Monday, May 21, 2007

 

Business Credit Cards Are for All Size Businesses

Owning a business credit card even if you a small company have respective benefits that you make not desire to lose out on. Many people believe that business credit cards are just like any other credit card but they are completely wrong. A business credit card can and will assist your business grow.

Today, respective credit card companies offer their clients many alone and fantastic options for their business credit cards and there are many types of credit cards that are designed for the manner in which your business operates.

If you are beginning a new business you may enjoy the benefits that come up from a Business Gold card. This credit card will give you your first twelvemonth free without any type of annual fee. You can even chose to have got got more than than one credit card in lawsuit you have employees that you wish to add so they can purchase points for your business.

If you are just starting your business, business credit cards can give you the advantage of buying all the stores you need to supply your office or your company. You can even utilize a business credit card and have price reductions for office supply merchandises that you utilize mundane from companies such as as FedEx, Staples, and Kinko’s.

Using business credit cards will guarantee that your new company starts off on the right ft with the buying powerfulness you need to beat out the competition.

It takes money to get a new business mainly because of start-up costs many businesses make not see a net income their first year. But, if you are using a business credit card with a no annual fee you will be able to vie and make very well against other companies in your industry that are building their companies without the benefit of a business credit card.

You can happen respective fantastic credit card companies online that offer business credit cards that are certain to provide to the needs of your business and give you the peace of head you need to get a comfortable business.


Friday, May 18, 2007

 

How Credit Counseling Works

The consumer credit counseling business is a huge industry in America, since the average American is a mere three paychecks away from facing huge, potentially annihilating financial difficulty. Each year, more than than a million Americans turn to credit counselors to seek to assist themselves recover control of their financial burdens. But just how the credit counseling business plant is a enigma to most consumers. What's involved when you engage a credit counselor?

It may come up as a spot of a shock, but the first thing you need to understand is that consumer credit counselors don't work for YOU! That's one ground their advertisements on television, radio, and in your electronic mail box shout, "Our services cost you nothing!" However, any business needs to derive income from somewhere, so if they're not charging you, who makes wage them? In truth, they work for the lenders. Here's how it works:

Regardless of what their commercials would have got you believe, credit counselors don't renegociate the overall amount of your debt--that is, the sum principal balance you owe to your creditors. Instead, they negociate with the assorted lenders to diminish your interest rates. For instance, let's state that you're paying somewhere around 18 percent on the charge card you desire aid with (some supplies still charge as much as 21 percent). A credit counsellor will reach the cardholder and negociate a lower interest rate--sometimes as much as one-half the original rate.

That's the good news. The not-so-good news is that your minimum payments will still be based on a 90/10 split, meaning that 90 percent of your monthly payment will still travel toward paying interest on the card. That means, as is the lawsuit with any credit card payment, it will be well deserving your piece to pay a small more than than the minimum each month, in order to whittle down your principal. It will salvage you important amounts of money in the long run.

But how can credit card companies go on to make money by cutting interest rates in half, and what do they have got to derive by doing so? The first ground is because they cognize that it's break to get something, which they'll make if you go on to pay them, even at a reduced interest rate, than to put on the line having you default on the full amount. The second ground is because, even at the reduced rate, the lender is still making a healthy profit. They have got borrowed that money at a significantly lower rate--sometimes as much as 66 percent less than the rate they'll be charging you. (That’s wherefore the financial establishments have got large buildings; they do huge amounts of profit.)

Credit counselors can save you money, there's no uncertainty about that. But don't be fooled into thought that they work for YOU, because they don't. In the end, credit card companies love credit counselors, because the counselors truly work for them. That’s wherefore you don't pay for credit counseling services. The credit card companies are happy to pay them for you.

Copyright © Jeanette J. Fisher.


Wednesday, May 16, 2007

 

What to Know When Getting Your First Credit Card

Credit card debt is manner too easy to get into these days. It looks like every clip I check my mail there is at least one or two pre-approved credit card applications. It doesn’t matter if you have got good credit, bad credit, or no credit; they still direct bushels of these offers everyday. You’re inch college and you have got disbursals and no money so you catch one and mark up. It’s easy and only takes a few short proceedings and you’re approved but small make you cognize you just picked up a laden gun!

It’s shiny, small, and so accessible when money is tight. So much so that we don’t feel like we are disbursement existent money until the measure comes, and then it’s too late.

