card with a low annual fee. In such a situation, you can afford a card with a higher APR, since you will not be carrying a balance. However, if you will not be able to pay off your balance at the end of the month, select a card with a lower APR.
You can also use the APR to your own personal advantage. If you carry a balance on your credit card, pay more each month. That way, even if you face a high APR, you can minimize the interest you pay on the card. It’s important to recognize that, if you only pay the minimum balance each month, you will have to pay more interest. It will also take you longer to pay off your debt.

Ron Goodpaster is the Senior Staff writer for http://www.cheapcreditoffers.com. He has been writing various articles on consumer credit for HTTP://http://www.cheapcreditoffers.com since May 2005.

The WorldPerks Visa is the perfect visa for anyone who loves to travel and already has a great credit standing. With this card you can earn up to 1mile with each dollar spent, as well every time you pay your yearly fee you earn 55miles on your card. When you apply for the WorldPerks Visa and are approved you automatically earn another 7,500 miles! These miles that are earned and can be accumulated are good for free travels with Northwest Airlines and their partnering airlines.

There are many airline reward cards available today, many with high yearly fees. WorldPerks only charges a $55 yearly fee which is considerably reasonable if compared to the many other airline reward cards. Although the yearly fee is lower than the average airline rewards card, the interest rates are not. The policy with the WorldPerks Visa is that the APR’s are tied to the highest prime rate during a 3month period. This means for you as a card holder that the interest rates you are paying with every purchase you make may never reach their all time lows.

If you choose to pay your credit card in full each month you will find yourself with a great deal of addition benefits. WorldPerks visa offers their good standing creditors travel accident insurance, auto rental insurance and purchase protection services.

On average the APR for purchases is 17.75%. This is slightly higher than many other visas’ but with WorldPerks Visa the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. With a $7,500 max and the thousands of dollars in earned airline miles, WorldPerks Visa is a great choice for any world traveler and good standing credit holder.

Applying for a WorldPerks Visa is a simple process and can be completed online via their website. Completing these few simple steps and forms will allow you to begin earning tons of airline miles through participating restaurants and more! Apply with WorldPerks today and start earning every time you spend!