vs credit card

People who frequently fly Southwest Airlines may consider applying for Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card from Chase. It is understandable that most people love using cash or their ordinary credit card. It is important to learn to break from routine and the way people are used to doing things otherwise you could miss out on opportunities that may sometimes come once in a lifetime. Probably you do not know that with this kind of premier credit card, you could get free hotel stays and free local and international flights. People who have made Southwest Airlines their flight of choice have been able to receive gift cards as well. Are you aware of any other flight that will guarantee you quality services in addition to these rare privileges?

When you choose this premier credit card, you automatically win 25,000 bonus points as soon as you make your first purchase. These bonus points will continue accumulating as you make subsequent purchases and place you in a better position to get the various awards available.  Besides, you will also obtain 6,000 points per year on your card member anniversary which enables you to redeem points for free hotel stays, international travel or gift cards. However, this is not enough. There are other avenues that would still offer you a chance to win free unlimited flights. For instance, when you spend $1 on Southwest Purchases, you win 2 points. On the other hand, if you spent $1 on any other thing that is related to Southwest, you earn 1 point.

It is also reported that if you use premier credit card, you will also enjoy many other privileges such as:

• Absence of blackout dates.
• Flying your bags free of charge.
• Unlimited reward seats.
• No expiry of points.
• Absence of change fees. This means that you can change your flight without having to worry that you might be asked to pay an additional fee.

You need to realize that this offer of Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has a limited amount of time. This implies that the earlier you grab this opportunity, the better. You should not afford to allow other people to get ahead of you and relish such rare privileges. When, for example, you earn 25,000 bonus points after your first purchase, you automatically get a reward of $400 in Wanna Get Away Fares. These bonus points are very vital because they could enable you enjoy a free round-trip flight.  Who would dare offer you $400 without working hard for it? In case you manage to get it from a friend, then that friend cares for you so much. In spite of the biting recession, it is only the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card that can guarantee you such offers.

If you are a new member, you stand a better chance of being rewarded a bonus worth two flights. It is also worth a mention that you can redeem your points in the following different ways:

• Toward free international travel to at least 800 destinations on over 50 airline carriers.
• Toward free airline fares.
• Free car rentals from prominent rental companies.
• Free hotel stays in at least 70,000 hotels across the globe.
• Free vacation packages.
• Gift cards to popular brands such as iTunes, Amazon.com, the Home Depot and many more.

With Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card, you will be treated like a queen or king because Chase in conjunction with Southwest Airlines values its customers.  It is therefore imperative to keep track of your points so that you do not lose an opportunity to get free hotel stays, free international travel or gift cards. It must be emphasized that rewards will come as follows:

• Every $1 spent on every Southwest Airline Purchases earns you 2 points.
• All Southwest Airlines car rental partner purchases and rapid rewards hotel earns you 2 points.
• Every $1 spent on all other purchases earns you $1.
• 6,000 bonus points are earned on your annual anniversary. This is equivalent to $100 which you can redeem for a Wanna Get Away Fare.
• Every $1 balance transfer that you make earns you 1 point up to a maximum of 15, 000 points.

If you plan to make any balance transfers, ensure that you do so within the first 90 days when you open your account. If you delay, you might not be able to earn bonus points on individual dollars that you transfer. As you make this decision, you must not forget that balance transfer attracts a 3% fee. You can take advantage of this type of credit card and be able to join Southwest Airlines most valued circle of clients. You can not partake of these privileges if you are not a member.

Secured Credit Card

Credit cards have now become an essential aspect of life that most people can not do without. It is even better to have a secured credit card so that you are able to rent a car, make a plane or hotel reservation. It has become a common trend for most stores to ask for a credit card before they accept your check. Most people have found this form of credit card the best way of establishing or reestablishing their credit after having suffered a bad credit history.

The question that you are probably asking yourself is: What is a secured credit card? When you deposit a certain amount of money into your account (say $1000), it is possible for you to charge your account up to $1000. In this case, you can top up the deposit to add more credit. Alternatively, your bank could reward you for exceptional payment so that it is added to your credit line without making a request for extra deposits. Nevertheless, this reward is based upon the discretion of the bank; it is not a right. It is also vital to point this one out because some people could start wondering why they have not been able to receive such rewards.

