Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Wisconsin Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Wisconsin

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Saturday, November 15, 2008

How Auto Insurance And Auto Loans Work To Save Money

By Chris Channing

We all know that to be able to legally drive, you need insurance. Insurance and cars are two very important parts of our world today, without either we would be in a very boring and unsafe world. Car insurance protects you and other drivers on the road, and car loans allow you to purchase safe vehicles that are in the best interest of everyone involved.

Consider this for a minute, if you were to get a car loan for the cost of a new car, or a lightly used car, you would be able to get a much better vehicle than if you were to pay in full cash. A better and newer car could mean a lot of things. You can get a more fuel efficient option, one that has more safety features included, and a car that is not likely to break down due to having too many miles recorded on it. These factors are very important when getting a vehicle.

If you have great credit, then good for you! An auto loan will come cheap for you, and the low interest rates make it easier for you to get a higher loan for a nice vehicle. There are tons of places to get auto loans from, so choose which place has the best options for your needs. Many car lots have lenders that are associated with them, and many also require you to use those associated lenders. With so many options available to you as the consumer, you can pretty much pick and choose what you want.

This is where your savings come in. Before choosing the car you want, call up insurance companies. Each company will offer cheaper rates than the previous, and they will all have different offers and benefits. Some companies offer insurance discounts for purchasing a certain car.

Auto loans usually require you to purchase full coverage car insurance. This is a pricey thing, but it is super easy to lower that cost! Having a good driving record as well as a cheap to insure vehicle is a great way to save hundreds each year on auto insurance. When combined with a low interest loan, you save even more!

Overall, if you use an auto loan to purchase a car, you can afford a much better vehicle option. A better vehicle equals lower insurance. Quality cars are likely to be safe, more fuel efficient, and cheaper to fix if they ever need fixing. This translate to auto insurance companies preferring to have you pay less. Plus, you can get a higher deductible, which will further lower your auto insurance payments.

Closing Comments

No matter what kind of car loan you get, or what kind of insurance, it is important that you are prepared and knowledgeable about the options that are available to you.

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Getting To Know Your Available Debt Help Methods

By Chris Channing

It is easy to find yourself in debt up to your neck when you don't take appropriate measures to keep yourself debt free. Never neglect your debt, especially if it is big and has high interest rates because it can easily double, then triple, etc. Your debt problems may even get worse with the uncertainty of our economic futures. Finding methods to help your debt will certainly improve your mood if not your life.

Making a list of all of the things that you owe debt on is essential. This method of debt relief is called quantitive realization. Quantitive realization will help you to understand how much you spend on your car, your home, furniture, video games and pets and even how much you borrow from friends and family. Making a complete list will help you to get the idea of how much you owe in all.

Calculate all that you owe, down to the cent. Find out how long it will take you to pay off your debts, the interests you are paying and any adjustments you may need to make to get this paid off. Don't be shocked by a large amount if you owe a lot, if you lose track of your finances you can get into worse debt.

Your first step to relieving your debt situation is calling all of your creditors, one by one. Talking to your creditors directly allows you to make note of any and all new charges and what you currently owe. If you negotiate with your creditors, you can actively lower your interest rates as well as getting some of your debt cancelled, even having a total forgiveness of small debts if you are lucky.

If this method is not possible for you for whatever reason, you can start to consider getting a debt consolidation loan or service started up. It is always best to start off with what you can, and go from there. Jumping to the extreme methods first can damage your credit even more and you end up spending a lot of time on things that are not necessary.

Debt help methods are far and wide, with things ranging from debt consolidation loans to bankruptcy. No one wants to be in debt for any reason, but when it happens it is good to know the options that are available for you, as well as the ways you can fix the problems that have arisen.

Closing Comments

Finding methods for debt help is easy, and it can take awhile to find what will work for you as well as finding companies that are genuinely willing to help you with your debt problems.

