Thursday, July 31, 2008
Equity Cards - A Great Alternative
Equity cards, offered by banks and financial institutions, are the latest manner to access a home equity line of credit.
Let's say you're about to ship on a large scale of measurement home-improvement project. You desire to remodel a large portionof your house and add a sun room and a terrace or deck. You also don't possess the cash to finance your dreaming project, and would wish something more convenient than setting up a home equity line of credit. You definitely don't desire to set those disbursals onto a high-interest credit card.
If you are a homeowner with equity in your home, you will never desire to carry a traditional credit card again.
Homeowners can utilize the equity card just as they would a credit card, but the annual percentage rate is usually around the premier lending rate, currently hovering between 4 percent and 5 percent, and the interest is tax deductible.
Most often the cards necessitate no points or application fees and have got no prepayment punishment or shutting costs, which you would get with a traditional home equity line of credit. You can usually get an equity card for 70% Oregon more than of your home's equity. A good part of borrowers even utilize their home equity credit cards to get out from under high-interest debt. Some equity cards even vouch the premier interest rate for life.
Check with your local bank or lender to get your home equity card, and start getting the most out of your home assets.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Credit Card Solution:an Essential Tool
A credit card is issued after approval from a supplier (often a general bank, but sometimes from a prisoner bank created to publish a peculiar trade name of credit card, such as as American Express Centurion Bank), in which they will be able to do purchases from merchants. But inorder to procedure credit card transactions they need to have got credit card processing solution. As well as convenient, accessible credit, the cards offer consumers an easy manner to track expenses, which is necessary both for monitoring personal outgoes and the trailing of work-related disbursals for taxation and reimbursement purposes. Credit card processing solutions have distribute far and broad beyond their initial market of the affluent businessman and are now omnipresent amongst the center classs of most Western countries
According to merchant-account-info-zone.com,ecommerce Credit Card Processing Accelerates the aggregation of funds. One of the most widely-used eft programs is direct deposit, in which paysheet is deposited consecutive into an employee's bank account, although eft mentions to any transfer of finances initiated through an electronic terminal, including credit card, atm, fed wire and point-of-sale pos transactions. In improver to these disclosures, you will have two other types of of import information for most transactions terminal gross and periodical statements.
These accounts can be established through merchant service suppliers such as as banks or via independent service organizations. Park 1s include: making regular payments for an apartment, buying an automobile, paying for a student loan, paying an installment loan, holding a checking and/or a nest egg account, and making regular payments on public utility bills.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Merchant Account Credit Card Processing
How much do you really know about Merchant Account Credit Card Processing? If youre like most new business owners today, you may have very little information about this valuable e-commerce service. A merchant account works much like a personal credit card account, except that you use it for company purposes. Providing your business with a merchant account not only conveys a credit line to promote growth, but it also can include a service package that supports new technical services that your company may adopt, including credit card processing services.
Think about the last time you visited a new shop or interesting tourist site. Finding something you wanted to purchase, you waited a few minutes in the checkout line behind other customers for your turn to pay. Presenting your desired purchase item to the cashier, she rings up the total as you take out a credit card.
Sorry, she says curtly, cash only, since the boss hasnt applied for Merchant Account Credit Card Processing yet. We dont accept credit cards.
What! You fume silently as you fumble in your purse for the requisite amount, realizing that using your last few dollars for this picturesque coffee table book will eat up your parking money and fast food stop, and wondering how anyone could neglect the option of Merchant Account Credit Card Processing. Ah, thankfully the drive-through restaurants take credit cards now, so with a sigh you scrape the last of your change from your billfold to pay the cashier. Turn this scenario around and you can understand how some of your customers might feel when your company accepts payments in cash only. Isnt it time you started accepting credit card payments?
Think of your customers gratitude when they realize you offer Merchant Account Credit Card Processing options for their benefit. They will throng to your store, eager to buy things with their trusty credit card without the worry of trumping up a fistful of cash or writing a check that might deplete an account. With pride you can post a sign that lets them know before they reach the checkout line that you are ready to accept their credit cards. Your colleagues will take your business a little more seriously when they see how committed you are to serving your clients needs and staying current with e-commerce methods. Even your employees, if you have them, will appreciate the fact of having less collection work to do when monthly payments fail to materialize as scheduled or a check gets rejected at the bank.
