Credit Cards Online Information

In case you didn't know, there is another bubble, growing massively in this country, getting ready to burst. Revolving consumer credit card debt continues to grow each month, finally breaking the $900 Billion dollar mark for the first time last June. The Federal Reserve reports that this year, Americans have piled on $39 Billion in new credit card debt. We refer to the looming crisis as the credit card tsunami. You better batten down the hatches!

For the month of August 2007, USA, consumers added another $6.2 Billion in new debt, on top of the $5.6 Billion they racked up in July. Overall, including everything except mortgages, Americans owe almost $ 2.5 TRILLION DOLLARS in debt! Now that the mortgage game is over, and all that easy money has been made, the next big thing the banks will milk for maximum growth and profits are credit cards. Fees and penalties have been steadily increasing for years, as have average interest rates. Last year, the banks made over $100 Billion in interest & another $50 Billion in Fees & Penalties; these guys are not your friends.

Many people, who are being squeezed by the bursting housing bubble, are increasingly relying on their credit cards to live. Since the spigot to the home equity money has run dry, and their lifestyles are not changing, or circumstances like lost jobs or medical hardships cause them to continue to rely on credit cards, there is no end in sight to how much additional debt John Q. Public will take on. At some point, the dam has to burst, and a lot of people are going to drown.

Who knows how many people lived beyond their means during the last few years, extracting the temporary wealth in their real estate, only to spend it on luxuries like vacations, and lavish weddings in Tuscany? How many people transferred unsecured, credit card debt to their real estate, only to risk it to foreclosure if they miss a few payments? How about the people who thought the value of an already overpriced home would continue to increase, and took out teaser rate mortgages, hoping to refinance with the profit in a couple years, and are now stuck with a mortgage that has doubled, and no way to pay for it?

Now that the game is over, those people are turning to their credit cards to survive. People who were "hooked" by teaser rate mortgages, now find themselves unable to pay the "real" mortgage payment. Many are going into default on the mortgage, and keeping current on the credit cards. Some are using them like an ATM, maxing them out to their limit, as well as constantly applying for the barrage of new cards that grace their mailbox.

They are living in a fantasy land if they think the missed mortgage payments won't hurt their credit. Give it a month or three, and when the credit cards see that you are missing mortgage payments, they jack up your interest rates to 25%+ and then you are, excuse my French, "screwed." Most of your payment will be wasted on interest, and it could take 10-100 years to pay the debt off.

The card companies know people will do anything to stay current on cards, and that people need cash. Requirements to get a credit card are at there lowest in 10 years according to a Fed survey; if you have a pulse, you can get a credit card. They even give credit cards to peoples pets.

The junk mail credit card solicitations that grace your mailbox are driven to the post office in semi-trucks on pallets, and they are unloaded with forklifts. While the mailers are actually less than what was mailed out at their peak in 2005, the percentage of people responding to, and being accepted by the credit card companies, has risen steadily and has actually increased three times since 2005!

All this is a result of the shut down in taking equity out of your overpriced home. It was never sustainable, and I feel sorry for the people who bought at the peak, paying $600,000 plus for a 40 year old home that was not worth 1⁄4 of that price. To think the bubble could keep getting bigger and the median price of a home exceeded the ability of the average person to buy one, it was only a matter of time before something had to give, and it has.

Now, I talk to people all day long who are taking cash advances from credit cards to live on, or pay their mortgages; that will end at some point.

The credit card bubble will be the next one to burst. If your credit card debt is out of control, you have to do something. Through the process of debt settlement, there are ways to settle with the creditors for less than what you owe, within 3-4 years, that will leave you in a position to get new credit after it is over. Read our free report on Debt Settlement to see if it's an option for you.

Zero interest credit cards are probably the most under-utilized way to get on one's financial feet. There's plenty of advice available on using lower interest debt consolidation loans to consolidate credit debt and reduce monthly payments. However, very rarely do we hear the suggestion that we can get away with paying no interest at all unless someone is trying to sell us furniture on a buy now and pay later basis. Yet, special zero rate credit card offers provide a fantastic way to significantly reduce monthly expenditure on credit cards as well as to get out of debt sooner.

