How to Avoid A Major 0% Balance Transfer Credit Card Mistake

By MoneyBlueBook

Warning: Before you apply for a 0% balance transfer credit card offer, you need to read and heed the following words of advice. If you want to know how the actual zero percent balance transfer process works, please read this guide to making balance transfers as well - in tandem with the article below. Both will help better educate you regarding this powerful but rule-laden process.

Using A Balance Transfer Card As A Financial Safety Net

While some debt reduction pundits discourage the use of balance transfer credit cards, I respectfully disagree with their blanket rejection of this invaluable financial tool. While I concur that the use of credit cards is not for everyone and misuse can lead to out of control credit card debt, I think the responsible use of credit should be viewed as an integral aspect of debt reduction and sound financial planning.

I myself have relied and depended on 0% balance transfer offers in the past to get through periods of financial difficulty. There were several times in my life when I incurred major unexpected expenses that I was unable to financially cover on my own - examples such as large unanticipated tax bills and emergency car repair charges. Other times I simply did not have the cash flow available to pay off my monthly bills despite having a stable, entry level job at the time. Rather than resorting to something reckless like stooping for a high interest payday loan, I applied for credit cards that offered introductory 0% APR interest

By MoneyBlueBook

Updated List of Business Credit and Charge Cards Offers Below!

Like most small business owners, I have my eyes on the prize with expectations based on the potential of future expansion. While my current small home business is still in the early growth stages and has not developed to the size where I needed to incorporate, I decided early on that now was a good time as any to start keeping my personal and business expenses separate by taking advantage of the expense tracking and management benefits afforded by business credit cards.

Whether you are a small business owner who works from your own home, or have your own dedicated virtual office setup, there may eventually come a time when you will need additional cash and credit infusion to pay for business expenses such as inventory, office supplies, or utility fees including wireless services. More than half of all small businesses currently use credit cards to pay for expenses, but less than half of the users utilize business credit cards. While most seem content on relying on their existing consumer cards, there are a number of key reasons why it's better to use business credit cards under your company's banner.

For those running a business as a sole proprietorship like myself, you may have already applied for an Employer Identification Number (EIN), sometimes referred to the Federal Tax ID. If so, you will need to enter it when applying for a business credit card.

By MoneyBlueBook

Not too long ago I went on vacation in East Asia. While I was there I had the fortune to be accompanied by local friends who could spot me so I didn't need to convert my American dollars into local currency. However there were at least two occasions when I glanced upon several beautiful small wooden art pieces that I wanted to buy. While I had a few local currency bills on me, it wasn't enough to buy the slightly expensive art pieces. So I had to resort to what I ordinarily would do back home in the United States - pull out my trusty cash back credit card. Fortunately, I had the foresight prior to traveling to another country, to research and familiarize myself with credit card foreign currency exchange fees.

Watch Out For Hidden International Credit Card Foreign Currency Exchange Charges

While foreign currency exchange fees are now generally listed and disclosed by credit card companies, card issuers rarely publicize these hidden charges, preferring to leave them in the fine print. While some complain that the majority of these interchange fees are not used to process the actual currency exchange, but rather used to fund credit card reward programs and other direct advertising campaigns, the real concern is the lack of education when it comes to incurring these fees. Frequently, consumers who use their credit cards overseas come home to the unwelcome surprise of costly fees on their billing statement.

The foreign currency transaction fee for credit card purchases is comprised of two parts -

By MoneyBlueBook

Reward credit card and cash back rebates are great because you get to earn money and receive what is essentially a discount for making ordinary everyday purchases. Today I decided to review my credit card accounts and convert some of my accumulated reward points into usable cash back and retail gift cards. For my versatile Fidelity Investment Reward Card, which earns me 1.5% back on all purchases, I converted 5000 World Points into a $75 deposit towards my linked Fidelity trading account. I also redeemed 40,000 of my total balance of 46,155 Citi Thank You points into four wonderful $100 retail gift cards. I chose to receive high value rewards with the best ThankYou redemption value, and picked out gift cards from Marshalls, Macy's, and Gap. Looks like I'll be going bargain clothing shopping again in the near future in about 1-3 weeks when they arrive.

Am I Supposed To Report Credit Card Rewards and Cash Rebates On My Tax Return?

My reward redemption routine is a ritual that happens at least once every year. Over the years, I've earned quite a tidy sum of credit card rewards comprised of cash back, rebate points, airline miles, and gift cards. But I've never listed the earnings as taxable income on my federal income tax return or reported a single cent of my rebate earnings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). I simply haven't given it much thought until recently. For the last few years I've probably pulled in at least $3,000 worth of personal credit

By MoneyBlueBook

I don't mind giving gift cards as presents on occasion as I don't see them as inherently evil. While the perception that they are somehow classier or more convenient is silly and misguided, they do serve a useful purpose for particular situations and for certain limited occasions. Of course, my biggest problem with gift cards is the fact they are rarely used right away by recipients including myself. I've received gift cards in the past but they've always sat in my wallet for months before I finally got around to using them. Perhaps it's because I am accustomed to doing most of my shopping online, but I can never seem to find the right time to use up the cards. The longer the cards remain unused, the more money is wasted, and the higher the likelihood that expiration and maintenance fee problems may arise.

A Gift Card Is Nothing More Than A Zero Percent Interest Loan

Unlike giving cash as presents, when you buy a gift card today and redeem it in the future, you're essentially offering the gift card company an interest free loan, whether it be with Best Buy, Starbucks, or Macy's. When one of these companies issues you a prepaid gift card, they've already taken your money and given you a gift card claim ticket towards future purchases in that amount. Until you request for redemption, they have no obligation to pay the amount back as merchandise. Meanwhile they get to benefit from the earned interest on the amount you

By MoneyBlueBook

Updated List Of The Best Gas Rebate Credit Card Offers To Help You Save Money On Gasoline and Fuel

Want to save money or earn extra cash back when you fill up your vehicle despite high gas prices at the pump? It doesn't matter if you're an ordinary consumer, a business, or even a student - I'm sure we all wouldn't mind getting what essentially amounts to a cash back discount at the gas pump. If you are a frequent driver, you definitely will want the edge when it comes to taking advantage of the best possible card reward and cashback opportunities available for drivers. Gas prices have skyrocketed recently so anything you can reasonably do now to lessen the cost burden would be a wise financial move on your part as a gas consumer. Of course, only those who can handle the responsibility and burden of credit management should apply for and use credit cards. The rewards and rebates they offer are certainly attractive but they're not suitable for those with a shaky credit usage history.

Currently, many reward credit cards include gas station purchases on their special list of places that yield extra high bonus cash back credit card rewards. When you use the card to purchase gas, you'll frequently earn much higher reward rates than ordinary purchases made at other locations. If you strategically use a combination of reward cards like I do, you can designate higher rebate gas credit cards to be used specifically and primarily for gasoline expenses, and use your