"I don't have big anxieties. I wish I did. I'd be much more interesting."Roy Lichtenstein
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Finding Te Best Travel Reward Credit Cards
Travel reward credit cards are only a great benefit if you travel frequently. While that may seem trite it needs to be said. You may think, "what a great idea - travel reward credit cards. I might want to take a vacation next year." You're probably ...
Learn How To Accept Credit Cards By Phone
If your business is poised for growth, don't be held back by a fear of technology if you don't know how to accept credit cards by phone. E-commerce is the way to go if you want to stay ahead of the competition and grow your customer base. Even if your ...
The Top 5 Secrets to Managing Your Credit Cards–So They Won't Manage You
You've probably never heard of Frank X. McNamara, but he revolutionized the way you shop on a daily basis.One evening in 1949, McNamara–head of the Hamilton Credit Corporation in New York City–was dining out with two business associates. Their ...
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Many people believe that because of their bad credit, unsecured credit cards are not available to them. While it may be more difficult, there are options for people with bad credit who want an unsecured credit card to build their credit or have available for use in an emergency. While a secured credit card is the most commonly recommended option for people with bad credit, unsecured credit cards ARE available - even for those with the worst credit.
Bad Credit: Unsecured Credit Cards vs. Secured Credit Cards
One of the easiest ways to get a credit card when you have bad credit is to opt for a secured credit card. With a secured credit card, you deposit money in a bank designated by the credit card company to serve as a 'security deposit' - an assurance that they'll get their money if you default on payments. Depending on the lender, that deposit might be equal to your desired credit limit, or slightly higher or lower. A security deposit of $300, for instance, might get you a $150 line of credit with one company, a $300 line of credit with another, and a $400 one with yet a third. The interest rate is generally competitive, since the company has a guarantee of getting its money if you don't make payments.
An unsecured credit card requires no security deposit. A bad credit unsecured credit card will often have either a high APR (annual percentage rate), high fees, or both. How do the two stack up against each other? Here's a comparison from two actual credit card offers that are sitting on my desk as I write:
Secured Credit Card
Security Deposit: $250
Annual Fee: $35
Setup Fee: $35
APR: 15.40%
Credit Limit Increases: $100 increments, each require $100 deposit
Bottom Line: It will cost you $370 to maintain a $250 credit limit for the first year, with at least $250 up front, at an APR of 15.40%. You'll have $170 available credit upon receipt of your card. You'll have to put up an additional $100 every time you want to increase your credit limit.
Bad Credit Unsecured Credit Card
Annual Fee: $48
Setup Fee: $29
Participation Fee: $72 (annual, billed at $6 monthly)
Program Fee: $95 (one time fee)
APR: 9.9%
Credit Limit Increases: $25 (per increase of $100, at their discretion)
Bottom line: It will cost you $244 for the first year, all of it billed to your credit card on your first statement, to maintain a $250 credit limit with an APR of 9.9%. You'll have $72 credit available upon receipt of your card.
In the long run, while a bad credit unsecured credit card may cost you more, you won't be tying up your money up front. Either card will help repair your credit as you make payments on time and regularly, but the unsecured card has an APR that's almost 5% lower. You're the only one who can decide which is the better option for you - but it makes sense to weigh all your options before you decide that your only way to have a credit card is with a security deposit.
@ Copyright 2005 - Bill A Smith
About the Author
Bill A Smith is a credit counselor for http://www.americreditservices.com/ Feel free to visit our bad credit help center at http://www.americreditservices.com/bad-credit/
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Discover CFO: Interested In Private-Label Card BusinessWall Street JournalBy Andrew R. Johnson Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Discover Financial Services (DFS) is interested in getting into the private-label credit-card business, Chief Financial Officer Mark Graf said, noting the lender "took a look" at HSBC ...and more » |
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Moody's: US Credit Card Charge-Offs Rose In AprilWall Street JournalThe charge-off rate for US credit cards rose in April, mostly caused by a significant increase in charge-offs from the Citibank trust, Moody's Investors Service said. Charge-offs, or loans that lenders don't expect they will be able to collect, ... |
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Stay at Home Moms Face Credit Card ChallengesForbesA 2009 credit card law, the Card Act, made changes to how people can qualify for credit cards. Under the act, a person can only qualify for a credit card based on their own income, not the household income. This was designed to prevent people from ... |
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