| A lot of credit card companies want you to think that | | | | Another reason why you should not accept just any |
| their offer is a good one - without really offering you | | | | credit card offer is because it may not give you the |
| good features. For instance, this morning, a credit card | | | | greatest opportunity to benefit from the rewards. |
| offer came in the mail. After looking it over, it was | | | | Applications sent to you, or ads on the Internet may |
| rejected - because it lacked the "right features." It | | | | not cater to your particular needs. Find a card that |
| would have been unwise to sign up for that card. If | | | | offers rebates and rewards on the products and |
| you are thinking about getting a credit card - or maybe | | | | services that you use the most. Things like gasoline, air |
| another one, there are some reasons why you may | | | | miles if you travel a lot, groceries, discounts on hotels, |
| not want to fill out the next application that comes to | | | | etc., will benefit you much more if you use these things |
| you in the mail. Here are some things you need to look | | | | on a regular basis. Things like air miles can actually help |
| for to see if it really is such a good deal. | | | | you to get enough air miles to make that trip that you |
| The Interest Rate | | | | have always wanted - just remember to find out how |
| The first reason that this credit card was not a good | | | | long they are good for - there is usually an expiration |
| one was because there were no introductory interest | | | | date after a couple of years. |
| rates on the card at all. It was just for one rate - 9.9%. | | | | Other Fees |
| All purchases came into that interest bracket. Many | | | | This is one area where some credit cards can really |
| cards will give you a 0% interest rate as their | | | | take away a lot of your benefits. Look for things like |
| introductory offer for up to 15 months. That means | | | | processing fees, yearly fees, balance transfer fees, |
| that you pay no interest on your purchases for up to | | | | and fees for cash advances. The best cards, if you |
| one whole year, unless your payments are late, or if | | | | can get one, often will not have extra fees - or, |
| you allow a balance to be carried over to the next | | | | possibly a minimal one. |
| month. | | | | In addition to the above, you need to know that things |
| This particular interest rate, while not bad, is certainly | | | | like only one late payment can remove your desired |
| not the best, either. Some credit cards go as low as | | | | benefits and put you into the regular interest rate for |
| 6.9% interest, and others may go as high as 17.9%. | | | | the card. Othercards may require you to have a |
| After the first year, though, your interest level | | | | minimum balance in order to get their benefits. |
| becomes the regular amount of the card. Interest | | | | Every credit card offer will always have some nice |
| rates can change for many reasons - one of them | | | | feature in bold print that will get your attention. That's |
| being late payments. One of the things that will effect | | | | not where you should look, though. Instead, focus on |
| what interest rate you are able to get is your current | | | | what is in the small print - that's where the nitty-gritty |
| credit rating. | | | | details really are, and you will want to read these first. |
| Reward Options | | | | |