Using A Credit Card To Shop Online

If you have the Internet, you have probably seen the myriad shopping sites where you can buy all manner of goods and services. However, you might be cautious about buying online because you are unsure of how safe the system is, or how to go about buying something on the Internet. If you need some advice on how to shop online, then here are some useful tips to get you started.

Why shop online?

Shopping online is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to buy products. You don’t have to leave your house to queue at shops, and can compare prices much more easily. Also, because online retailers often have lower overheads than normal shops, you will find that prices are generally cheaper online. If you want to find the best deals on a product quickly, then shop online.

Credit or debit?

When shopping online, you might have the option to pay by credit or debit card. But which type of card should you use? Well, whilst paying by debit card is better for your debt because you have the money, it is much safer to buy online using a credit card. Credit cards have many more security features than debit cards, including buyer protection. If possible, always use a credit card when shopping online.

Keep records

Whenever you purchase anything online, you will likely be sent an email with the details of your purchase on. As well as keeping this email, it is advisable to print the details out and keep them safe. This way you have a paper record of any purchase that you make, just as you would have a receipt for a regular purchase. This will help you to resolve any issues should things go wrong.

Use only trusted sites

Although shopping online is safe, it is important to stick to well-known and trusted sites. Smaller Internet retailers might not have the safety features required to keep your card number completely safe. Also, trusted retailers are more likely to deliver your product quickly and without hassle.

Agreements and small print

Whenever you buy online, there is likely to be an accompanying agreement detailing the terms and conditions of the purchase. Although many people don’t read these agreements, it is important that you do, because they often include terms that make it difficult for you to take action should you receive bad service. Always read all agreements and small print so that you know where you stand should you need to dispute a transaction.

Virtual cards

If you make a lot of purchases online, then you might want to think about getting a virtual credit card. This is just like a normal credit card, but all transactions and details are based online. This is a great way to separate your offline and online purchases and keep track of your spending. It is also possible to get the number regularly changed, making online purchasing more secure.

About the Author: Peter Kenny is a writer for creditcards-gb.co.uk Please visit us at 0% Credit Cards and Student Finance Guide

Credit Cards To Avoid

Interesting article. Didn't know that getting a credit card can be such an interesting process.

Not every credit card is a good one - just because it promises a few good things. The truth is, that you really do not know just how good a credit card might be until you read the fine print that gives you all of the details. Merely comparing a few of the more open and upfront (on the advertisement) features might give you a starting place, but you should go a little deeper than that in order to get a credit card that is worth having.

Choose a type of credit card that you think will benefit you the most. Make your choice from either air miles cards or drivers cards if you travel a lot, or get a rebate card for general shopping purposes. You can also choose specialty cards from booksellers if you purchase a lot of books, or entertainment credit cards if you frequent this type of place. You will do well to take a little time to see what kind of different credit cards are available. Make your choice related to the things that you normally charge the most amount of money each month.

A good place to start is by looking at the interest rate. Interest rates can range from 9.99% up to a little over 18%. The lowest rates of interest are for those who have good or excellent credit. Anyone else can expect to get a card with a little higher rate. Ideally, you want to get a card with as low a rate of interest as you can. While you may not pay any interest in the first year, remember that it will be charged during the second year. It can also be started suddenly if you make a single late payment on some credit cards.

Then you will want to look and find out if the credit card allows you to make balance transfers - and when. This little great feature can really save you some money if you can get it with 0% APR interest and no fees attached. Be sure to find out when you can make the transfers, though, since some cards require you to list any transfers when you apply, and no more can be made after that. See also just how long you can enjoy not having to pay any interest on this amount. It could be anywhere from three months to the life of the transferred amount.

The introductory offer should be looked at next. This includes the balance transfers but also tells you just how long you have to make new purchases and pay 0% APR interest on those charges. The length of time on your introductory offer and the time on your balance transfers may be different.

Lastly, look at the amount of rewards and compare them. Some credit cards will give you a large number of points or miles when you make the first purchase. This is great and can really be a big help since other cards may not offer this kind of deal. Be sure to see, though, whether or not various fees or limitations in some way eat up this great value attached as conditions. Also, many, but not all, credit cards will give you a percentage of your average purchases, such as what you charge on gas, food, and medicines.

