Archive for the ‘credit card’ Category

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If you’re like a lot of parents, your first thought upon reading this title was, “Are you crazy? Why would a child need a credit card?” But believe it or not, the reasons extend well beyond the shopping mall.

Credit cards are handy for children traveling abroad or even locally with school or a youth group. They won’t be renting cars, but they will be eating and almost every fast food chain now accepts them. It’s also something your child can keep handy just for emergencies. There are plenty of other reasons why minors should have credit cards, including as a tool to teach financial responsibility.

Giving a credit card to a minor really is a decision only parents or guardians can make. If this is something you’ve been considering, here are some options to consider.

It’s important to realize first that minors cannot have their “own” credit cards. Issuance of a credit card is a contractual matter and because of their age, minors aren’t allowed to enter into legally-binding contracts. Therefore, a minor’s credit card has to be attached to a parent or guardian’s account.

Secondary cardholder

Listing a minor as a secondary cardholder is easy. Applications and credit history checks aren’t required because what matters is the creditworthiness of the primary account holder. A secondary card might have a different account number, making it easier to track expenditures or to cancel if it’s ever lost or stolen.

But on the downside, the primary account holder assumes full responsibility for making all payments. Should problems arise, it’s the primary account holder whose credit history is affected.

Debit cards

These look and feel just like credit cards but there’s one big difference: no credit’s involved. Debit cards are linked to bank accounts and as purchases are made, funds are immediately withdrawn. The downside of being linked to a parent’s checking account is immediately apparent when the minor doesn’t control its use and the parent suddenly finds a depleted bank account. So do yourself a favor and find a bank that offers youth accounts. That way, your child can only use the debit card as long as there is money in his/her account. If spending is managed, youth debit cards are great for teaching children that they have to earn money before they can spend it!

Charge cards

The difference between a charge card and a credit card is that at the end of each billing cycle, the balance must be paid in full; interest doesn’t accrue. It’s another situation in which the minor is considered a secondary card holder. Because you can’t carry a balance with a charge card, it is a good way to stress the importance of managing spending.

Prepaid cards

These are cards onto which you load money that can be used for making purchases anywhere the other major credit cards are accepted. As long as money’s available, they can also be used at ATMs for cash withdrawals. When funds run low, all mom or dad or the child has to do is reload!

Secured cards

This too looks and feels like a credit card, but it’s more like a debit card because the user can only make purchases as long as the card’s funded. The way this type of card is funded is by making deposits to the institution which issues the card. Secured cards are often used by minors trying to establish credit history. From a parent’s point of view, it’s a good alternative to co-signing.

To co-sign or not to co-sign

Most parents do whatever they can to help their children succeed. That’s admirable, but when it comes to co-signing for a credit card, they really need to think twice. Once they turn 18, young adults can apply for credit. If they’ve not established sufficient credit though, they won’t be approved without a co-signer.

And the co-signer assumes responsibility for making payments. If your adult child doesn’t have a job, you’ll be paying the bills. If you don’t your credit is affected. What’s worse, if your adult child hasn’t been taught good money management skills, you might end up paying down those cards you co-signed for a long time!

Debbie Dragon
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/credit-card-options-for-minors-219792.html

When selling on internet, an online trader needs to have the service of credit card processing to facilitate it’s customers with easy online payment and to support the growth of its business. credit card processing is helps to lure customers whether you have a land based store or an online website. Ecommerce supports the status and expansion of trade, but before you begin with an online merchant account there are things to keep in mind and rules to be followed

Ecommerce is any trade being done via internet and to successfully manage such online trade there are guidelines to be followed such as:

- Pick and choose a good merchant account
- Make things simple and safe for customers or visitors
- Make transactions fraud free for your website

While these may sound simple steps towards a successful and uprising ecommerce via credit card processing, fact is that from opening a merchant account to doing a deal a trader needs to have a clear picture of what he or she wants.

Before going in to the detail of these steps you need to know the importance of credit card processing in an ecommerce. When you open up a website to sell your products you face visitors or buyers on your site. These visitors surf and decide to purchase your service, but when they find absence of any online payment mode or credit card processing they turn towards other sites offering them the facility of easy online purchasing. Thus, with credit card processing (which requires a merchant account) you get to serve your customers with trouble-free money transaction, as well as get to increase your sale and ranking.