You don't have to be a materialistic, greedy individual to find yourself overspending on credit cards. So many things can go wrong in this high cost society that can increase our credit card debt. Serious illness, emergency repairs and job loss are just a few common situations that can cause our credit card balances to soar. Most of us hope that things will get better and we will be able to catch up later, unfortunately the higher our credit card balances, the higher our monthly payments. This increasing monthly cost can keep us poor and make it difficult for us to ever get back on our feet. The largest part of our monthly credit card payments are interest charges. Therefore, it only makes sense to reduce our interest costs as much as possible and you can't get lower than zero interest. By simply transferring your credit card balances to one of the many available zero interest credit cards you will be able to save your interest charges for a given, introductory period of time.

There so many introductory credit cards available that it can be difficult to sort through them and choose the best one for your needs. It is important to choose an offer with low balance transfer fees and a long introductory period during which you do not have to pay any interest at all. The easiest way to find zero interest credit cards is to use a professional online credit card service which has already done a lot of the hard work for you by finding the best deals. These sites not only give you a number of cards to choose from, they also offer online applications to make things convenient and easy.

However, to truly make the most of zero interest credit cards, you can keep transferring the balance to new zero rate offers before the end of each introductory period. If you do this, you will never pay interest. Unfortunately, with the best will in the world, life tends to take over and we can easily forget to transfer the balance before interest payments kick in. Some of the more excellent online credit card services also offer a reminder service to let you know when your interest free period is due to expire so that you can apply to transfer your balance to a new interest free credit card offer.

Used in this way, zero interest credit cards can substantially improve your financial position. By taking advantage of professional, online services that also offer an alert to remind you when to transfer your credit card balance again you can take long term advantage of interest free credit card offers. Do this, and you'll never look back.

With over 50 million cardholders, Discover is one of the top credit card companies in the United States. After making its debut in 1985 as a division of Sears, the Discover Card quickly grew in popularity among consumers. And it’s easy to understand why: Discover offered benefits such as the “Cashback” program, which allowed cardholders to earn money for using their card. This rewards program and others offered through Discover have continued to improve over the years. Here are three popular Discover cards on the market today.

Discover Platinum Card

If you’re looking for a card with cash back benefits, the Discover Platinum Card may be a perfect fit. This card offers a 5% rebate for items purchased at participating locations, including restaurants, gas stations and clothing stores. You can also earn up to 1% cash back on general purchases.

Besides the cash back rewards, the Discover Platinum Card offers a 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first year. If you have a sizable balance on your current card, transferring it to the Discover Platinum Card could be a smart move. You’ll be able to pay off the balance over a few months and stay interest free. You’ll also get to choose from over 150 card designs and will not have to pay an annual fee.

Discover Gas Card

If you spend hours on the road each week, the Discover Gas Card may be the right card for you. Through its rewards plan, you can reduce your gas budget. The Discover Gas Card offers 5% cash back on gas and auto maintenance purchases. You can earn up to 1% cash back on all other purchases. The card also includes a 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for twelve months and no annual fee.

Discover Miles Card

If you’re searching for a credit card with great travel benefits, the Discover Miles Card is one of the best. Every month that you make a purchase during the first year you will receive 1,000 bonus miles. This can add up to 12,000 bonus miles in a year! That’s a great reward for using your card each month.

With the Discover Miles credit card, you will earn one mile for each dollar that you spend. You can then trade in the miles for airline tickets. There are no blackout dates for plane tickets. This, plus the additional benefit of no annual fee, sets the Discover Miles Card above other travel cards. Start off with a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers and then enjoy the travel rewards.

Keep in mind that these cards are usually available for those with good to excellent credit. If you have poor credit, you will want to look into a different card option. However, if your credit history is good, you can make the most out of your Discover Card options.

Starting with the cash back program, Discover has consistently offered high bonuses for using their card. If you have good credit and want a card with excellent benefits, a Discover Card is what you need. Apply today and let the rewards come piling your way.

