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Today, the most common root of debt management problems among people is through credit cards. This is because many people that use this form of credit do not really know how to use and handle their resources properly.
If truth to be told, there is really nothing wrong in using credit card for as long as people know how to manage their debt properly. For people to do this, knowing and memorizing the hidden dangers of credit cards is a must. This is to ensure that they understand fully how their credit cards work and to help them spend their money wisely.
Unveiling hidden dangers
Since credit card is synonymous to business, it is often seen as a double-edged sword especially for the one who cannot seem to iron out their financial status without it. Having insufficient knowledge about its advantages and disadvantages, many people are becoming ill-informed about its portent pitfalls.
While using credit cards gives the promise of extreme convenience, there are monsters that hide behind these promised conveniences. Unless people who plan to have it or those who already have it exert effort to understand all the benefits of using the card responsibly, then that will only be the time that they will not victimized by these hidden dangers.
1. Huge pile of excessive debt in continuous usage. Unwise charges, late fees, and compounding interest, can definitely drown you into swirling depths of financial trouble. For you to have effective debt management while using credit cards, it a must to keep a keen eye on little details and pay off outstanding balances and credit obligations within the given time frame.
2. The so-called “universal default penalties”. Many lenders and credit card companies are able to make money out of everything that people fail or tend not to do. If you don’t want to have debt management while using your credit card, make sure that you don’t forget to pay the given monthly dues so the companies will not use these instances to increase their interest rates because you didn’t pay your dues on time.
3. The “masked” interest rates. More often than not, many credit card companies do not reveal the exact interest their customers have to pay entirely. They do this when they offer relatively low introductory rates. To ensure that you will not have problems in managing your debt, make sure that you always monitor your period of usage and keep an eye when there are dramatic increase of rates without your full approval.
4. Late payment fees. These are considered as one of the “ghastly facets” of paying for credit card dues. You already know that credit card companies charge numerous fees so you don’t have to be surprised if there are additional charges in your bill. To avoid paying so much for not settling your account on time, make sure that you pay on time because aside from triggering higher interest rates, late payment fees also play a big factor why credit card companies decide raise your interest rates higher.
5. Over-limit fees. Many people who are using credit cards are having debt management problems because the companies themselves don’t give simple considerations. Although many credit cards are still accepted even after the holder has maxed out his or her credit limit, the companies make sure that they will get back at through huge charge on over-limit fees.
How can low APR credit card eases debt management problems
Indeed, if a credit card is used properly, it can be a powerful financial tool and an effective means of debt management as well. But not everybody can afford all the expensive rates of most credit card issuers offer. This is where the low Annual Percentage Rate (APR) credit card ushers in—to help people who plan to maintain a balance on their account and not to pay the full amount monthly.
Maximizing the potentials
To help people develop good debt management strategies, more and more companies offer low APR credit cards so people in shoestring budget can avail of its benefits.
In financial terms, APR is the cost of credit as a yearly interest rate. Users can use APR as a gauge when it comes to charges and can also be used to compare different credit and loan offers. The APR on credit cards is usually calculated monthly based on the current amount in the card. The monthly interest is calculated as if the current card balance would remain the same over a year; the interest on the amount over a year is worked out and divided by 12 to give the monthly interest. It is a must that all lenders tell the client what their APR is before signing any agreement.
Although the arrangements and terms may vary from lender to another, it is better for people to avail a low APR credit card because the lower the APR, the better the deal for them to spend more money in shopping around and in getting loans for specific projects such as house renovations and even putting up a small business.
Why opt a low APR credit card?
Low APR credit card is a good choice for people whom are into a tighter financial budgeting. It is also an ideal choice for people who are afraid of getting into debt management problems because these provides better options compared to other types of credit cards out there.
Being the most important attribute of a credit card, APR determines the significant balance over a longer period of time. In a low APR credit card, the amount of interest one must pay on his or her credit card balance depends on its APR because the lower the APR is, the better it is him or her because it means they have to pay less interest. APRs in a low APR credit card can either be “fixed” or “variable.”
If you are planning to have a low APR credit card, there are so many cards that offer low APRs that can be found online. These low APR credit cards are chosen using a factoring scheme that organized these cards by computing a number of their attributes to place the best deals at the top.
Some of the questions one have to ask when looking for a low APR credit card includes the charges—if they vary or a fixed rate; and if these charges are variable because it might affect the repayments and if these rate are fixed or will it stay the same.
If you are now seeking for a low APR credit card to avoid debt management problems, you may begin looking for a scheme that could help you save hundreds in interest with a low interest credit card and low cost processing.