When establishing good credit, one of the things we’re told to make is to get a credit card and then utilize it to pass wisely. Having a credit card is of import to having good credit but it’s not everything. A large portion of your credit score is comprised of public utility payments, car payments, and other debt like loan payments. Your credit card is only a part of a bigger image that brands up your credit score. The problem is that there are always going to be modern times when credit is necessary and at some point you are going to have got to take that plunge. Ever desire to lease a car? Have your car ever broken down suddenly and you recognize you have got no cash to repair it? These are just 2 of billions of scenarios where credit is good as well as a necessity.

Experts counsel us to pay our measures on clip and not to transcend the credit limit. More specifically to avoid accumulating credit debt only pass what you believe you can payback that same calendar month and seek not to carry a balance. Not only makes that better your credit, it salvages you a batch on interest. However, no 1 really negotiation to us when we get that first card about how easily and quickly we hit that limit, or how easy it is to lose that first monthly payment. Once you get behind it can be impossible to catch up. Oftentimes, credit cards come up with introductory interest rates that are nil or very low. If you lose a payment suddenly you happen your paying 21% interest on a payment you already cannot afford and on top of that you’re getting charged late fees! Before you cognize it, you are getting bad reports on your credit reports for credit card debt on a card you got for emergency intents in the first place.

Unfortunately, when modern times are hard, abusing credit cards is all too easy. When the economic system is bad and cash is tight, you might happen yourself putting your day-to-day life disbursals on your credit cards because you make what you have got to make to get by. When you are not making your payments, the credit card companies make enquiries to verify your computer address or other information and every clip person do an enquiry on your credit report, it do you look like even more than of a high risk. All the credit card debt on your report, even if some of it is good, can do you look high hazard for future car loans or mortgages. Even worse a bad credit report can maintain you out of rental flats or from getting a occupation that necessitates a background check.

As alluring as it is to pay with plastic, take the “debit” option next clip and maintain your hereafter in mind. It’s normal to set on the line it all when modern times are tough, but doing so makes more than problems later that tin take old age with a credit counsellor to repair and you stop up paying ternary what you put in. Remember when your astatine the register inquire yourself some very existent inquiries about what your need and what you want. Think ahead about what your budget is and be realistic when formatting it. Remember to account for food, gas, a nighttime out with friends, and most importantly seek your best to salvage money to forestall the emergency credit card swipe. Construct your credit slowly by making small purchases and paying them off every month. In the end you’ll give thanks yourself from avoiding the emphasis of measures you cannot wage back. You’ll give thanks yourself in the future!


Monday, May 14, 2007

 

7 Simple Ways to Increase Your Credit Card Limit

There are many people right now who would wish to have got a higher credit card limit.

The obvious ground for this, is that a higher credit card bounds enables the purchase of otherwise unaffordable wares and services.

First and foremost, if you desire to successfully increase your credit card limit, you need to retrieve that to get a higher credit card limit, you must stay by the terms and statuses of the Credit Card Company or bank.

Below are 7 other ways you can get a higher credit card limit.

• The most of import thing to make for getting a higher credit card bounds is to turn out your credit worthiness. This is the first thing that banks and credit cards companies look for when giving a higher credit limit.

• Attract positive attention from the Credit Card Company or bank by paying finance charges once in a while. Obviously, this is not advisable on a repeating footing and should only be used as a last vacation spot to increase your opportunities of getting a higher credit limit.

Proving to credit card companies and banks that you are good "borrower" can be a convincing manner to get a higher credit limit. But be careful because this strategy also intends that you will be paying finance charges, which can collect in a hurry.

And always remember, a higher credit card bounds intends greater buying power, but it also increases the hazard of your having to pay greater interest charges and other processing and late fees.

• Always pass within your credit card bounds because doing so intends that you are capable of controlling your expenses.

• Use your credit cards regularly. Don’t maintain your cards for emergency usage only. If you utilize your credit cards sparingly, banks and credit card companies will be not able to understand your disbursement and payback behaviour.

Under these circumstances, most banks and credit card companies will be loath to give you a higher credit card limit.

• Never do minimum payments. Instead, seek to pay for the full outstanding amount. This volition usually give you a better opportunity of getting a higher credit card limit.

• Avoid late payments as much as possible. Not only will your addition payment increase, but you may also have got to pay an further mulct for not clearing measures on time. This volition also subdued your opportunities of getting a higher credit card limit.