Hundreds of people each year are victims of fraud, and many of these relate to their credit cards. There are many ways for identity thieves to obtain your credit card details but likewise, there are many ways to avoid them.

Because cards can be used at cash machines, always be vigilant when using them. If you notice anything unusual about the machine itself, don't use it, but instead go into the bank and report it. If anyone suspicious is hanging around the machine, go elsewhere. When entering your PIN number, shield the keypad with your body and other hand.

Writing your PIN down is one of the most foolish things to do, so memorise it and destroy the document it came with. Then change it to something else as soon as possible. It's also a good idea to change the PIN for your credit cards regularly anyway, as some thieves will watch you for a number of weeks before seizing an opportunity to get your card.

When using credit cards online, look for the 'secure server' icon (normally a small padlock in the bottom right hand corner of your browser) which will indicate your card details are fully encrypted when sent. If a site does not have this, or the address doesn't start with "https", don't use it.

Try not to let your credit cards out of your site, especially when abroad or paying in restaurants. Most places will be legitimate, but it only takes one unscrupulous waiter to walk away with and copy your card and you're a victim of identity theft.

If you move house, ensure you get all your mail redirected as this is a great way for thieves to access your valuable information and use it for fraudulent purposes. Always destroy any personal documents by either shredding or ripping up into tiny pieces so anyone nosing through your rubbish bin can't get anything useful.

Lastly, never tell anyone your PIN number, especially if you receive an email or phone call asking you to do so. A reputable bank would never ask for your PIN. If you're in doubt, phone the company in question and verify any queries with them.

If you are trying to learn how to get out of credit card debt then you are no different then millions of other people who find themselves in the same financial straights as you. Unfortunately the only way you can take back control of your finances is to deal with this debt head on. But if you stop and think about how much better things would be without that debt you will see why this needs all your attention.

The first thing you will need to do is find out just how much credit card debt you actually have. If you are like most people facing this problem you have probably looked at your monthly statements as they come in and then tried to pay the minimum balance which isn't making much of a dent in those balances.

Step one is to gather up all your most current statements for this month and make a quick credit card debt spreadsheet. It doesn't need to be a fancy spreadsheet, just use a pencils and a piece of paper. On the left hand side of your paper write a column of all the names of the credit cards you have. In subsequent columns write down the balance owed for each, the monthly minimum payment, the monthly interest paid, and the interest rate being paid. Now add up the balance column, the minimum payment column, and the interest paid column and write down each number at the bottom. This will show you exactly how much you owe, how much you are sending out each month in payments, and how much you are paying these companies in interest.

These totals may be scary to look at but it's something that needs to be done if you are to ever get out of the financial mess these credit cards have caused. Think about what you could do with that money if it wasn't just walking out your door every month. That interest you are paying could be interest being paid to you if it was being invested in some sort of saving or retirement account. It should make you mad and give you the motivation to do something about it.

The second step to paying off your high credit card balances is coming up with a plan that works. There is several ways to do this but if seeing quick results and staying motivated is on your list of wants then the "Debt Snowball" is the method for you.

The term "Debt Snowball" was first coined by Dave Ramsey and is a process by which you pay off your smallest debts first as you work your way up the ladder to your targets debts. To get started use your debt spreadsheet as a reference and on another piece of paper rearrange your debts listing them from the top (smallest) to the bottom (largest). While paying the minimums on all your other cards send whatever extra money your budget can allow to that smallest balance at the top of you list. Once that's paid off roll that minimum payment and any extra money into the next smallest debt and keep working your way down the list. By the time you get to the bottom you should be able to throw a rather large chunk of money at that last debt and pay it off in short order.

The third step to becoming debt free is finding extra money to throw at those bills. You need to be in attack mode when it comes to your debts. Get a part time job delivering pizza or newspapers, have a garage sale and get rid of all that stuff that's been collecting dust around your house, or sale that stuff on eBay. Do whatever it takes to bring in extra cash and watch that debt disappear that much faster. Look at your spreadsheet and picture what an extra $1,000 a month would do.

