| |
| |
|
Credit Information |
|
|
|
Read and Understand Your Credit Card Statement
Have you ever looked at your credit card statement and ended up just scratching your head in frustration? Well join the club! But don't take any comfort in the fact that you have plenty of company, because lack of knowledge can cost you?.right on your credit report, and once there can stay with you a while. Adding to the challenge is that almost every creditor's statement is slightly different, varying in format and billing cycle and interest calculations. You first want to check what you purchased and what you borrowed, so make sure you save all your receipts to make sure you weren't charged for something you didn't buy or were double billed. Immediately dispute any discrepancies via phone and in writing. Next you'll want to verify the interest rates being applied for each type of purchase. Remember, cash advances almost always carry a higher interest than normal purchases and interest usually accrues from the date you received the money. Also, if you have any balance transfers with introductory interest rates, verify that it is correctly noted and hasn't been increased prematurely. Review how your interest is calculated (this information is usually on the back of your statement) and make sure that the right rate has been used for each category. On purchases, most cards take your average daily balance over the billing cycle and divide it by one-twelfth of your annual percentage rate (APR). Lastly, but maybe most importantly, make sure you send your payment in well before the due date. In order to have your payment credited on time to avoid a late fee, it must be posted by the due date shown on the statement. Therefore, if paying by mail, it is advisable to mail your payment at least a week in advance. For those whose cash flow doesn't allow an early remittance, paying by phone or on-line might be a good alternative. The Credit Counseling Foundation, Inc provides web-based education and personalized consumer credit counseling to clients and the general public in an effort to help consumers use credit wisely. Visit target="_new" us at www.godebtfree.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Hitchhiker's Guide To Insanity A new sickness is plaguing the UK called Denial. Denial has resulted in a national personal debt of almost £1. 7 Ways To Squash Identity Theft It is the scourge of our age: identity theft. Thieves learn an important part about your personal information, such as your credit card number, and they open accounts in your name and spend, spend, spend! Unfortunately, by the time you discover that you are a victim the damage is already done. Credit Problems? Heres How to Manage Your Creditors If you find that creditors are calling you almost daily or that one of more of your bills has been turned over to a collection agency, you should know how to manage your debts.First, prioritize then or rank them in terms of the ones that can give you the most trouble the soonest. New Credit Scoring Model Could Help Millions Mark and Beth, a young married couple in their twenties, established a goal to buy a home within the first three years of their marriage before starting a family. They budgeted and used their money wisely in order to save for the down payment. Secured Credit Cards- Consumer Tips Whether you have no credit or damaged credit, secured credit cards are a good tool for building a good credit history.Several months ago Tom, a member of CreditBoards. Avoiding Credit Card Traps The next time you open your credit card statement, take a closer look at the small insert titled "changes to your credit card agreement". You know the one I'm speaking about. The Things That UK Lenders Like to See on Your Credit File, (and? What They Don't Like to See!) Lenders are quite fussy about what they like to see on your credit report. So much so that you will have a hard time to meet their high expectations. Harassment of People in Debt by Creditors HarassmentHarassment of people in debt by creditors or their agents is a criminal offence under the Administration of Justice Act 1970. It is often difficult to know what to do when you feel a creditor is not dealing with your account fairly. Credit Report - Look Out for Your Debit Report, Too Most consumers are aware that there are companies that keep track of their personal financial transactions - installment loans, mortgages, credit card accounts, bankruptcies and judgements. These items are assembled by the three main credit bureaus into a credit report, which is available upon request by lenders, employers and anyone else with whom a consumer might do business. It Takes Credit To Build Credit Using a credit card wisely is an important step in building a good credit rating. If you're trying to re-build your credit or if you're young and just starting out, pay close attention the next time you receive a new card offer in the mail. How To Read Your Credit Report The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, signed into law on Dec. 4, 2003, gives every American the right to a free credit report every year from each of the three major credit bureaus -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Credit Cards Can Help You Get Out Of Debt Your credit rating / credit score is based upon how you have dealt with credit previously.If you have always paid the full amount owing and never missed a payment then your credit score will be high. How To Use Your Credit Card For Ultimate Financial Advantage Using a credit card wisely is an important step in building a great credit rating. If you're trying to re-build your credit or if you're young and just starting out, pay close attention the next time you receive a new card offer in the mail or online. Identity Theft - How to Protect Yourself "Like the tan? I got tons of sun on that Caribbean cruise. First class tickets to Florida and back! Nope, not an airline upgrade. Save Money and Lower your Payments by Improving or Repairing Your Credit Having a better credit score not only represents easier access to money from lending institutions, but more importantly represents instant money in your pocket.This probably sounds like something obvious for most of people, but it isn't until you start thinking in terms of real examples and real dollars that most of us start to understand the magnitude of the benefits associated with a good credit score. Dont Fall for Credit Repair Scams We've all seen the ads on television or in magazines, shouting, "Erase bad debt!" or "Remove negative entries from your credit report!" If you're a person suffering from a less-than-stellar credit rating, those headlines may seem like the answer to a prayer.The only problems is, those programs don't work, and to add insult to injury, you'll find yourself paying hefty fees to those companies, only to end up right where you started, or worse. Trade Credit: How to Determine if You Should Offer Net-30 Terms to Your Customers What is trade credit?One of the major differences between consumer and commercial transactions is that most, if not all, consumer transactions are paid in cash or by credit card at the time of sale. Because of this, most consumer businesses never have to worry about extending credit to a customer and can run their operations on an "all cash" basis. How Healthy Is Your Credit There's only one way to discover the "health"of your credit. You need to examine your credit report. Credit Report - How to Improve Your Credit Score One of the great mysteries of life is how the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union) score credit. They all have secret statistical formulas for determining your credit score, but they are unwilling to divulge exactly what, exactly, constitutes your score. Credit Cards - The Basics How Lenders Operate - And How They'll Make a Tidy Fortune from the UnknowingCredit card companies might seem like immensely clever, money making enterprises that exploit every loophole to maximize the interest payments - and profits - they are taking from you every month. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth.
|
| Home | Site Map | |
| © 2007 |
