Winning The Credit Game!

Everywhere we go, the word credit can be found, shining huge dollar signs in front of our very eyes. Everyday we receive solicitation and promotions offering us credit. Credit actually makes the financial world go round, yet just the mere mention of the word can make many people very nervous. So why does credit get such a bad reputation?

It's been my experience that credit falls into the same category as politics and religion. People have very strong opinions about Credit. It has been around since the beginning of mankind. People would borrow either goods or services, to be repaid at a later date with interest. There's nothing wrong with that. And like anything else, it can be used, or abused.

There are programs that allow you to borrow from your IRA, or you can borrow from the equity that had built up in your home. Credit card companies often offer promotions to borrow money at a lowered rate of interest for a predetermined period. It's all good news for the consumer. One of the simplest ways to borrow money to use a Credit Card. The choices available are plentiful, with a variety of interest charges, annual fees, loyalty programs, and reward systems.

Many companies offer 6 months no interest credit. This is often an excellent way of saving money as you are basically given an interest free loan for those months. It's even more valuable if you are able to transfer some of the card debt from a different company into the interest free loan. The best advice is to make sure you always have the money in the bank, or in a savings account, to pay off your card when you are taking advantage of the interest free promotion.

That way you benefit from earning interest on your savings at your bank, but as soon as the interest free credit period has ended, you can pay the entire bill off without being hit for high interest charges. If you intend to pay off you credit card bill at the end of every month, there are many benefit programs and reward packages available.

You can receive award points every time you make a purchase with that card. These points can be redeemed in cash or discounts, and can even be used for the purchase of airline miles, etc. Some companies offer a consumer guarantee protection on items purchased with the card, and many will extend the warranties on those items. Many offer discounts such as car rentals, travel insurance, accidental damage insurance for any products you buy.

Also some companies charge an annual fee for using their card (especially business credit card accounts), so these should be considered against the cards benefits. If you are not paying off your monthly credit card bills, look for a card that offers a low interest. If you are paying off your monthly credit card bills, look for additional card benefits. Interest free credit periods are good news for saving money. Credit Cards are an effective, and easy way to borrow money for a short time. Be wise and prudent when deciding to use credit. The bottom line is the credit card companies want your business, and there is a credit card out there that can meet everyone's needs.

The author has been on both sides of the "credit" table. Through her experience she has been able to teach thousands of people about how to use credit responsibly.

Cecily Backstrom is passionate about credit and is the webmaster of Rapidly Moving Credit

Latest News


Sify

Credit Suisse plans 5300 job cuts after $2.5 bln loss
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
By Simon Kennedy, MarketWatch LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Credit Suisse said Thursday that it will cut roughly 5300, or 11%, of its jobs after posting a loss of ...
Credit Suisse Cuts 5300 Jobs New York Times
Credit Suisse to Eliminate 5300 Jobs After Losses This Quarter Bloomberg
Credit Suisse to cut 5300 jobs Bizjournals.com
CNN International - The Associated Press
all 765 news articles

Hürriyet

Investment-Grade Credit Risk Index Rises to Record in Europe
Bloomberg - 5 hours ago
Credit-default swaps on the Markit iTraxx Europe index of 125 companies with investment-grade ratings climbed as much as 7 basis points, and was 5 higher at ...
Credit-default swaps soar Hürriyet
Credit insurance costs soar to new high Financial Times
RLPC-European secondary loan prices slide to fresh lows Reuters
Bloomberg - Bloomberg
all 39 news articles

Washington Times

SEC Approves New Credit-Rating Rules
Wall Street Journal - Dec 3, 2008
"The big three credit-rating firms have failed investors' and played a significant role in the current financial meltdown, said SEC Commissioner Kathleen ...
SEC strengthens credit rating agency rules Reuters
SEC adopts new rules for credit-rating agencies The Associated Press
US SEC strengthens credit rating agency rules guardian.co.uk
CCH Wall Street - BNET
all 181 news articles

Avnet, Inc. to Present at Credit Suisse 2008 Annual Technology ...
MarketWatch - 5 hours ago
chairman and chief executive officer Roy Vallee will present at Credit Suisse's 2008 Annual Technology Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona this morning at ...
Microchip Technology to Present at the Credit Suisse Annual ... WELT ONLINE
Brooks Automation to Present At the Credit Suisse Annual ... MarketWatch
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OpenClose, MeridianLink Partner to Provide Complete Credit ...
MarketWatch - 5 hours ago
MeridianLink and OpenClose will enable brokers and wholesale lenders to request and access credit information from any Internet connection and deliver ...

Bad Credit on the Rise: 110 Million Americans Now Affected ...
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec 04, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The number of consumers with bad credit has risen sharply since 2007, with more than 110 million in the US ...

Williams-Sonoma amends its credit agreement
CNNMoney.com - 5 hours ago
NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Home-decor retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. said Thursday it amended a credit agreement and a commercial letter of credit ...

Nonbank Firms Like Avis Seek to Broaden US Relief on Credit
Wall Street Journal - 13 hours ago
By JESSICA HOLZER WASHINGTON -- Commercial and industrial companies are clamoring for more federal action to unlock credit markets, saying that moves to ...
Fed extends key credit programs through April 30 The Associated Press
Fed lengthens lives of key credit programs Houston Chronicle
Business Highlights Forbes
Wall Street Journal
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Photronics Amends $155 Million Revolving Credit Agreement and ...
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
Under the amendment, the Company has through December 12, 2008 to finalize revised terms and conditions of the credit agreement. The Company also announced ...

Egypt's EDB Bank gets $20 mln credit line
Reuters - 4 hours ago
CAIRO, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi's Arab Trade Financing Programme has extended a $20 million line of credit to Egypt's Export Development Bank EXPA. ...

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