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The Types Of Debt Consolidation Loans For Your Situation

By Chris Channing

Debt consolidation loans will save you hundreds to thousands of dollars when used to pay off your debts. These loans are easy to obtain, and work great for those in need of money to pay off immediate debts. Debt consolidation is rising in popularity especially when the economy is weak. They also allow you to improve your credit, versus damaging it.

One type of debt consolidation loan that is commonly used is called a home equity loan. It is treated as a debt consolidation since that is what most people use it for. Home equity is also referred to as a second mortgage. To get a home equity loan, or otherwise known as a debt consolidation loan, you generally need pretty good credit. There are ways around that, but it may be hard to find.

There are many types of personal loans that work as a debt consolidation loan. Depending solely upon your preference, you can get a debt consolidation loan in the form of a personal loan. These can be unsecured or secured, but work best as secured.

If your situation is very rough, then it is recommended that you consult someone who is experienced with debt consolidation. They can help you figure out what kind of debt consolidation loan is best for you, without any hassle of finding it on your own. Large debt consolidation loans in the form of $20,000 or more are usually given and needed by those that owe more than that amount.

Not taking care of your debts before problems start to get worse is a terrible way to go. Getting a debt consolidation loan at the "first sign of debt" can save you money in the long run, as well as preventing your credit from becoming even worse. Debt consolidation loans should be used carefully, and not with haste.

Debt consolidation loans are fantastic for anyone, especially if they are interested in saving a large amount of money over the course of the repayment periods. Debt consolidation loans give you the funds to pay off your existing debts immediately, versus waiting months while interest collects in a pile. You save tons of money, without really having to do much besides getting a debt consolidation loan.

Closing Comments

If you were to pay your debts to each company, individually, you would end up paying more than necessary and taking much longer than needed. A debt consolidation loan condenses those things into one bundle saving you time and money, and stress.

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Why A Fixed Rate Mortgage Could Save Your Finances

By Chris Channing

Fixed rate mortgages offer stability that other mortgages cannot offer. You pay a constant interest rate that does not increase or lower over the course of the loan contract. These contracts are an average of 30 years, but can be more or less. 30 years is a long time, and in that time frame interest rates can increase dramatically. The dramatic increases of interest can really hinder your financial situation as well, so a fixed rate mortgage comes out superior.

If you had a mortgage with an interest rate of about 7% to 15%, you would be pay a nice sum of money into interest, and if that value increased, you would pay even more. These higher rates can start to effect your financial situation, making it hard for you to make payments and stay on track.

Fixed rate mortgages offer flexibility in the other parts of your life, such as planning vacations and other bills that you may need to pay. Fixed rate mortgages will only change, if you choose to change the interest that is associated with it. Its never fun to pay more than you originally anticipated.

If you have a mortgage loan, but it is not fixed rate, then you still have the chance to change over to a fixed rate mortgage option. You have to apply in advanced, and you must meet the requirement standards that are set by the bank in which you have your mortgage from. Not everyone will be accepted for this opportunity, but if you have good financial standing then it is possible to be approved for a loan switch.

Fixed rate mortgages are great for anyone that needs a loan, or a mortgage. Interest may rise during a fixed rate mortgage, but you benefit by not having to pay that rate. Having the advantage of a lower interest can really save your money matters from going off the deep end.

In the event that you did not have a fixed rate mortgage, and the mortgage interest rose dramatically, there is the chance that you would end up not being able to pay. In that case, your home is up for foreclosure, and you could lose your home. A fixed rate mortgage is a simple solution to those surprising interest hikes, and a way to protect your money and financial life.

Closing Comments

Fixed rate mortgages are fantastic for anyone that wants some stability in their life as far as bills and making payments for things can go.

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Why Your Next Vehicle Should Be A Hybrid

By Chris Channing

Trendy vehicles go a long way in the car market, especially if the trend is everything eco-friendly. These vehicles that fall under the category of hybrid, or fuel efficient, are flying off of car lots faster than you might think. This very thing is the reason why talk of environmentally friendly vehicles is spreading like wildfire, and why your next car purchase should be one too.