There is one last thing you have to do if you want to know how to get out of credit card debt; you have to stick with your plan. When you first start out it will take some time to get some momentum going. There will be setbacks that you will have to work through but if you keep your eye on that debt free prize your hard work and perseverance will pay off.

There are innumerable people today who are burdened with credit card and other debts and do not know how to go about making their payments. However, there are various options available to them such as debt consolidation for card, loans etc. The program helps by letting you transfer the total liability of your credit and other cards to another card which offers you not only a lower rate of interest but also just one low monthly payment. There are a few consolidating companies that not only allow the special consolidations with low rates, they also offer such transfers at 0% interest over a specific period of time. At times the consolidating companies offer such lucrative incentives so that people simply try their card.

There are also some non-profit groups, which help you by renegotiating with the creditors, thereby lowering the interest rate considerably. Another way to consolidate your arrears is to ask your friends and family to help you out of the situation. This way you not only get the necessary funds but also don't need to pay any interest. However in this case you must ensure that all the details of your agreement are written down in black and white. This is to ensure that there are no misunderstandings at a later date.

Hassle Free Payments

One of the major reasons for you to opt for consumer debit consolidation is the hassle free payment that you need to make with it. This happens as instead of making payments to a number of different card companies you make payment to only the credit card debt consolidation company.

Various Monetary Benefits

These companies would provide you with a negotiator, who will chalk out a low monthly program with your creditors for you. This would not only address your financial problems but would also get you relief from high-interest loans. This would actually mean that you can save lots of your money on interest (by exchanging an 18% card arrears for an 8% home equity loan).

It is only through the help of companies that you can put a brake on the spiraling interest of your card debts. Pave a way for your debit free future, start now.

More and more people are applying for credit cards online. With the plethora of different means for which you can apply for your desired card, companies really try to make it easy for you to apply for their credit card. Along with online auctions, and shopping, signing up for credit cards, loans and insurance has been one of the fastest growing commercial activities on the net. Part of the reason is the speed and convenience of doing so. Another part of the reason is that you can find out the offers of a huge number of providers all at one place and judge which is the best very easily.

Applying for credit cards online can be an extremely simple process. Most credit card providers have websites that give you all of the necessary information to make your decision. If you are looking for a credit card, all you need do is visit their site and judge for yourself if the terms are acceptable. You have access to a huge number of card providers online so if you want to shop around it couldn’t be easier. There are even websites that specialise in comparing different rates and different categories of card which make your selection process even easier. For example, if you want a credit card that provides a good balance transfer rate, then you can search these specific cards. Or if you want a card that has a good reward scheme, low interest rates on purchases, or any other speciality, then it will all be there at your finger tips.

Once you have decided on a card, click the link to the card providers website or application form and fill in your details. You will be asked for all your personal details, and usually that is all. The rest of the information, the card providers can access themselves through your credit report. They will take your application and review it and do a credit check. If they are satisfied that you are a good risk, they will accept your application. While this is all done in the same way as any other form of credit application, because it is online it is secure, and also a lot faster. You do not have to wait for the application to get to them in the post and it is a lot more difficult for would be fraudsters to intercept the information.

Once the card provider has accepted your application, they will mail out the necessary documents which you should read, sign and return. Within a week, they can have sent you your card, and your pin in two separate letters and the process is complete; you have just been accepted for a new credit card.

There are some rules to credit card use that you should also be aware of, determined by the type of card that you have. Normally 0% balance transfer credit cards when you are transferring balances have the basic rule of not spending on the card – anything that you spend will accumulate interest, while you continue to pay the transferred balance. In effect, negating the point of the 0% transfer.

Is your credit card information at risk when you visit your local retailer? We all would like to believe that our local retailer or favorite restaurant is keeping your personal and credit/debit card information secure and out of the hands of those who want to commit fraud against many honest people doing business today. This is what I thought once I received my Visa bill one month to see $1,500.00 of liquor purchases and pizzas on my monthly statement. I was a victim of Credit Card fraud.