For beginning with a credit card processing you need a merchant account which affiliates a trader with permission to accept credit card payments and transactions, but before you choose one take care of the conditions and the fees. Following are some of the common fee terms you may come across when dealing with a merchant account:

- Discount rate
- Qualified discount rate
- Mid qualified discount rate
- Monthly minimum charges
- Transaction fee
- Chargeback charges
- Programming fee
- Cancellation fee

It is advisable that you understand each one of the above charges and any further terms to avoid any future trouble when dealing ecommerce trading.

Now that you have chosen and begun with a desirable merchant account for your credit card processing, you need to take care of things to be done in order to please your customers and provide them with safe and contented experience. Provide your customers with safe ‘web server’ and SSL (secure socket layering) facilitated encrypted data. Make your shopping cart navigation simple and easy to discourage any complication for a novice net user. Never use big or posh words, as it can confuse some visitors who may not be vocabulary friendly. The key towards making your ecommerce credit card processing a success is, make your check in and checkout process simple and provide clear information on the stocks available.

Lastly, you may be doing everything to please your customers but do not forget to make your ecommerce a scam/fraud free. Always use the facility of AVS (address verification service) and carefully scan the order details. Make sure you call the customer once to cross check the order and shipment address.

Ecommerce credit card processing is a benefit if taken care of the important guidelines and course of action required for trouble free transaction.

Devin Gilliland
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/guidelines-regarding-ecommerce-credit-card-processing-271472.html

Aren’t all credit cards the same? The truth is that they are not. To make the assertion that they are is akin to saying that a rock and a bullet are the same thing. Consumer credit cards vary quite a bit from one to another and their differing terms and conditions can either save or cost you a lot of money.

There is a lot of competition among banks and other lenders for your business as a cardholder â?? so you’ll see many different terms and conditions out there. Be a smart comparison shopper and be sure to always read the fine print; when it comes to credit cards, it can save you a lot of money.

Obviously, you’ll want the best deal for your money. What you should seek out is a credit card which offers a low APR. APR stands for Annual Percentage Rate and is the amount that you will pay to use the card â?? think of it as rent paid for the money you are borrowing from the credit card company.

The important thing to do here is to always make at least the minimum monthly payment on time â?? this will keep your credit card company from raising your APR on you.

Making your payments late can cause your APR to rise as high as 26% - and just because you make your payments on time afterwards will not result in your APR dropping back to a lower level; there is no escape clause for this penalty.

Let’s suppose that you will always make your payments on time. You should try to find a card which offers you rewards, such as points which can be traded in for goods and services; meals, travel and the like.

Whenever you use your credit card, you’ll be working towards getting something that you want. This makes a good deal an even better one through these incentives. Some people use their credit cards for every purchase that they can, paying in full each month. These people earn all sorts of rewards, even first class airfare!

The quickest way to get a credit card and start using it right away is to apply online. In a matter of minutes you can be approved. If your credit is good, approval should be no problem.

Some credit card companies will even give you a limit from the moment you are approved; meaning that you can start shopping online right away. The actual card will arrive in the mail between one and two weeks later.

If the credit card you have right now is a high interest one, you can look on the web for a better deal. There are many cards which offer 0% interest for six months as an introductory offer. You can apply for this card and transfer your existing balance to it to make it easy to pay off.

Nick Makaryk
http://www.articlesbase.com/credit-articles/choosing-the-best-consumer-credit-card-527995.html

According to Homeland Security, credit card fraud can cost as much as $500 million per year. Consumers are using their credit cards more, which increases the pool that fraudsters can target. When card fraud happens, we all pay for it. Credit card companies increase fees such as the charge back fees and these are passed down to the consumer. Consumers must be extra vigilant when using their credit cards and even more careful when maintaining their financial information.

How can you prevent paying for card fraud?
Even though prevention methods have been issued over the years, millions of us only practice some of the safety measures.

We have been told not to carry all our credit cards with us, but how many of us still do. We rationalise that if my credit cards are at home and my home is burgled, I would be no better off. However if my purse is with me at least I could guard it at all times.

