Should You Close Old Credit Card Accounts?

Filed Under (Finance) by admin on 05-12-2011

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We’re bombarded on a daily basis by a UK media that frowns upon credit card debt, and that wags a finger in our faces at even the thought of using credit cards to spread the cost of goods or services we can’t quite afford.

It’s fair to say that there are cheaper ways of borrowing money, but few offer such an intoxicating mixture of flexibility, purchase protection and immediacy.

So if you have a collection of plastic in your wallet and you feel like giving yourself some personal pride points for slimming down your purse or wallet during the bleak, post recession austerity, maybe you should consider a private audit of your credit cards.

Do you really need them all? What are they costing you, and what affect are they having on your credit rating?

Its good practice anyway to review your credit card terms once every three to six months just because often card issuers will have made a promotional initial offer (like 0% on balance transfers for 6 months) to gain new business, but once the promotional period is over charges or interest rates may return to their higher normal rates. You maybe better off switching credit cards, or even closing some accounts. So how should you compare and rate your plastic?

Do:

* Consider closing unused or idle accounts. These accounts could be charging you unnecessary fees and are often targets for identity theft. Close the accounts with low overall benefits or with annual fees and higher interest rates first.

* Be aware that you can put the brakes on accounts that have a high interest rate and an outstanding balance. Ask your credit card issuer to close the account to new charges and then pay down the balance as quickly as you can. This is a good way to reduce overall costs. If you have to carry an outstanding balance, make sure it’s concentrated on the card with the lowest interest rate, or consider a new 0% balance transfer credit card, and then close the more expensive ones.

* Periodically check your credit reports online to see the status of your accounts. Look for wrong information on late payments, high balances and signs of identity theft. Your credit report reflects how lenders look at how financial responsible you are, make sure all the information there is accurate and up to date.

Don’t:

* Be careful closing your oldest credit card account, this may have an affect on your credit rating as card issuers and lenders like to see a long track record of borrowing within the cards terms and conditions.

* Don’t close several accounts all at once. Gradually paying down and closing accounts is the safest way forward if you’re unsure about the impact on your credit score or the amount of debt you need to carry. If you want to cancel several credit cards, space the closures over time reducing the chance of attracting negative attention from potential future lenders, say if you want to get a personal loan or mortgage.

* Its good to concentrate outstanding balances on cards with the lowest interest rates, but don’t overload any one or two cards. Your credit rating looks best if you’re using less than 50% of your available credit limits.

* Watch out for closure charges when comparing costs. It maybe that if you give notice to close the account on a certain date in relation to your last payment that you can avoid the charges.

* Continue to check your credit history online after closing any accounts to ensure that the information registered about the account is correct.

Understanding Loans for Beginners

Filed Under (Loans) by admin on 27-08-2011

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Countless people across the world are currently paying back one type of loan or another, but some of us are still in the dark about what a loan actually is. If you are a young student or an older professional who just has not ever had to take out a loan, you may have questions. There is no need to wonder for very long because here, we will explain to you the basics of loans and how they function.

Borrowing Money

The most basic way to understand a loan is that it is a financial agreement where one party is borrowing money from another and the party that is lending the money has an expectation of being paid back in full.

There are several differences between a loan you would take out from a bank and a situation in which your friend is “loaning” you money. The principle is the amount of the loan, but the bank can add on different sorts of charges as you pay them back. For instance, interest charges. Interest is basically when the lender charges you a percentage of the money each time you pay them, which can motivate you to pay them in less time so that you do not accrue even more interest.

More about Interest Rates

Some loans will have a fixed interest rate, which means that whatever the percentage is at the time where you get the loan, it will remain that way until you finish paying it off. Other loans do not have a fixed rate and the interest may fluctuate between lower and higher percentages.

How Past Credit History Comes into Play

One thing you will quickly find when you apply for a loan is that your past credit history becomes a big deal. The financial institution that is going to lend you money wants to know how successful you have been at paying your bills in the past. This makes sense, as they need to trust you to pay them back sometimes tens of thousands of dollars over the course of many years.

If you have bad credit history, you do not need to worry that much because you can get a bad credit loan. This usually involves a higher interest rate than if you had good credit history and the amount you can borrow is usually reduced.

The Value of Your Idea

You may also find that if you are applying for a small business loan there will be differences in the way the financial institution treats your idea depending on how dependable it is. If you have a new and inventive idea of mixing a golf course with a dog park and a beauty parlor, you may have less of an easy time getting a loan than if you have an idea to just build a golf course with a trusted architect. Realities such as these make it a great idea to talk to people who work with loans to see what the best way is to present your small business idea in order to get the best loan possible.

There are all sorts of tools you can use when you want to find out more about getting a loan. Loan calculators can help you determine how much you will pay each month depending on the whole amount of the loan and the length of time you wish to pay it in. When you take your time to explore your loan options on the internet you will be sure to find the perfect loan situation for you.

No Checking Account Payday Loans – Easy Cash Advances For People Without Checking Accounts

Filed Under (Loans) by admin on 11-08-2011

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It used to be no checking account payday loans were near impossible. Now People without checking accounts can get payday loans easy advances if you know where to look online. Lenders used to shy away from borrowers without a checking account as it increased the risks and borrowers were left in the lurch, but now there are options.

The payday loan industry used to require that individuals provide a post dated check to secure the lenders interest and provide a recourse for the lender if the borrower defaulted with bankruptcy or simply walked from paying back their loans. In many states this secured the lender a means of repayment, so if the borrower did not have a checking account then the loan was declined.

Things have changed though, and a checking account is no longer the sole means that the cash advance industry needs to approve you a loan and qualify you to borrow the money you need.

How to Get No Checking Account Payday Loans

You may no longer need a checking account to qualify for these easy cash advances but there still are some requirements for approval.

You will first need to have a means of repaying your borrowed money, current employment or income checks from a government agency or other source will satisfy this requirement. You will also need a savings account for the deposit of your loan money, and will need to provide your contact information and a few personal references that are only contacted in the case your lender is unable to contact you.

With this added flexibility you are given the means of borrowing money, when you need it, no checking account required.

How to Apply For Your Cash Advance Money

There is no better way to apply for your cash advance loan than online. The process has been made so easy, and fast, you can go from application to approval and then to money deposited into your savings account within an hours time. Its that easy.

The best advice when seeking your no checking account payday loan is to compare multiple lenders and companies. All of this can be done from the comfort of your home and you can ensure you get the lowest rate and best repayment terms when you can compare the offers at a glance.

The convenience of having readily available, easy to qualify for, no credit check payday loans available when you need emergency money help is a real lifesaver.