Many forget that eco vehicles are more than just a trend; they are the first real movement against pollutant emitting vehicles, and a step in the right direction towards a cleaner planet. Of course, this isn't shocking when so many people are in on it; there are bound to be those that are misinformed. Another little known secret, is that car insurance companies are offering discounts for those that own hybrid cars. That may not be reason enough to buy one, but it definitely helps; especially during the life of the car in mind.

Most people also know that many eco friendly vehicle models are cheap. Almost as cheap as some used vehicles, and maybe cheaper than a used luxury car. Neither of those are favored by insurance companies, because of high risk factors that are involved with them.

Environmentally friendly cars are definitely better in the long run, you can save thousands and thousands over the course of your cars lifetime, and you can prevent tons of toxic emissions from entering the air. Auto loans are even cheaper for environmentally friendly cars, and some lenders offer discounts on interest for those that purchase a hybrid.

Some people are also able to get a tax deduction or a tax cut if they own an environmentally friendly car. This allows them to put that money towards other things, like the auto loan they used to purchase it, or other things. Everything works in the buyers favor.

You just need to do a bit of shopping around; compare online quotes, and check to see which insurance companies will offer you the best deals. This does you more good than you can imagine, especially when you start seeing serious savings roll in.

Closing Comments

Those who are eco-conscious are likely to purchase an environmentally friendly vehicle, and it is worth every penny that you spend doing so. They are cheaper, better, and much cuter. Plus, how many people can resist a trend that is doing the earth some good?

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Debt Consolidation Options For Those With Low Income

By Chris Channing

Getting into debt can be a real hassle when you have low income for various reasons. If you are unable to work long or have difficulty working, you might have taken towards credit cards or loans for supplemental income. Getting out of your debts can be accomplished by use of a special kind of loan. If other kinds of debt management do not work for you, try getting a debt consolidation loan.

Debt consolidation is basically using a loan to pay off your existing loans and debt to help manage the payments into a single monthly payment that you are obligated towards. This can have its real advantages if you owe to many lenders and have many loans and debts. This way, you will only have to pay off one loan with an interest rate that is usually lower than the rest of your loans.

Being low income could be for a number of reasons. Some people just have an inability to work for too long, others cannot work because of disabilities and other ailments. Some people just do not want to work, but still do a minimal job for income. Whatever you do, it is not a problem with a debt consolidation loan. You can negotiate interest rates and repayment terms to fit your specific income needs most of the time. This will be easier if your credit is not too damaged from past debts.

When you look for a debt consolidation loan, try getting a secured versus an unsecured loan. Unsecured loans usually limit the amount you can borrow as well as having higher interest rates than a secured loan. Secured loans use collateral to determine the loan amount as well as having a lower interest rate because of the security.

Your loan repayments will be easily completed when you negotiate well. Only being obligated to a single loan has its perks. Depending on your income, repaying the loan should not take long and you will still have money left over to save or use on something else each month.

Better interest rates can be negotiated if your credit score is average or greater. You can even raise your credit rating by using a debt consolidation loan and keeping your payments on time. Good credit is required when you wish to take out a loan or buy something of greater value.

Closing Comments

Debt consolidation should be available to everyone that needs assistance in repaying their many debt obligations. It is only as difficult as you make it to get a great loan and great terms for that loan.

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How To Get Irresistibly Cheap Auto Loans That You Cant Pass Up

By Chris Channing

If you take the time to prepare for applying towards a great auto loan option, there is almost an endless amount of possibilities towards getting a cheap loan option. You can harm your chances of getting a cheap auto loan if you do not take care of your credit. Cars that are great for the environment often can get a better loan option that is cheap. Some loan options for autos are too cheap to pass up.

First off, you should make sure that your credit is in good standing. No one likes to apply for an auto loan only to be denied or hit with a sky high offer. Make sure you have paid off any outstanding debts, and that your credit is reasonably good.

Another thing you can do to get a cheap auto loan, is find out the bluebook value of your current vehicle. It may be better to sell it privately, versus doing a trade in. If you can, sell your current vehicle for as much as you possibly can. This will put a decent amount in your pocket that you will not have to get an auto loan for. In return, the less you borrow, the less interest you pay, and the less your overall loan comes out to cost you.