The other important fact about a secured credit card is the fact that it needs a cash collateral deposit in order to be used as the credit line for your account. If you would like to get a secured credit card, you may consider visiting bankrate.com. This web site provides a list of different of issuers of secured credit cards. The only challenge is that you might be required to sign up as a credit union member before you qualify. While some people might be repulsed away by this concept of registering as a credit union member, they need to remember that it has benefits that you might not be able to obtain if you choose an ordinary credit card issuer.

Did you know that credit union members are charged lower interests and may be exempted from annual fees? When you find this kind of deal, you do not hesitate to hold onto it. You may not be able to find this kind of deal anywhere else. Despite the fact that the abovementioned site could offer you a solution to your secured credit card problem, it is advisable to shop around carefully and seriously. When you take your time to examine the various secured credit cards that are available on offer, it is highly likely that you will find a card that charges no application fee as well.

The other advantage of shopping around and doing your homework carefully is the fact that you will discover that all secured cards charge annual fees. These annual fees vary from one secured card to the next. If you do not exercise utmost precaution, you might find yourself entangled in a secured credit that charges you exorbitantly to a level where such fees robs of the opportunity to use the card as you had planned to.  It is imperative to note that secured cards would require you to have deposited a certain amount of money before you qualify. Although the amount varies, it normally ranges between $300 and $500. Your credit limit is usually based on the amount of cash that you have deposited.

This is a facility that is not popular with most banks because most of them prefer unsecured cards that have higher interests and annual fees as well as lower limits. You should therefore not just walk into any bank expecting to get a secured credit card. This card is recommended for people who have some financial squeezes such as job loss, divorce or serious illness. It could also be a perfect way of starting to grow your life especially if you are not among those people that inherited fortunes from their parents or relatives. People who are trying to wriggle themselves out of debt might consider applying for a secured card as well.

Though secured cards are increasingly helping people to get back on their feet financially, you need to be on the look out. There are some secured credit card issuers that are bent on extorting their customers because of the desperate situation which they are currently in.  They charge very high fees in order to fetch as much profit as possible. For those who are wondering how long it takes for an individual to qualify for unsecured card, they need to realize that this will only be possible after they have made their payments on time. It is estimated that it takes about one year before you are declared eligible for the unsecured card. This implies that you will need to work extra hard and discipline yourself so that you do not default on payment or delay.

Prepaid credit cards are essentially debit cards that will help a person build credit. It is generally availed by those who are fearful of credit cards or by those who are unable to secure regular credit cards. There are a few advantages and disadvantages with prepaid credit cards and the passages below will discuss both aspects.

Advantages of prepaid credit cards

Prepaid credit cards are accepted everywhere

You can use prepaid credit cards in any facility that will also accept credit cards. Prepaid credit cards will come with the Visa or Master card logo and will be compatible with all credit card swiping machines. A prepaid credit card is a good option if you do not want to carry around a lot of cash. They are also a very good option for those who are used to paying with checks, but are unable to use checks in certain locations. For example, one will usually have trouble writing out checks once they leave their city or state. This is not the case with prepaid credit cards that will be accepted across the country and in international locations as well.

No interest payments to worry about

Another obvious advantage to prepaid credit cards is that you will not have to pay any interest on the outstanding balance as the money deposited towards the credit card was yours to begin with. So, prepaid credit cards can be a great option for those who do not want to risk getting into debt with credit cards. Another alternative is to simply use debit cards although certain banks still hand out debit cards that will only work in certain locations and certain ATM’s. Some people who are loyal bank customers will prefer to maintain their bank account in the same bank and simply use some of the cash to avail prepaid credit cards that they can reload every time the balance gets lower.

Disadvantages of prepaid credit cards

Embarrassment associated with prepaid credit cards

Though the whole economy is struggling, the general American society has a tendency to look down upon those who avail prepaid services. The general assumption is that all those who apply for prepaid credit cards and prepaid phone connections are either people with a blotchy past or are people with a really bad credit history. Though it is none of their business, bearers of prepaid credit cards will be subject to a different treatment from store clerks and store managers who will automatically assume that they are trying to do something suspicious with a prepaid credit card.

Some usage charges may apply

Another downside to using prepaid credit cards is that one will have to incur some charges such as a monthly usage fee. They might also have to pay fees when they use the ATM to withdraw money from the prepaid credit card account. However, even the regular credit cards will usually charge money when one seeks cash back from their credit card.