According to a number of industry experts, smaller business and retailers are not taking the required steps to ensure that the credit and debit card purchases made by their patrons are secure. Even today, credit card information is still being stored on local computer systems that are not protected or up to date. Many small businesses are failing to protect their networks with firewall solutions that can protect retailers from trojans and other malicious code from being installed on systems because of inappropriate web surfing being allowed in smaller retailers or attempts at stealing information via wireless connections or over the Internet.

Until recently, the payment card industry’s training was not up to par to educate small business merchants in what it took to ensure their transaction information was occurring in a secure manner. As of the end of July 2007, Visa USA has started to require that some 250 or so credit card processors begin to share their plans to ensure that all credit card transactions happen in a secure manner.

In May of this year, the State of Minnesota passed the Plastic Card Security Act. The act clearly states that any business that wishes to do business in Minnesota must comply with the regulations around storing credit card information. The law took effect in August and holds the business owner and business liable for the costs associated with breaches or fraudulent transactions.

Why does credit card still occur in today’s world?

•Lack of knowledge – Many small business owners, retailers and restaurant owners are busy in their day to day businesses (working in their business and not on their business) and not up to speed with the current regulations to secure their patrons information from unauthorized use.

•Out of date systems – Many smaller based businesses do not have the resources to keep their computer systems up to date to ensure that credit card numbers are not stored on systems or they run older versions of software that does not offer the encryption needed when processing credit or debit transactions.

•Lack of perimeter security – I have seen this many times in small business, they fail to secure their systems with a robust and scalable firewall solution. They usually plug their Internet connection right into the back of their computer and do not employ a proper firewall solution or they purchase a router from their local office supply store that has no unified threat management security built into these devices. Firewalls such as the SonicWALL TZ180 will ensure that restaurants, retailers and small business are secure from threats on the Internet today, protect from network intrusions, spyware and virus attacks and inappropriate Internet use.

•Open wireless – Hackers can easily get into your system through an open wireless connection in a matter of seconds, they can connect, get the information they need and disconnect before you even realize that something has happened. This information is then openly sold on the Internet. Is your Wireless network secured with the best security encryption and mechanisms to ensure your customers’ information is secure?

What can your business do?

•Invest in a technology audit – An evaluation of your computer network by a certified professional will easily show you areas of vulnerabilities within your computer network and Internet/Wireless security. An audit when completed successfully will list all areas that require attention with recommendations to get you on the road towards compliance.

•Hire the best IT support – Once your evaluation is completed, having a trusted IT partner and advisor will ensure that your business systems stay up to date. This will ensure that you are protected from newly identified security threats that exist on the Internet and how these issues may affect your business systems. Hiring a Microsoft Small Business Specialist and SonicWALL Gold Partner will ensure that your network is properly cared for.

•Upgrade systems and software – It may become necessary to update your computer systems and your software to the versions that address the requirements laid out by the credit card and financial institutions. The latest versions of Windows and Microsoft Office are available and offer update security systems to protect your business.

•Learn more about PCI DSS – What is PCI DSS? PCI Data Security Standards ensure that your customer’s information is stored securely and that transactions occur in a secured manner. It is critically important that you invest the time to learn how the rules and requirements detailed in Payment Card Infrastructure compliance. Ignorance of the upcoming and current changes may just be the beginning of your challenges. On top of the investments needed once a breach has occurred many businesses may also have fines related to due diligence not being done in your business.

Many small business, restaurants and retail owners are not computer people, running out to the local computer or office supply store and investing in a low cost router is not enough to secure your business. It is a must to have a small business specialist and security professional that can recommend the right solution for you. Unified Threat Management firewalls can protect your business in the manner that will ensure your customer’s payment card information is secured the threats on the Internet, secured from hacking attempts and other business threats that are introduced when an employee uses the Internet or your systems for inappropriate use.

Also a computer support company that can take the hassle of technology off your plate with a structured maintenance plan that consists of monitoring your network, managing your systems and proactive support may just save your business from the loss of creditability associated with a breach or the hefty fines that may occur when a breach occurs on your network.