Based on the US Department of Justice report which stated there were 2,154,126 burglaries in 2005 compared to 417,122 robberies nationwide for the same year, I can see your point. But why not use a safe or safety deposit box to store your credit cards. Alternatively you can carry your credit cards in a bag or pouch separate from you purse or wallet.

Fraudsters are becoming more and more sophisticated, and although most credit card fraud occurs online, there are some pretty ingenious ways to commit fraud offline as well. Here are some tips to take note of.

When you use your card and it is returned to you, make sure you check the card carefully. Consumers have been faced with huge bills that were made using their credit cards that were stolen without their knowing. This happens when you pass your card to a merchant to pay for goods and your card is switched with an identical expired card that belong to another person.

Some fraudsters are bold enough to pose as staff at restaurants and sidewalk cafes and without you seeing, simply walk off with your card when you hand it over to pay for a meal. Do not let your credit card out of your site at all. Let your attendant bring a portable card machine to you or make your way to the till to pay for your items.

If you complete a credit card application that you did not post, make sure you shred or burn it. Fraudsters are not beyond searching through your garbage to find items such as credit card receipts, old check books or anything that can give them personal information about you.

There are many other tips for credit card safety; these are just a few to remind you of the need for safety. While the credit card companies try to implement safety measures like chip and pin, the responsibility lies with you the consumer to guard and protect your credit card.

Anthony Samuel
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/who-pays-for-credit-card-fraud-99668.html

If you are searching for the best possible deal and the best credit card company, you will obviously need to look around at what you have to choose from and what works best for you. The first thing you will need to decide when choosing a credit card, is why you need one. Some people choose to get a credit card for cash flow purposes. With a credit card, you can make purchases and buy things, leaving your paycheck or other income source in your bank account to draw interest. This way, your money will grow while you continue to buy the things you need. Then at the end of the month, you can simply pay your bill.

Others will select a credit card and use it for instant cash purposes. This way, they can use their credit card at an ATM and get instant cash, which is great for travel or going on an extended vacation. If this is why you want a credit card, you should look for one that has the lowest rate possible for instant cash transactions.

With a credit card, you will also need to think about the payments. You will need to determine if you want to pay the balance in full each month, or the required amount. When you select your credit card, you should look at the introductory rate, balance transfer rate, and other offers that may apply to new credit cards and new card holders. Some will offer you truly exceptional deals, especially if you have good credit.

Another significant area to peruse when choosing your credit card is the incentives. There are a few cards out that will give you incentives, i.e. reward points and cash back with purchases, cash back that you can use towards paying back what you owe. There are several incentives types available with credit cards, all you have to do is look around and compare.

The key area you will need to look at and compare is the APR (Annual Percentage Rate). The APR is what you will pay on what you buy when the incentive period runs out. APR rates will vary among credit cards, so it is always in your best interest to compare and shop around. The lower APR rate you get, the better off you will be.

Another concern with choosing your credit card is the minimum monthly payment amount. Most minimum payment balances will start around 3%, although some can be lower others tend to be quite a bit higher. The interest free period is a concern as well, as you will obviously want to choose the longest period available to keep the payments down.

When you make that final decision and choose your credit card, you should make sure that you know exactly what you are getting. Credit cards are great to have, although they can lead to a financial downfall if you do not choose them carefully. If you put some time and research into choosing your credit card, you will find the best one for you. As long as you take care of your credit card and pay the bill on time, you will help raise your credit limit and eventually be able to purchase even bigger items - such as a car or even a house.

Art Taylor
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/choose-a-credit-card-the-right-one-of-course-138793.html

Having the amount of cash you need on hand when you need it is important when you are a student. What may be even more important is that some credit cards will save you more money than others allowing you to have even more money on hand if you are on limited budget. Here is how you can choose the right student credit card and get more money back.

Student credit cards come with a variety of benefits. Each category is designed to be of particular benefit according to your specific needs. This way you choose the kind of student credit card that will be the most benefit to you. These cards range from driver’s cards, which give points or rebates for the gas and car repairs you pay for, to entertainment cards that give points for going to movies, purchasing DVD’s, CD’s and other electronics, to air miles for your flights and hotels.