Sometimes, prepaid credit cards will allow customers to conveniently load money into their account from an ATM although such a service will require a small additional fee as well.

Charge card vs credit card – how to make an educated choice

In colloquial language charge cards and credit cards mean the same thing. But financial experts know that this is not the case. Some of the features of these two different types of card are the same, but some are not. So, charge card vs credit card? Which one is better suited to your needs? What are the main differences? Let’s start the competition: charge card vs credit card.

Charge card vs credit card – credit limit

Concerning credit limit, charge cards win the competition charge card vs credit card. When you are using charge cards there is no limit to the credit available to you. Still, for people that have a tendency to spend more than they can afford, this might be considered as a drawback.

Charge card vs credit card – applicability and convenience

Both charge cards and credit cards can be using to pay at many locations, and therefore they are both convenient to use.

Charge card vs credit card – payment flexibility

When you are using a charge card there is virtually no flexibility with the payments. Once a month you will be required to pay back the money you borrowed. Some may see it as an advantage that there is no balance transferred from month to month. A credit card does allow you to pay back some of it later, but charges interest for it.

Charge card vs credit card – interest rate

Since there is no balance payment on the charge card, it would make sense that you are not charged any interest. The credit card, of course, charges you interest on the borrowed money that you haven’t returned by the end of the month. However, the percentage of interest rate depends on a lot of factors, such as credit history, approved credit limit, and the percentage of credit limit that you have used up.

Charge card vs credit card – credit ranking

Using a credit card can have either a positive or a negative impact on your credit ranking. If the repayment of the loan is timely and you don’t borrow too much, you will have a high credit ranking. Conversely, if you are not respecting the terms of the agreement with the credit card issuing company, then you will have bad credit. Having bad credit can unexpectedly reflect negatively on many areas of your life. The same risk exists with a charge card. If you fail to pay your bill at the end of the moth in full, you will again suffer from low credit ranking. It’s a tie in the charge card vs credit card competition.
Basically, in the competition charge card vs credit card, the ultimate winner will be decided for each person individually. Your spending habits and personality will determine which type of card is more beneficial for you. A charge card will be the winner in the charge card vs credit card dilemma, if you need to borrow money without paying any interest, and you have enough self-restraint to refrain from borrowing too much.

Bad Credit, Credit Cards secured and unsecured credit cards

During the past few years of economic unease many people became familiar with the problem of bad credit credit cards. Bad credit ranking is becoming a serious issue for many people struggling in today’s economy. The main reason for getting a low credit score is to be late with the monthly repayment of the credit. Now, the question is what to do about bad credit credit cards? How to deal with the problem? There are two basic types of bad credit credit cards: secured and unsecured credit cards.

The secured option is designed specifically as a bad credit credit card for people with a low credit ranking. Secured bad credit credit cards require the card holder to transfer some money to the lender’s account. In addition to the start up payment, the user of the card is usually required to pay an annual fee. In fact, the startup payment determines the limit of your credit. In a way, this type of card is similar to a debit card. The startup payment is deposited on your savings account. At the same time, you are able to borrow the same or less amount of money from the credit card issuer. Because of the bad credit credit card history, the card company needs assurance that you will be able to repay them. The insurance is the money on your savings account. The aim of the secured credit card is to allow you to reestablish your credit by using a credit card with an unsecured line of credit. While it seems like a good option, beware that some of the companies which provide this service are completely legitimate, while others are not.

The next thing to pay attention to is the interest rate. You need to be especially careful with credit cards with variable rates. It’s bad enough to have one bad credit credit card, thus you should be really careful the second time around. You should definitely be aware and comfortable of the terms and regulation how the interest rate can change over time. The best decision would be to hire a professional consultant. He will make sure you get the best deal possible and avoid having another bad credit credit card. Another thing you can do on your own is to compare similar offers from competitors. Besides the interest rate, look for other benefits, such as bad credit repair, fixed amount repayment, or expert advice to deal with bad credit credit cards.

The unsecured type of card is issued to people with a high credit ranking. Here the company has no insurance in the event of a default. This, in turn, generally means that there is a higher interest rate and it is harder to be approved for one. But, the thing that makes this type of card appealing is that you don’t have to pay the interest, if you return the borrowed money within the same month. This type of card can easily become a bad credit credit card. In general, if you are trying to avoid the risk of having a bad credit credit card, the secured type of card is probably a better solution.