Do your homework. You should never jump at the first offer that passes you by, especially since the auto loan market is pretty much in the buyers hands. Finding an incredibly auto loan offer isn't hard, it just takes some searching and looking for the best companies willing to finance you.

Something you should keep in mind is that you may not be approved for all auto loans. If your vehicle is likely to be stolen, then it lowers your chances of finding a cheap auto loan. Take this into consideration, and choose a reasonable vehicle for your needs and budget.

A cosigner might be able to lower the interest to a really low amount that can save you a ton of cash. There is always a great chance of getting a great deal on a car loan when you provide proof that you can repay the loan, having references that can vouch for you and having a good collateral for the loan.

Closing Comments

The more you look, the more you are likely to find a great deal on a cheap auto loan. Taking steps towards bettering your credit and repaying your debts always looks good and is almost guaranteed to give you a cheaper deal.

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Obtaining Multiple Car Insurance Quotes Is A Great Idea

By Susan Tanner

Recently I had watched a one hour segment on television and was shocked to notice how many insurance commercials appeared in that short amount of time. I have to admit that it was quite annoying. With so many choices, I also worried the process might be difficult or confusing.

While watching these commercials, I got an idea. I was curious to find out if this could actually help me save money. Although skeptical, I decided it may be worth my time to look into this in a little more depth.

First, let me explain that I reside in a small city with about 2500 people in it. There are understandably not many choices in our town available for car insurance. Actually, my spouse and I had our vehicles insured by the people that my parents and even grandparents used. But after watching these intriguing commercials, I decided I should look into changing my car insurance options.

I recorded the info I needed to contact the companies and was pleasantly surprised to see that I could get a quote online. Surprisingly, it was a very simple process. It took less than a quarter of an hour to complete the whole application. Secondly, I was informed that I could indeed cut my premiums!

Specifically I would be eligible to save $350 annually. That averages out to almost $30.00 per month! Although some may thing this is not very much, I felt it was great. That is the equivalent to a dinner out for my family.

I researched even more so and found the coverage of what I currently had would be the exact same. Affordable auto insurance did not equal less coverage! In a time where our economy is so unstable, any chance to save money is great.

My wife and I decided to give it a try! We selected a company we were comfortable with and signed up. The savings were real and the company has wonderful customer service! The customer service is top-notch, just like the local companies. I do not see a downside to this decision.

I am thankful that I saw the television show that night with all the annoying commercials. I am also thankful I researched it a little more. Most of all I am glad we are able to pocket an extra $29 a month! Because of this, we are able to put more into our savings account. We have also been able to enjoy a dinner or two out. It has been a great experience for us!

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Using A Cash Back Credit Card Correctly

By Chris Channing

Managing your money includes saving, investing, and finding the best deals. Its not always easy to save, but there are some things that do make it very easy; with results that really add up. Cash back credit cards are a form of credit card that offers cash back and reward options. After spending a certain amount on purchases for certain things you become eligible to receive cash back percentages as well as rewards. If you already buy the important things, like groceries, why not use a cash back credit card to maximize those savings?

Cash back credit cards come in many forms, such as low interest or high interest. Some cash back credit cards reward you for specific purchases, like groceries or gas. Using a cash back credit card that you will use frequently is the best way to go. If you get a cash back credit card that you will never use will do little for you in terms of cash back rewards.

Cash back credit cards also increase the amount of money you can save. You may only get a small amount back, but any amount is enough to count for something. That money can go to buying more, or into a savings account.

When you apply for a cash back credit card, you should consider the tiny print at the bottom of most applications and terms of service packets. There are plenty of rules and laws that go with using a cash back credit card, and many are very tricky. You have to use them in a certain way to reap the most benefits, but if you are well informed there should be little to no problems at all. Making sure that everything is the way you want it is a good way to start off with a cash back credit card.