Zero interest credit cards are available on an introductory basis in order to win your business. Given that the high costs of credit can painfully restrict your opportunities because your money is not available for things that matter to you, surely it would pay to take advantage of these types of offers. The best balance transfer credit cards have the lowest balance transfer costs, the lowest fees and penalties, and the lowest introductory rate (zero is preferred) for the longest introductory period. What's more, once you have transferred your balance and enjoyed a long period of relief from interest, you don't have to settle for paying interest again. That's right. When your interest free period is about to expire you can transfer your balance yet again to another special rate introductory credit card and continue to enjoy the benefits of paying no interest.

Finding the best balance transfer credit cards can take a lot of time and mental energy, even with the plethora of findings on the internet. The quickest and easiest way to locate the best offers is to use the services of an online credit card transfer website. These sites have already done most of the work for you and have chosen what they believe to be the most valuable balance transfer deals available. Of course, they won't make the final choice for you so you will have to carefully read the terms and conditions of the cards on their sites. However, this is nowhere nearly as onerous as starting from scratch. Once you have evaluated the best balance transfer credit cards and decided on one, most of these sites also offer online applications to make things easier still.

A few of the best balance transfer credit cards websites also offer a reminder service to alert customers when their interest free period is about to expire. This service is enormously beneficial to people who have decided that they want to transfer their balance to another zero interest card before interest charges kick in. Even though you may intend to take advantage of another introductory credit card offer, it is easy to let time get away from you and find yourself making high payments again before you know it. A reminder can warn you that you need to take action as a priority if you want to continue to receive the financial benefits of not having to pay credit card interest.

Whether or not you are struggling under the weight of credit card payments, if you are paying credit card interest at all, you are paying too much. For people who are stressed financially because of credit card debt, interest free offers can provide enormous financial relief. However, even if you can comfortably make your monthly payments, you could be using the money saved on interest to further improve your financial position, help someone else or in fact for anything you wish. Credit card interest savings give you more money in your pocket every month and you can use it however you wish. Online credit card transfer services make it so easy to find and apply for the best credit card transfer credit cards in the marketplace that you could find yourself in a much better financial position tomorrow, if you act today. The best balance transfer credit cards will allow you the freedom you seek.

The numbers of credit card users that are constantly finding themselves mired in debts that they cannot pay off are in the thousands, and though some are lucky to climb to the top of the mountain of their debt, others are often faced with having to declare bankruptcy to find salvation. However, they should realize that credit card debt help is out there for them and it is just around the corner if they only make an effort to find the numerous options available.

Accumulated Interest Rates

A typical credit card debt can easily mount, especially when you realize that there is a considerable amount of accumulated interest that is also added to your balances, and so you need to learn how to pay down debt and thus eliminate or reduce the burden of the outstanding debts. The first debt help step that you should try is to negotiate with your credit card company and ask for a lower rate of interest, and surprisingly there are many companies that will accommodate your request, especially if you have a long standing relationship with the company.

Another help solution is to also ask your credit card company to lower late fees levied on you, and here again, a number of these companies will accommodate your request, even going so far as to totally wipe off the late fees, especially if you promise to pay the minimum outstanding amount soon. In fact, another way of getting help is to request the company to extend the payment lines. Of course, some people are not good negotiators and for them the best course to seek credit card debt help is to avail of the services of a credit card relief company to negotiate on their behalf.

Nevertheless, before asking a credit card relief company makes sure to deal with only a reputable company, because there are many unscrupulous companies out there that you need to steer clear of. Do your research in this area.

In any case, the best form of help is to ensure that you use your credit cards safely and judiciously, and not make unnecessary credit purchases that will send your debts soaring and which are beyond your budget capabilities. Another solution that you can try is to open a fresh credit card account that carries with it a lower rate of interest, and though it sounds crazy, in fact, it is not, because you can use this new card to pay off your outstanding debts, and because it has lower interest rate, will enable you to pay off your debts in a shorter time period. Just make sure you don't get further into debt with the new credit line.