Making the move to credit card processing may be the best decision of your professional career. Opening an account with a trusted lender will let you experiment with credit payment acceptance and measure your customers responses to this new option. Dont be the last in your business community to get a commercial account that will let you try new services that can benefit your customers and your company. Join the electronic age now by applying for Merchant Account Credit Card Processing.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Genuineness of Credit Card Processing
According to buyerzone,consumers increasingly are turning to plastic over paper when they open up their wallets. Yet many small businesses still don't accept credit cards. If you're one of the laggards, the full transaction may reserve the feeling of a Negro spiritual rite swipe a card, input signal some numbers and money magically looks in the bank. In reality, though, credit card transactions affect coordination between multiple high-speed computing machine networks.
How the Procedure Works: when a merchant do a sale and swipes a customer's credit card, the card number, the amount and the merchant Idaho travel over the credit card processor's computer network. The credit card processor can either be a bank or a company that makes nil but supply credit card processing services. From the processor's web the transaction travels to a credit card computing machine network. If the client is using Visa, for example, the transaction will travel to Visa's network. In turn, the electronic transaction travels to the bank that actually issued the card. The bank then checks the account and verifies the client have adequate credit to cover the purchase. The bank then directs the merchant an mandate over the network. Now the sale is complete, but the transaction is not no money have changed custody yet. At the end of the business day, the merchant directs that day's charges, in a batch, to the credit card web for processing. The transactions travel via the merchant's credit card processor. Person transactions are then stripped out and sent back to the individual cardholders' banks. Banks then debit cardholders' accounts and do appropriate payments to the merchant's credit card processor through the Federal Soldier Modesty Bank's Automated Clearing House. The credit card processing then includes credits the merchant's bank account for the transaction amount, minus its fees for the transaction. Those fees also travel toward paying transaction fees to the issuing bank and the credit card network. Despite the usage of computers, it can take two business years before the merchant's account is credited.
Opening a Merchant Account
In order to accept credit cards, you must open up a merchant account with a bank. However, many banks have got gotten out of the credit card processing business, and those that stay are often fidgety about service small businesses, particularly 1s with limited operating histories. Many small businesses must therefore travel through a specialised credit card processor or an independent sales organization, commonly referred to as an "ISO." Whether you utilize a bank or a credit card processor, you need a merchant account to have credit card payments. Though businesses can reach credit card processors directly, banks not able or unwilling to procedure credit transactions often mention clients to an ISO to assist them happen a credit card processor and get the necessary equipment and preparation to get accepting credit cards.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
How to Make the Most of Your Credit Card Rewards
Many great credit card companies are now offering their loyal cardholders credit card rewards. This provides the cardholder an opportunity to gain prizes just because they use their card. It is a great incentive for those that may not use their card much. The more credit card rewards they will receive, the more likely they are to use their card more frequently. Credit card companies realize that they profit more when ardholders use their cards more, and so the process is profitable to all involved.
Programs
Each card that offers credit card rewards will have slightly different programs than the rest. Some will offer a cash back reward, which is essentially giving the cardholder a certain percentage of their spending amount back. This is usually done annually or may be done monthly. These cards are great for those who use their cards frequently but dont have time to deal with points and other credit card rewards other cards may offer. Some credit cards rewards will be offered in the form of sky miles or other flying incentives. These credit card rewards are perfect for the cardholder who travels frequently. If the cardholder is saving up their points for a free flight, they will be much more likely to use their card rather than cash. Other credit card rewards include other miscellaneous prizes. Some cards will allow their cardholders to choose from a selection of prizes.
Making The Most Of Rewards
The best way to make the most of your credit card rewards is by simply taking advantage of them. Credit card companies are amazed at the amount of cardholders who never redeem their rewards. They use their cards frequently and accumulate prizes, however they never take the time to get the prizes. The thing about credit card rewards is that unless you have a cash back program, you have to contact the company to get your prizes. Many cardholders forget about the programs or simply dont have time to deal with them.
If you do have your eyes on a prize, then you can make the most of the credit card rewards programs by using your card frequently. Use your card instead of cash and simply pay off the balance before any interest collects. This way you can get closer to your prize without being out any extra cash.
Credit card rewards are a wonderful way to get excited about using your credit card. Those who usually carry cards filled to their maximum and who only pay the minimum each month may not be as excited about the credit card rewards. Unless you are able to use the card, you will not benefit. So, if your card has reached its maximum balance, work on paying it down to start benefiting from the credit cards rewards programs.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Prepaid Visa and MasterCard Debit Cards (aka "Prepaid Credit Cards")
Nowadays there are many options to carrying cash, and the one choice that is gaining popularity is the Prepaid Debit Card, also known as the Prepaid Credit Card. Although these debit cards are being advertised on television, radio and the internet, their use and purpose is clouded in mystery. We will explain what they are and how to use the prepaid debit card.
Terms to Know
Branding - Adding Visa or MasterCard logo to a debit card, thereby backing the debit card with the benefits and security of these credit card companies.