The amount you get back will vary from company to company, and may also be based on what your credit score is like. This shouldn't be a problem, because the cash back you do get is more than you would if you just used cash or a regular credit card. Remember, the benefits of using these cards greatly outweigh the downsides to using them.

It needs to be stressed that the importance of reading all of the terms of service as well as the fine print is vast. Some cash back credit cards are more promising than they really are, so you should always be willing to do comparisons, as well as a thorough research of the various cash back cards available.

Closing Comments

Cash back credits are an overall good investment, especially if you spend a lot of money on things that cash back credit cards are offered for.

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Getting a Secured Personal Loan For Leisure

By Chris Channing

You may be wondering to yourself what kind of options you have available to make your life a little better. If you have a decent job and have a little bit of money saved, you have many options available to you that will not put you in much danger or risk when taking out a loan. A secured personal loan can be used for a variety of reasons and is usually a great way to get money for a special occasion.

Secured personal loans often offer ways to get money quickly and easily. This monetary amount is usually determined by the collateral they use for the security on the loan. A borrower may use property such as equity on a home, vehicles like cars and boats as well as some other types of valuables. In the event that a borrower cannot repay the loan, the lender will then have the ability to use the collateral towards regaining their monetary losses.

A borrower can negotiate the terms for the secured personal loan to fit their own needs. Having bad credit does not limit you much for a secured personal loan, but you may be required to provide a deposit to show you are serious about the loan and that you are able to repay the loan. Even though all creditors will require a deposit, it is best to make sure you are able to repay any loan before you take one out.

A secured personal loan can be used for anything you like. Depending on the property you used for collateral, the amount of money you have available from the loan can be enough to go on vacation, buy a sports car, traveling the country, even the world. You can even use the money to refinance loans or reconsolidate debts you may have incurred.

There are many lenders out there that would love to give you a secured personal loan. The problem therein lies on finding a great lender that offers the best service and loan options. Many lenders can be found through the local phone directory listings, the newspaper, television ads and even the internet.

You can get a wealth of knowledge on secured personal loans online throughout the world and have access to the biggest resources for finding loans for anything and everything. You can easily set your personal loan needs and apply online. You will often get a response to your loan application within minutes and you can have your money quickly and easily.

Closing Comments

Secured personal loans make it possible to get a variety of things done. From leisure to business, from buying a car to reconsolidating debt, a personal secured loan is a great decision.

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Dispute Credit Letter - Remove Bad Credit On Your Credit Report

By Justin Hutto

A dispute letter is your method of challenging the accuracy or validity of a bad credit mark on your report. In your letter you need to include the reason for your dispute and the mark that you are disputing.

Reasons often include; account is out of date, information is wrong, account paid in full, not my account and many more. The bureaus will conduct an investigation into the mark when they deem your letter valid.

During and investigation the credit bureau will contact the lender or collection agency that made the negative mark and verify the debt and its dates and amounts. If the account can not be verified then it must be removed from your report.

Frequently investigations result in bad credit marks being removed from your credit. This is often because businesses do not want to spend the extra money and time validating disputed debts.

There are rumors that credit bureaus do not check public records to verify debt. This means that bad credit marks such as a judgment or foreclosure are often removed through a dispute.

Another option is to hire a service to perform your disputes for you. This can help tremendously especially if you are disputing multiple items.

Frequently dispute letters will result in the credit bureaus requesting more information from you. In addition you must dispute a bad credit item with each credit bureau separately.

Thus organizing all your disputes with each credit bureau can be a task itself. Many services can use advanced dispute techniques in case a bad credit item is verified. The techniques include; escalated dispute information requests, debt validation, and creditor direct intervention.

Also services will have attorneys on their staff. This enables you to go to court should it be required and file a lawsuit against a collection agency if you are the victim of illegal collection practices.

It is your responsibility to remove inaccurate or unverifiable bad credit marks from your report. There are estimates that 1 in every 4 Americans has a bad credit mark that is inaccurate or unverifiable on the credit report.

In sum, you should dispute any inaccurate or unverifiable bad credit item on your credit. Use a dispute letter to challenge this item and do not just wait 7 years for the item to be removed.