By paying off your credit card in full each month, you can enjoy a greater level of savings by not having to add on any late fees or interest. Watch out for credit cards that require minimum balances.

About the Author: Joe Kenny writes for the Credit Card Guide, offering views on 0% credit cards in the UK, visit them today to compare credit cards and find a great UK credit card deal today.

Making A Debt Management Plan For Credit Repair

Since it has become very difficult to purchase anything without a credit card, one consideration to helping raise a credit score, and ultimately a credit rating when you are having trouble getting a credit card is to get a pre-paid card. Many lenders offer a pre-paid Visa or Master Card, which for all purposes look and work just like credit cards. The main difference is, instead of purchasing things strictly on credit, you make a deposit into a bank account that secures the amount of the card limit. Often there is a deposit fee required for opening a pre-paid credit account, and your limit is based upon the size of the deposit that has been pre-paid. The advantages of prepaid cards include that they really can help with credit repair; and, if in fact your credit is really in bad shape, they may be your only option for repairing it.

The best solution to credit problems is to exercise some debt management skills and pay your bills as on-time as possible while avoiding spending money on items you do not really have a need for. Making wise decisions about spending and considering the implications of the decisions from all perspectives will help you make better overall spending decisions. Sure, bad credit is a tough hurdle to get over once you have developed bad spending habits, but it, like bad spending habits, can eventually be overcome. If you need help formulating a working plan that you can stick with on a long term basis, consider credit counseling as an option.

Credit Reports

Taking charge of your credit reports can really help you reclaim your life. There is no reason to let bad credit ruin your plans, but in order to repair your credit it is very important to know what your credit report status really is. After all, if you know what you owe, you can take the necessary steps to repay it. Also, it is very important to keep in mind that although the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Trans Union, and Expedient) may seem all knowing and all powerful, the information they have on you may contain mistakes. It has been known to happen to others.

Obtain a copy of your report from each of the bureaus, but don’t do what everyone says and just apply for a loan in order to get a free report. Every time you apply for a loan there is a mark made against your credit rating and points accumulate. Instead, just pay the fees attached, it will save you money in the long run, probably a lot more than the fees to get the reports.

As you formulate your credit repair plan be sure to consider long and short term steps that you can take. For example, prepaid credit cards will help in the short-term as they allow you access to purchases that can only be made with a credit card. However, they offer little in the line of long term credit restoration. While they are used like a credit card, the contribution that they have toward building or repairing credit is so small, that it is not really distinguishable on the credit reports.

Other cards will claim they can help restore your credit worthiness by offering you a larger balance card. Of course, they want a fee of $200-300 up front. Be warned, some of these companies are scams and should be avoided. When in doubt as to whether or not an agency is offering you a legitimate offer, check with the Better Business Bureaus to see if they have any complaints on file.

About the Author: Johnathan Bakers usually pens news on information relating to money management and assets. His contributions on managing credit card debt can be found on his website.

Balance Transfer Credit Cards: A Way To Consolidate Debt by Ed Vegliante

Credit card debt is a fact of life for millions of Americans. Once you have credit card debt racked up, it can be difficult to get rid of. Balance transfer credit cards provide a solution to this problem. By understanding how they work, you can use balance transfer credit cards to help you get out of debt.

How Balance Transfer Credit Cards Work

Balance transfer credit cards allow you to transfer the amount due on other credit cards to their card. Many offer a low interest rate or a 0% APR introductory rate on the transferred amount. This way, you can avoid paying hundreds of dollars on interest. By making payments each month, you reduce the balance and save on interest expense.

Understand the Fees

Balance transfer credit cards come in many shapes and sizes. Some charge a fee to transfer balances; others do not. Some offer low interest rates for a certain period of time; others allow a fixed low interest rate on the balance until it is paid off. Certain balance transfer credit cards come with a rewards program or additional perks. While balance transfer credit cards offer a great rate on the initial transfer, some include a high interest rate on new purchases. The payments you make will first be applied toward finance charges, then the transferred amount, and finally the new purchases. Your best bet is to find a balance transfer credit card that offers 0% APR on new purchases for the length of the promotional period. You may be surprised at how may credit card issuers are offering 0% APR on both the balance transfers as well as on new purchases for up to 12 months.

