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0% Credit Card Balance Transfer, Is It Real?
Filed Under (Credit Card) by APR Credit Card on 19-03-2009
Tagged Under : 0% credit card balance, Credit Card, credit card balance
This modern era is also the golden age of credit cards. Many credit card companies are always bombarding you with emails especially if you do have a good credit card history.
One of the finest in advertising their service is the 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards. However, because of its very beautiful offer, many are actually asking their credibility. Are they real?
0% balance transfer credit cards are incredibly enticing, especially if you have outstanding credit card balances, that is, if you just look at their surface. But before you make any choices, it is always advisable to have a little kind of research and to understand everything first.
Seemingly broke and deeply in debt, some desperate card holders are constantly on the lookout for a quick fix for the credit problems. They are the kind of consumers seem to get in trouble overnight with credit cards. For them the perfect solution is to jump in a 0% credit card balance transfer. Without a further research and deep understanding, . Many among us desperately jump at such offers without much forethought. 0% deals on balance transfers or purchases might seem irresistible even to the most credit worthy person. A 0% credit card balance transfer will seem especially lucrative especially when you have a large outstanding card balance.
Proper caution and thorough investigation will actually lead you to the truth. You must consider all the aspect first and do the right thing. . Despite the obvious attractions of a balance transfer credit card, it is worth giving a second thought before you cut up your old credit card to make room in your wallet for the new one. Companies often fail to clarify the fine print, hiding those rather unpleasant details which could cost you dearly in the long run.
Here’s a very familiar scenario: Imagine having a $10,000 outstanding balance on a credit card with a 10% annual APR, translating to $1000 in finance charges on a yearly basis. On the other hand, imagine securing a credit card that offers you 0% on balance transfers for the first year of membership. Transferring your card balance to a 0% balance transfer offer would cut down your annual interest expense by $1000. Is it a very good deal? Let’s see.
Check what the interest rate would be after the introductory interest-free period. The rate might turn out to be significantly higher than your existing card, and you do not want to be caught on the wrong side of a high APR. Some consumers might be surprised to discover that when an introductory APR offer expires that the rate of interest can revert retroactively to an APR of 23% and beyond. If you do not pay off your balance systematically and end up with a large balance when the introductory offer expires, many times consumers are stuck paying out an outrageously high APR because they did not pay down their card balance at all. So above all, make sure to plan on paying off that balance before the introductory period expires or you may regret it. You will need to plan ahead – and not just a day or two before the interest-free period comes to an end. Remember that forewarned is forearmed.
A balance transfer card most certainly has its own pros and cons but if you wish to use balance transfers to your advantage, make sure that you understand the net benefits of the card over the long term. If your current credit card offers a better long-term ongoing APR than the new one, it makes more sense to stick with what you’ve got, especially if you have the means to pay off your card balance without incurring large finance charges.
Always check if the 0% balance transfer credit cards offers promise more than they deliver. Decide for yourself.