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The Debt Relief Options That Are Right For You

By Chris Channing

Debt relief options are plentiful and available everywhere to anyone. Some may be in the form of debt consolidation loans, but debt relief options are never limited to just a few things. You can get creative and find plenty of ways to help solve your debt problems quickly and easily.

One of the easiest forms of debt relief is debt counseling. It involves being instructed by a trained professional, and they give you advice on how to better manage your finances. This is a great form of debt relief when combined with other methods for paying off the debts you do have. Debt relief counseling is a good step in the right direction. No one wants to be told what to do with their own money, but if you are completely clueless and have made the mistake of getting into debt 1 times too many, then debt relief counseling is a great choice.

If you owe a sum that you cannot afford to pay off in a timely manner, then applying for a debt consolidation loan is a good start. These loans can give you the funds to pay off your existing debts, no matter how small they are, or how large. You also save money, and get lower interest rates than say, a credit card payment.

If your debt is education related, there is a whole section of forms of debt relief for those who owe a considerable amount in student loans. These are great, especially if you are just now finding out that your major from college wasn't going to get you the high salary that you had anticipated.

Debt negotiation and debt settlements are also a form of debt relief that is very effective. Companies that you owe money to are usually glad to reduce your payments in hopes that they will at least get SOME money back from you. These are two very great ways to reduce the amount you owe, and if you owe a huge amount you can combine it with other forms of debt relief for maximum financial help.

Bankruptcy is a last resort form of debt relief. It is not advised to file for bankruptcy unless there is no way out for your debts. Bankruptcy is usually filed for those that owe more than they could ever imagine paying off.

Closing Comments

Debt relief doesn't have to be hard to find, many of your relief answers are right in front of you. Take some time to evaluate your situation and ask questions about the methods that are available for your use.

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Landing High Yield With High Interest Savings Accounts

By Chris Channing

Getting money to work for you is quite easy when you put it into a high interest high yield account. The best annual percentage yields offered by banks can be hard to find if you do not know where to look for them. Many banks offer many options towards saving your money to earn you high interest.

You will most likely wish to save money when you have money to save. Many banks will require for you to deposit a minimum amount until you can benefit from the high interest yields. Depending on your bank, this amount can be anywhere from $10,000 or more. You might have a cap on what amount you may earn interest on. You can always add little by little to the account and let the interest accrue over time to earn more.

Interest rates are often determined by the bank but have an influence based on the way the market for banking is currently going. Many banks will often offer much lower interest rates if you do not put the minimum amount of money you need for the high yield interest benefits to occur. This can make earning money from savings difficult and frustrating.

A normal savings account may offer up to four percent on the current market with a One Dollar deposit into the account at all times. This can fluctuate in many cases, especially when the world market which decides many of the banking market's flows of money. You can save your money online and even in a money market to make interest through an online bank. This can be a risk, as the bank might fail or the money market may fall, but if you are lucky, you may find yourself making a decent amount of interest income.

Certificates of deposit are probably the best recommended safe route for your money. Certificates of deposit use a fixed time period and a fixed interest rate until maturity. This way you can make sure to make money with your money when you save it. The only problem is that you cannot get the money out before the CD matures because if you do, you will be charged a fee.

Banks rely on its users for their business. That is why they offer interest on the money they save as it fuels their ability to lend money out so they can profit. You then reap the benefits by saving by being repaid part of that interest that they make.

Closing Comments

High interest savings accounts are few, but widespread. Putting your money into a high interest account with a high annual percentage yield can give you a great interest income.

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What is Credit Card Debt Settlement?

By Jessica Bradbury

It is not exaggeration if one says that most Americans are dependent on credit cards to buy things. Credit cards are used to purchase basic necessities such as food, clothing and paying for the children's tuition to paying for restaurant bills, booking flights and hotels, among others.

This major yin to credit cards' yang would take shape with payable accounts, debts, to put things bluntly.