Study your Finances

Before you apply for a balance transfer credit card, be sure that you understand your financial situation. Look through your credit cards and the interest rates on them. If you are carrying balances with high interest rates, you may be spending hundreds of dollars each month on interest. It could take years to pay off the initial amounts placed on the cards. By transferring the balances to a credit card with a low interest rate, you can pay off the amounts faster. Also, balance transfer credit cards allow you to consolidate your debt. Keep in mind that some balance transfer credit cards only offer a low interest rate for a certain period of time. Many cards have a high interest rate or variable interest rate that kicks in after six months or a year. If you haven't paid off the balance by then, the higher interest will continue to increase your debt and work against you. If at all possible, you will want to pay off the credit card debt that you transfer within the grace period.

Transfer Away

After you have done your research and understand your finances, you are ready to apply online for a balance transfer credit card. Pick one that suits your needs. Then set up a system to pay off the balance. Balance transfer credit cards can provide the first step toward getting out of credit card debt. By placing all of your credit card debt in one place, you can make just one easy payment each month. You also will be able to enjoy paying 0% interest for a period of time on your balances. With a little planning, you will soon be on the road to zero credit card debt and good money management.

About the Author: Click here to find Balance Transfer Credit Cards. Ed Vegliante runs www.Credit-Card-Surplus.com, a directory helping consumers to compare and apply for credit cards.

Imposing Policies For Corporate Credit Card Usage by Mario Churchill

It is not clear whether when the use of credit cards started; however, today, the usage of corporate credit cards is rapidly increasing. Many businesses and companies are now applying to have their own corporate credit card accounts. More and more companies are applying for a corporate credit card due to the fact that it can be very helpful because it allows the company to make debts.

A business that plans to apply for a corporate credit card may also provide individual cards to their employees. Most employees think that their credit cards are just like money, they tend to buy stuffs and pay off their personal debts.

But, this mentality may bring great danger to the company. Continuous usage of corporate credit cards for personal reasons may tend to let the company end up paying many debts. Plus, if great debts will be deducted to the employees' salary, what will they receive during payday? Over use of corporate credit cards by the employees can also pose great danger to the employee's salary.

For this reason, employers must put rules, protocols or policies regarding the employees' usage of their corporate credit cards. A corporate credit card should be used to buy stuffs that the company or the employee needs, which should be related to their work. If not, then an employee must not use it otherwise. This is the main purpose of getting a corporate credit card.

Nevertheless, it is hard for your employees not to use their corporate credit cards, which is why it is imperative to make a policy regarding its usage and impose this policy.

Imposing a policy and making sure that those who violate it will suffer (suspension, warning/memo, salary deductions and etc.) may prevent them from ever using their individual cards for their own purpose. This may seem a bit harsh, but if you really want to prevent them from ever using this for personal interests, you need to impose it.

In addition, the employer should do this because primarily, most credit card issuers hold the employer as the one who's liable for all charges on the corporate credit card account. In spite of the any verbal or written agreement between the employer and the employee, the issuers still consider the employer as responsible for any charges on the said account, since he is the primary cardholder.

Putting up a policy on credit card usage may establish the procedure for the use of corporate cards, even the protocol. This will also help the employees in better understanding the liabilities and accountabilities regarding their use of the cards. The employer must see to it that the employees have read the policies before handing them out. However, these policies must be unbiased between the company and the employees.

If the employer wants to be fair, he or she can put a limit as to how much personal charge an employee can put on the card. Or, the employer may also provide a policy which is beneficial for both parties. This may be hard; however, doing so will make the company fairer and more unbiased in the eyes of the employees.

Thus, the employees will happily oblige themselves into following the company's corporate credit card policies. This may also with an opportunity to improve the relationship between the employer and his or her employees.

About the Author: Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information check out http://www.supercreditcardoffers.com and http://credit-card-offersonline.info.