By choosing the type of card that you need - or according to your greatest expenditures each month, you can get discounts, cash back, or even free stuff like trips, tickets, free movies, tickets to Disneyland, and more. Normally, most student credit cards have two levels for giving out their points. A higher level focusing on the type of card it is, a gas card will give the most points for gas purchases at their brand of gas station, but will give fewer points or cash back for other purchases, like food, restaurants, and clothes.

Most student credit cards have a higher interest rate, simply because you either do not have a credit rating yet, or have not had enough time to have earned a reliable credit score. This means you should look at the credit card as a tool to build your credit score. Right use can mean that you can get bigger amounts of credit for those larger items you want to buy when you get out of college - or even before you finish.

Before you sign the agreement, though, you want to do some comparative shopping and read the fine print. Credit cards, like anything else, have good ones and not so good ones. Start by looking at the interest rate. Select one that is about as low as you can get. After the introductory period wears off, you will be paying this rate if you do not pay the card off in full each month. Also, compare the various fees, and find the one with the lowest fees. It should also allow you to make balance transfers, too, without charging you for it.

Credit cards for students may or may not require a consignor. While some do not, the credit limit will be low to start with - again, until you build a credit rating. Watch out for being late with payments - this could place you instantly, regardless of the introductory offer, into a higher interest rate.

Another possibility is a prepaid student credit card. These act like debit cards in that you make a deposit and then you can use the card to access your money when you shop. You do not need a credit score of any kind to get this kind of card - or even a job. Some of them will allow you to build your credit rating. If that is what you want (recommended) then make sure the credit card company reports to the credit bureaus. There will probably be an extra fee for this service.

Joseph Kenny
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/choosing-the-right-student-credit-card-138892.html

Large credit card debt results in heavy and continual losses until the debt is paid off, primarily because the interest rates on credit card debt are much higher than normal loans. An individual ends up losing considerably more money paying interest costs than they have actually been spent using the credit card, not to mention the repercussions on credit rating when one fails to make timely payments. These seeming debt traps can actually be used to your advantage if you use a little wisdom and the following tips:
Remembering the high interest rates, transfer you balances to your lowest interest rate credit card, where you may get a 0% or the lowest possible rate for some period of time. During this period of time where you have low or 0% interest, you can attack your other debts that are attracting heavy interest rates. Keep track of other balance transfer offers and be ready to repeat the process towards the end of the period on the first 0% or lowest interest offer. If you don’t find another low interest option, pay off as much debt as you can to reduce the loan burden. Because the credit card industry is intensely competitive, you will almost always find 0% or low interest rate offers on the market. Until the credit card debt is paid in full, remember the debt still exists and is a heavy interest rate burden.

Another useful and effective utility to reduce your credit card burden is debt consolidation. debt consolidation loans carry far lower rates of interest than credit cards. You can make a debt consolidation loan at a much lower interest rate and do away with all the credit card debt, still, make sure your debt consolidation loan repayments are on time so that you credit rating is not impaired further.

One of the best ways of reducing credit card debt is to exercise credit card spending, self restraint. Though this is easier said than done, it is a possible alternative. However, the very best way out of credit card debt is to slice up your cards, then there is no way to incur credit card spending debt and your high credit card interest rate worries will be over for once and for all.

Art Taylor
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/watch-your-credit-card-usage-and-save-your-money-138900.html

The title doesn’t actually mean that you could make out a living out of taking up credit card offers, but, you can save up money which would otherwise be gone if you sign up with regular credit cards being offered before.

Why is this happening? Why not? We all deserve to save up some of our money with all the purchases we make. But the reason behind all this credit card offers is because the competition to get the business of even existing card holders, not just new credit card applicants, is really heating up and these credit card companies are returning some of the money back just so you will go with them.

This is really great news for us. But then again, before choosing a credit card that you think has really great offers, make sure to understand its terms first. You may end up losing more money than you did with your previous card.