Statistics show that the average American household owes more than $10,000 in credit card debts. The figure gives emphasis on just how much people have become dependent with using plastic over cash. Used to pay for restaurant bills, paying for education costs, hotel bookings, travel expenses, and more, the usual trend in credit card usage is followed with monthly bill statements, which, more often than not, pile up, in time.

The banks have allowed us to shell out minimum monthly payments instead of having to make full payments so this scheme helps us manage our finances. But this payment scheme has setbacks. One is that we would have to pay for our outstanding for a longer period of time if we only pay the minimum required amount.

This scheme promotes complacency among cardholders in terms of paying for their debts on time. Most card holders would pay the minimum required amount even if their purchases reaches hundreds of dollars. If this practice is done for some time, your balance would balloon so this means that the minimum monthly payments would also increase.

In extreme cases, you have to take another loan just so you can continue to manage your finances. But you can choose to avail of a credit card debt settlement, which is an agreement wherein card holders and banks come up with a compromise payment.

With this, you need to go to your banks and tell them upfront that you cannot anymore afford to pay for your debts. Banks would have to settle for the amount, lesser than you balance, because they don't want you away from your obligations. These banks hate to take you to court either.

Your bankers will decide on the amount and interest rates you're going to pay. All you have to do is keep your end of the bargain.

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Making interest disappear with 0% credit card offers

By Josh White

If you are clever and know how to play the market, you can get rid of credit card interest entirely with the help of 0% credit card offers. However, it will take time and effort on your part, along with a keen and cunning mind. With over one 1.2 billion purchases made on credit cards each year, it would be satisfying to know that you are not paying a penny in interest on your purchases. There are two different types of 0% cards, both of which have their advantages and disadvantages. In order to fully appreciate these offers and gain the most benefit from them, you need to do a little bit of homework.

0% on cash purchase cards allow you to make cash purchases and then pay back the cost of the items over a number of months, interest-free. This means that you can pay for your family holiday on the card and then pay it off in the months ahead with no additional interest charges. The length of the 0% offer can be from 3 to 15 months, depending on the card supplier. So if you buy a television for £600 pounds, with a 6 month offer period, you could pay the total off, interest-free, at £100 a month. However, you need to budget carefully with this type of card. If you fail to pay off the full amount of the purchase within the offer period, you will be charged interest on the remaining amount.

In 2006 £133.2 billion was spent on credit cards in the UK and this amount keeps rising every year. If you are one of the many people who spend regularly on credit cards, and haven't kept up with the payments quite as well as you had hoped, then you will be able to see how this type of card can help you financially. It gives you a chance to halt interest charges completely and pay off your debt, rather than just paying off a small amount of the original balance and a large amount in interest payments each month. If you are one of the people barely making your minimum payments each month, this could make a big difference to your finances.

Common practice has been for many people to transfer their balances and then transfer again at the end of the offer period. For example, if you transferred £3000 and then only paid off £100 per month, after 12 months you would have only paid off £1200 before interest charges started on the remaining balance. However, you could then transfer the remaining £1800 onto another 0% balance transfer card and repeat the process again. To stop people doing this, credit card companies introduced a balance transfer fee, usually around 3%. If you transfer £3000 you will be charged an additional £90 for the privilege of ;Card hopping'.

Perhaps you want something special but are one of these people who find it impossible to save. If so, you could consider making the purchase with a 0% on purchases card. These cards can also come in handy if something unexpected happens and you need to buy something urgently; perhaps your washing machine has blown up or your car needs essential work. The advantage of a 0% on purchases offer is you can make the purchase when you need it most, and spread the cost over several months, with no additional interest charges.

Both types of 0% cards have their uses and both can help financially in different walks of life. As with all credit cards, 0% credit cards can be applied for online. When applying for a new card you will need to take a long, hard look at your credit rating. Your credit rating is a record of credit information held by the three credit referencing agencies. It is this record that financial companies use when deciding to offer you credit and determines whether you will be accepted as a customer. To compare credit cards you can always visit a price comparison site that lists all of the major companies and other less well-known cards in an easy to use format. Once you have done this you can simply apply for the card.

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