• The best and simplest strategy for getting a higher credit card bounds is to utilize your credit card wisely. Always maintain in head that credit card companies maintain a record of your transactions and payment patterns, so always pay on time.

The underside line is that your public presentation in the records of banks and credit card companies will determine whether you’ll get a higher credit card bounds or not.


Saturday, May 12, 2007

 

A Guide to Finding the Best Student Credit Cards

Student credit cards annually bombard fresher as they come in college. It have go a autumn ritual. Parents should be vigilant in discussing the importance and duties that spell along with having a credit card before the students ever go forth home. Don't get me wrong, I believe it's a great thought that students have got got their ain credit card when they travel away to school, but it is extremely of import that they get the right card and usage it wisely.

The best student credit cards are the 1s that have low disbursement limits. A high bounds credit card given to a college student could be a formula for disaster. It should be made clear to the students that their credit card is for emergency usage only, unless they desire to get a occupation and pay for any of the charges that are made on it. That sounds like a good idea, but probably isn't very realistic.

When determination the best student credit cards, it is imperative to seek out the lowest interest rates that you can find. This is really obvious, but nonetheless needs to be stated. Many credit card companies will offer 0% teaser rates for the first six months. Beware of these rates because they're often followed by exorbitantly high interest rates and then you are stuck. It is most certainly not uncommon for students to carry balances for more than than six months, so I suggest that you avoid this option.

Just about all student credit cards offer some type of inducements such as as rewards points or cash back incentives. This is done for obvious reasons. The most common of which is to lure the cardholder into using it more than often. Overall it is a pretty good deal to have rewards for credit card charges as long as you bear in head that this is not free money. Whether you recognize it or not, you have got already paid for those points. Managing your account online is a great characteristic for students. For starters, just about every student have access to the
Internet and can easily access their credit card statements. The second great ground for this is that the parents can also supervise the activity on the card even if they are thousands of miles away. This sort of accountability for impressionable immature students is an first-class manner to maintain them from getting themselves into trouble. It also maintains the parents from getting stuck paying their children huge credit card bills.

For a student credit card it is of import that they have got a lost or purloined card characteristic that warrants protection against unauthorised activity. Lets human face it, sometimes children are not as responsible as we might wish them to be. Having this protection travels a long manner in moderation the parent's head when they manus their student a credit card


Thursday, May 10, 2007

 

Global Conference Partners(TM) Launches InstantConference(R) On-Demand Service; instantconference.com

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global Conference Partners™, the company that
pioneered the free conferencing industry, today announced the
introduction of InstantConference®, the
fastest, easiest and least expensive way for businesses to create their
own dedicated conferencing service. The service provides businesses such
as consulting firms, financial and legal services and other
organizations with solutions to the problems of high conference call
costs and ease of management by client or division, with the ability to
add additional unique access codes under the same account.


“We are addressing the key pain points of
companies that need conferencing services,”
remarks Alex Cory, CEO of Global Conference Partners. “There
is no waiting period, no credit card application, and no sales rep to
qualify you for a conferencing phone number and account. Just an email
address will get you an account and unique access codes to manage all
your business relationships, in a matter of minutes.”


Once users sign up at
with an easy two-step process and immediately receive their non-expiring
conferencing phone number and unique access code, they never have to
return to the website again to set up a call. InstantConference provides
email summary reports at the access code level to allow for billing and
other account management needs.


Service Benefits:



The only charge for conferencing is the cost of each user’s
long-distance call


Conference with up to 150 callers for up to 6 hours


Account summary reports with individual call tracking by unique access
code


Ability to add additional access codes to one email organizer account


Non-expiring accounts


24/7 rapid-response customer support


Dedicated conference numbers


100% digital lines provides crystal clear connections


Secure and reliable


Additional conference features managed with touch-tone controls


Printable wallet-card to keep conference info handy



ABOUT GLOBAL CONFERENCE PARTNERS™


Global Conference Partners™ is changing the
way the world connects. The company has continuously advanced new
technology solutions to bring more convenient, reliable and simple
conferencing services to enterprises and organizations that want
top-tier quality and reliability at little or no cost. Flagship services
include ,
and .
Visit
for information.