Here are some of the credit card offers that you can avail off from some of the major banks that provide credit card services, this can provide you a glimpse on how you save money through their offers;

Â? Chase Manhattan Bank - offers cash plus rewards, value miles, gas rebates, you can earn a mile for every dollar that you purchase, you can get free DVD’s or CD’s, earn points from shopping in selected establishments and a lot more.

Â? Capital One - provides great rewards for those who frequently travel and uses their credit card for their purchases. Other offers include waved annual membership fee, miles earned don’t expire, cash backs, annual bonus and insurance against theft, physical damage, and loss on rental cars. They also offer extended warranties on your purchases and a lot more offers.

Â? Citibank - offers low APR’s for one year, instant application approval, waived annual fee, no liability on fraudulent card usage, cash gifts, miles and points rewards for purchases and a host of others as well.

Â? American Express - Provides great cash backs, free rewards programs, very low interest rates, waived annual fees, zero percent APR, low balance transfer rates, travel accident insurance plans, buyer assurance plans, free tickets to major events like concerts, games plus an assortment of other offers.

Â? Visa - easy accessibility with ATM’s all over the world, bonus miles, zero percent APR, low interest rates, low balance transfer rates, cash backs, rewards, exclusive discounts, free accounts, waived annual fees and a lot more.

These are just some of what these banks and other credit card establishments have been dangling to lure clients into their fold. With these credit card offers, you will surely be able to enjoy the perks and benefits of owning a credit card. They are virtually paying you to use their cards.

But of course, getting these rewards and offers must mean you have to posses a good credit rating. People with a bad credit score can avail of some of the offers but only limited. So make sure that you handle owning a credit card right. Because if you have a good credit record, these credit card institutions will be waiting for you, offering you everything they can just to do business with you. Today is the great time to enjoy owning a credit card, and make some money out of it as well.

Mario Churchill
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/make-money-out-of-credit-card-offers-139120.html

In today’s world, you can manage almost every aspect of your credit cards online. While it is convenient to shop and pay bills over the Internet, you may be concerned about the security risks involved. The good news is that you can reduce your risks by taking preventative action. Follow these tips to make sure your online credit card management is safe.

Applying Online

Many websites allow you to apply online for a credit card. If you’re concerned about sending personal information into cyberspace, chances are you need not worry. In most cases, online applications are just as safe, if not safer, than sending forms through the regular mail system. When you drop an application in the mailbox, your personal information is exposed to numerous potential scammers. The process may take four to six weeks to complete, thereby creating more possibilities for others to see your data. If you send an application through an online connection, however, it will arrive in less than a second to the secured source. When applying online, first check that the site is secure and legitimate; then fill out the application.

Shopping Online

Before purchasing an item online, take a few measures to check for security. First, make sure that the company is legitimate. If you are in doubt, you can check with the Better Business Bureau. Next, look for security features on the site. If the payment page has the letter “s” after its “http” code (https:), it is protected with SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer. This applies encryption between your computer system and the company’s Internet server. When your data is transmitted over the Internet, it is encrypted, or scrambled, when it is sent. It is then unscrambled when it reaches its destination. Another safety feature to look for is a small padlock on the screen. Finally, make sure you feel comfortable providing your information. If something on the site concerns you, check into it before paying with your credit card.

Online Statements and Billing

Almost all credit card companies allow you to sign up for online access to your credit card account. When you do, make sure that the site has secure features. Be careful not to use a login name or password that contains obvious personal information, such as your name or date of birth. Check your card activity and online statements regularly for signs of transactions that you did not authorize.

Phishing

By far, phishing is one of the most dangerous fraudulent activities online. In phishing, scammers send e-mails that appear to be from legitimate companies. They often ask you to respond with personal information to confirm an account or win a prize. Be sure to check your e-mail carefully. A credit card company will never ask you to send personal information, such as your social security number, to them via e-mail. If you receive a questionable e-mail, do not respond to it or open any attachments it contains. Rather, report it to the credit card company or a credit bureau for inspection.

Like other security issues, online credit card management can be safe if proper measures are taken. Check sites for security features, look into online companies before making purchases, and avoid responding to questionable e-mails. By following these steps, you can enjoy the ease of online credit card management without the headache of credit card fraud.

Ed Vegliante
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/online-credit-card-management-is-it-safe-99929.html