By donimar | February 13, 2007 - 9:50 am - Posted in General, Credit Advice

As a credit card holder, you should know how important it is to keep your account current. Credit card companies report to the credit bureau for as much as three times in a month. So if you want to maintain that good credit record, here are some Don’ts.

  • DON’T miss a single payment. If you are the forgetful type, establish a reminder system. If you can, then pay full amount of your credit card debt and not just the minimum amount due.
  • DON’T max your credit card. Using at least 30% of your credit limit will certainly earn you a nice credit score. Imposing a limit to your usage will benefit you in the long term.
  • DON’T keep your credit card unused. Make small transactions once in a while to show activity. It does not actually look good if your account is stagnant. Remember moderation is the key.
  • DON’T apply for too many credit cards. If you have one or two, then that should be enough. It will be easier for you to manage, track and use.
  • DON’T apply for a regular credit card if you are not ready. There are secured credit cards and debit cards that can offer you the same benefits of regular credit cards with less risks.

Knowing how to manage your credit cards may be the most important step towards building that ideal credit record. True, it may take a while but it is guaranteed to get you there.

After Bankruptcy Credit Cards

By donimar | February 7, 2007 - 10:09 pm - Posted in General

Many people just don’t realize how valuable a good credit record is. If you look around, you will observe that most lending institutions require borrowers to have a high credit rating or a credit history which reflects your ability to pay your debts on time and without fail. People with good credit experience less difficulties in applying for housing or car loans, simply because their credit record is saying, “Trust this person”.

The safest way to establish credit is through a credit card. If this is your first time to apply for one, then you are very lucky. There are a lot of credit card companies competing in the market today that can offer you low APRs, competitive interest rates and even payment terms that are easy on your pocket. For starters, you should try to apply for one credit card only. If you think about it, it is actually a smart decision. A single card is more manageable, simpler to track and most of all, easier to pay.

If you are still worried that you might not handle your credit card wisely and end up ruining the only chance you have to build a good credit record, then you should get a secured credit card.

These cards are perfect for first timers and even for people with bad credit record. A deposit will act as security just in case you get into some financial trouble and could not pay off your credit card bills. Treat it as a practice for the grown-up credit card. You will be able to gauge how well you handle your finances. If it does not work out, the deposit you made will pay off the debt you accumulated. But if it does, then your credit record is as good as established.

Visit 10badcreditcards.com for a wide selection of secured, unsecured, prepaid and catalog credit cards.

By donimar | February 1, 2007 - 10:09 pm - Posted in General

This is the first question. How do the bad credit credit cards differ from any other credit cards? The answer is that they are going to cost more. The most important extra cost is a higher annual fee. Although many credit cards have annual fees, the bad credit card is going to have one that is quite a bit higher. The annual fee could range from around $35 to as much as $150. Of course, you would think that a little shopping around can hold this fee to the lower figure. The truth is that it is the ones with the higher annual fees that are going to be most likely to approve someone with real bad credit.

The credit limits will be much lower. Most of the cards will have a credit limit around $300 and the annual fee will be charged first which will reduce the available credit line right from the beginning. The APR (annual percentage rate) is going to be high also. The other operating fees will generally be much higher. These would be the late payment fee and the over limit fee. It is important to be aware of the higher APR and the high fees, but these fees will only apply when charges are not paid within the first payment cycle, or payments are late.

If your reason for getting a credit card is to repair your credit or establish good credit, the APR and late fees are going to be something you are going to want to avoid anyway. The fact that they are excessively high should just give you some added incentive. You really should not be looking for too large a credit limit either. Why take chances? So, in the end it is only the annual fee that really does matter. It is the cost you are going to have to pay to get the credit card and you need to decide if it is worth it.

By donimar | January 26, 2007 - 5:46 pm - Posted in General

If we are lucky, we are taught from a very early age of the importance of reputation. Your credit history is one aspect of your reputation and it can be a very positive thing or a very negative thing. It takes a lot of time to establish good credit, and the rewards can be very satisfying. Sadly, it can take only a short time to ruin that credit, and the results of bad credit can be very unfortunate. The credit card has evolved beyond its original intent. It was intended to be a means of extending credit like a pre-approved loan that was there for us to use when we needed it. Many people did not distinguish between credit and money, and yet they are two very different things. This confusion led to people overextending their credit cards and in the process damaging their credit reputation. There are other ways that our credit could have been ruined. Some of these things are our own fault, and some of them were due to circumstances totally beyond our control.

Yet, should not the past be the past? Is there no way to redeem a mistake? Do not people learn from mistakes and grow and mature? If you think the answer to these questions is yes, you have come to the right place. It is the purpose of this blog to look at one of the tools of redemption. There are so many things that you can not do without a credit card especially in this internet driven economy. Some of those credit cards can solve this problem, and help restore your reputation in the area of credit. It can open doors that had previously seemed closed and locked. Yet, it comes with a cost, and there are many different forms of it. It is the hope of this blog to discuss these costs, and the options. It is our hope that here we can examine this issue in great detail, and together we can come to an understanding of the value and the purpose of the bad credit credit cards.

http://www.10badcreditcards.com