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Monday, May 07, 2007

 

Citibank's Citi Simplicity Card: Now You Can Avoid Late Fees

Citibank recently launched a new credit card that takes away an of import sting felt by many consumers: late fees. In an unusual move, the bank is now offering consumers “permanent forgiveness” for late payments and will no longer measure the customary $39 late fee when a payment gets after the owed date. While the offer sounds great on surface, if you delve a small deeper you will soon learn that there are some things about the new Citi Simplicity card that tin cost you more than money in the long run. Let’s take a near expression at what this credit card issuer is really offering with its new card.

The Problem

Consumer advocators have got long cried disgusting when it have come up to credit card late fees and penalties. Not only would you be assessed a 1 clip late fee ranging from $29 to $39 if your payment arrived late, but your interest rate could be permanently increased to the default rate, typically as high as 29% annually. This “double whammy” additional made it hard for you, the credit card holder, to ever pay down debt.

Citibank’s Solution

In a bold marketing move, Citibank – one of the largest issuers of credit cards in the human race – came up with its Citi Simplicity card in response to unfavorable judgment levied by consumer advocators at the industry and at the bank personally. The new card, with no annual fee and no late fees, is designed for card holders who have got been bitten by the late fee bug. No longer will you, as a card holder, have got to worry if the check you sent off just before the payment owed day of the month arrived on time. With the Citi Simplicity card, a late arriving payment will be credited and no late fee assessed.

Taking a Closer Look

Within Citibank’s offer are a few things that you should understand before you do the switch:

1. A late fee will not be charged to your account, but your interest rate may surge to the default rate. The default rate, in this case, can be as high as 29%! That’s bad intelligence for you especially if you had a fixed low rate previously.

2. You could also get a false sense of security by incorrectly believing that paying late regularly doesn’t harm you in some other ways. For instance, consistently forwarded late payments can go portion of your credit report, thereby negatively affecting your ability to purchase a car or a home down the route at a advantageous interest rate. Important to note, a higher interest rate can add thousands of dollars to the purchase of a new home.

3. Finally, Citibank will relinquish the late fee only if you assure to go on to utilize the card. This is bad intelligence for you especially if you are trying to reduce your balance each calendar month without having to purchase something new, which simply adds to your balance.

In all, the Citi Simplicity card have much more than to it than what rans into the eye. For some people, the new card is a welcome change especially if you are one who pays off his balance in full each month. If you aren’t, the Citi Simplicity card may cost you much more than in the long run. Should you fall into this second category, it would be better for you to maintain your existent card or store for a new card with other characteristics and more than advantageous requirements.

Copyright 2006 Erectile Dysfunction Vegliante. Free online reissues of this article are allowed provided the resource box stays integral with a unrecorded nexus back to http://www.credit-card-surplus.com.


Friday, May 04, 2007

 

4 Steps You Can Take If Your Online Credit Card Application Has Been Refused

Help! I’ve Been Turned Down

You received an envelope in the mail with a great offer for a low interest credit card. You read all the details, even the deadening small black and white and decided that this card tantrum your needs to a tee. You filled out the required word forms and awaited the twenty-four hours that the card would get – you even got to pick which background you got. However, what came in the mail was not an acceptance and a trade name new card but a denial. What is your first reaction? Perhaps anger. Perhaps sadness. Perhaps fear. Yet none of these volition aid you get a card!

So, what should you do?

1. The first thing to make is read the missive carefully. Two of import pieces of information must be included in the missive you have when you're credit application is disapproved: The specific grounds you were denied credit, or information on how to obtain those reasons, and, if a credit report was used in making that decision, the name and computer address of the credit reporting agency. Here are some possible grounds for denial:

# Haven’t lived at your current location long enough

# Haven’t been employed at your current occupation long enough

# Your income is not sufficient to ran into this peculiar creditor’s minimum income requirement

# Information supplied by the credit bureau

2. If the ground for your denial is ill-defined to you, then name the company for clarification. What were the exact reasons? What were the exact criteria that you did not meet? This information is of import to cognize and understand. If you apply for credit again and are turned down, then this reflects poorly on your credit report. The best advice for this state of affairs is to wait at least 6 calendar months if you have got been denied by two different companies in quick succession.