Debit - Deducting from an existing balance.
Load - Adding money to the balance of the card.
Reload - Ability to add more money to the balance once the original 'loaded' balance has been depleted.
Prepaid Credit Card - Debunking the Myth
First, we will clear up the most common misconception with these cards. They are not credit cards in the traditional sense. A "traditional" credit card is a card that draws off a credit line balance with each use/purchase. A prepaid debit card is a card with either a Visa or MasterCard logo and can be used to pay for goods or services anywhere Visa or MasterCard is accepted, however all purchases are drawn from a prepaid balance that you have loaded onto the card. Once the balance has reached $0, you are no longer able to use the card for purchasing until the balance is reloaded.
Evolution of an Industry
In the beginning, in terms of banking, there was an Automated Teller Machine debit card. This type of card allowed the holder to access their bank account balance without having to physically go into the bank. The ATM card holder was able to go to a new type of cash access point (the Automated Teller Machine) usually located outside their bank and get cash out, debiting from the available cash balance of their bank account. As this new type of bank account debiting system evolved, merchants and banks teamed up to allow ATM card holders to access their bank accounts at various locations, such as a grocery store or other kiosk ATM machines located around town.
Through gradual progression of the financial industry, Visa and MasterCard got involved and joined the efforts of banks and merchants to brand the ATM card with either the Visa or MasterCard logo. These new Visa or MasterCard branded ATM debit cards now had the ability to be used to pay for goods and services anywhere a Visa or MasterCard credit card was accepted, while still drawing off the bank account balance the ATM card is associated with.
The next step for Visa and MasterCard was to create standalone "Gift Cards", which were originally loaded with a prepaid balance and could be used just as a Visa or MasterCard, but purchases were debited from the actual prepaid balance, and required no bank account. These Gift Cards could not have their balance reloaded.
This brings us current to todays financial landscape, where Visa and MasterCard have introduced prepaid debit cards, which operate like a hybrid ATM card (minus the bank account) and Gift Card (but the balance can be re-added to). The card holder can load money onto the debit card, can access the balance anywhere that Visa and MasterCard is accepted, and can reload money onto the card balance.
The Visa or MasterCard Prepaid Debit Card
Now that you have a good idea of what a prepaid debit card is (and what it isnt), its time to find out what the benefits are of having this new type of debit card.
Features and Benefits
No Credit Check A credit check is required when you apply for credit, since you are going to be trusted to pay the debt back. Since you are adding cash onto the card, and since the balance cannot go into the negative, you are not going to be in a situation where you are required to pay anything back, or owe any money from exceeding the balance.
Safety and Security Carrying cash nowadays is a risky venture. If you lose cash, you are out that amount of money and cannot conceivably recover the amount. Since you can load or reload the balance of a prepaid card with cash (almost anywhere), and since the cash balance on the card is branded by either the Visa or MasterCard logo, the same security and fraud protection is extended to the prepaid balance. If the card is lost or stolen, the prepaid card holder is not held liable for any fraudulent transactions. Your money is safe and secure.
Bank Account Features Most prepaid debit cards have bank account features, such as check writing privileges (the amount of the check is deducted from the card balance). You can also have your employer (although employment is not required to apply for card) directly deposit your payroll check onto the card balance. Since these are very attractive incentives, most prepaid debit cards have these features.
Reload the Balance Anywhere Most prepaid debit cards allow you to reload the balance almost anywhere. You can load via PayPal, at most bank branches, any Western Union or MoneyGram location and even by cashiers check or money order.
Shopping on the Internet Nowadays, you cant be too safe when shopping online. Prepaid debit cards are a great choice in this situation because you can determine how much to load onto the card and since the balance cannot go into the negative, the chances of someone accessing your card information and running up a horrendous debt are non-existent.
Other Benefits and Features Since prepaid debit cards are branded with either the Visa or MasterCard logs, the prepaid cards have the same perks of regular credit cards. Some of these perks include roadside assistance, auto rental insurance, extensions on original manufacturer warranties, automatic bill pay and even merchandise rewards and cash rebates.
The Bottom Line
The best way to carry cash nowadays is a prepaid debit card. Its also a great way to give a gift or pay kids an allowance. As a gift, the prepaid card is an excellent choice because the prepaid card is accepted anywhere, and doesnt limit the recipient to one particular store or service. As a childs allowance tool its ideal, since the transactions on a prepaid debit card can be tracked and accounted for, down to the last penny. As an online shopping resource, its handy because the card balance cannot be exploited. As a straight cash card, it can be used anywhere and just as safe as a credit card.
Good luck and remember to read all the facts and find out all the information before making important financial decisions.