3. If you've been denied credit because of information supplied by a credit bureau, federal law necessitates the creditor to give you the name, address, and telephone number of the agency that supplied the information. You should reach this agency for a transcript of your credit report. Federal Soldier law states that you are entitled to a free transcript if you’ve been turned down. Once you have your report, check it for accuracy. Up to 40% of reports have got errors. If you happen an error, then you need to report this to the agency in writing. Be certain to direct along whatever cogent evidence you may have. Getting the credit agency to look into an mistake will not cost you anything and will salvage you a batch of clip and defeat when it is corrected.

4. If errors on your report led to the rejection of your application, inquire the credit agency to direct a corrected transcript to the lender. Then you can inquire the lender to reconsider your application. If however, you were denied because of a poor rating, only better disbursement wonts and clip will assist you get the credit you desire.


Wednesday, May 02, 2007

 

MasterCard Net Rises to Record as Card Use Increases (Update7)

MasterCard Inc., benefiting from a
surge in consumers' use of credit and debit cards, said first-
quarter profit climbed 70 percent to a record, sending the stock
to its biggest gain this year.

Net income rose to $214.9 million, or $1.57 a share, from
$126.7 million, or 94 cents, a year earlier, the Purchase, New
York-based company said in a statement. Profit at MasterCard, the
No. 2 card network behind Visa International Inc., beat the $1.16
average estimate of 12 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

Transactions jumped 19 percent as consumers continued to
switch to credit and debit cards from cash and checks.
MasterCard's revenue rose 24 percent, getting a lift from a March
increase in U.S. retail sales that was the biggest in three
months. Visa plans an IPO early next year to capitalize on
consumers' growing preference for credit over cash.

``This was a very strong quarter,'' analyst Craig Maurer at
Calyon Securities, the investment-banking arm of Credit Agricole
SA, said in an interview. ``They had great revenue, great
transaction growth, great expense control.''

Revenue rose to $915.1 million, while expenses climbed 8.2
percent to $601.2 million on costs to hire more workers and
defend against lawsuits.

Shares of the company advanced $12.28, or 11 percent, to
$127.13 at 11:43 a.m. in composite trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, the biggest gain in six months. They've more than
tripled since first being offered at $39 in May 2006.

Payment Shift

MasterCard use is growing most rapidly in developing
countries such as India, China and Brazil, Chief Financial
Officer Chris McWilton said on a conference call with analysts
and investors.

``I think a lot of us who live in the U.S. sort of get
accustomed to the fact that everybody has credit cards,''
McWilton said. ``But there are large parts of the world where
cash is still dominant.''

MasterCard credit- and debit-card spending increased 16
percent to $509 billion on a local-currency basis, and
transactions jumped to 4.2 billion, the company said.

Consumers' use of cash and checks in the U.S. fell to 50
percent of all payments in 2005 from 77 percent in 1995, while
card use rose to 40 percent from around 21 percent, analyst
Timothy Willi of A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. wrote in a note to
clients this week, citing data from the Nilson Report in Oxnard,
California.

Nilson estimates that by 2010, card-based payments will
account for about 56 percent of consumer payments, while cash and
checks will drop to 29 percent. Card use has been growing faster
than consumer spending.

Ads and Marketing

MasterCard's advertising and market-development expenses
dropped to $178.5 million from $182.7 million a year earlier.
Maurer at Calyon said American Express Co., which reported a 21
percent profit increase on April 19, has also cut back on
marketing.

``The card companies see limited opportunities to drive any
incremental business in the current market,'' Maurer said.

MasterCard expects to spend more on advertising and
marketing in coming quarters, when competitors will be
``distracted,'' McWilton said. In addition to Visa's planned IPO,
Morgan Stanley said it will spin off Discover Card Services, the
fourth-largest card network, later this year.

``The revenue growth does not look sustainable'' if ad
spending goes up, said Joseph Dickerson, an analyst at Atlantic
Equities LLP in London.

Lawsuit `Pressure'

Shares of MasterCard slid 9.7 percent on Feb. 9, the biggest
drop since the IPO, after Chief Executive Officer Robert Selander
declined on a conference call with analysts to forecast continued
growth in profit margins.

A lawsuit accusing MasterCard of anticompetitive behavior,
brought by American Express and Discover, ``could put downward
pressure on shares,'' as could Visa's public stock offering,
according to analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

The lawsuit is scheduled for trial in federal court next
year.

MasterCard in April 2006 began charging card issuers for all
foreign transactions using U.S.-issued cards. It used to assess a
fee only if it converted the related currency to U.S. dollars.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Joseph N. DiStefano in New York at
.

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