Saturday, September 15, 2007

Student Credit Cards

Credit card companies consider students that are loyal and good customers, as they tend to upgrade the credit cards when the need arises to do so and the students are supposed to keep the credit cards for a longer period. Hence student credit card offers are found in every nook and corner of the college campus, social gatherings, through their emails and even in the book stores. These facts make the availability of credit cards to students within easy reach. Also the fact is that the students do not have a steady source of income making them go for a credit card. This is to the benefit of the credit card companies as they get more income on late payment dues and penalties, interest for the credit card balance which is not paid, annual fees etc All the above facts make the students the best customers for the credit card issuing companies.

For the students, it is of utmost necessity to own at least one credit card, as it is very much needed during the college days. The students need to spend for renting a car, buy books, for medical expenses, for entertaining his friends and for himself. Also the student starts to manage his own financial matters. Student-life owning a credit card prepares him into a seasoned adult as he learns to take control of his life and it makes it easy to create a credit history at the early stages. Credit scoring is done based on the happening to the accounts whether it is a late payment, or bill paying history, or number and type of accounts he is holding, the outstanding amount of debt etc. Once the student achieves a good credit score it makes him eligible for a house or car loan, insurance coverage and may even fetch a reputed financial job and so on.

It is very easy to obtain a student credit card but care needs to be taken in choosing the best credit card, it can be achieved by taking advice from fellow students who have already got a credit card and it is advised to go for a credit card with no annual fee and the option to customize the amount to be spent using it.

Students need to be careful in monitoring the amount charged by the credit card issuer at the end of every month and also the interest charged on it. It is advised to clear of the debt balance as soon as possible to avoid the levy of interest on the debt, if not fully at least the minimum possible. As a student, he should take extra caution not to provide information regarding his credit card to anyone through phone or by email as it might lead to malpractices. Since the credit history is involved, the student credit cards need to be handled in a wise manner.

It brings in the discipline of paying the bills on time, either in full or part by part in order to get a good credit history and score points.

Emergency Credit repair

If you are ready to make a big purchase, then it may be time for emergency credit repair. If you’re going to buy a car or a home, then take a look at your credit before you decide to go ahead. There may be a few things there that you need to see. You don’t want to make a bad decision when it is time to get credit extended to you. If you don’t take time to research your credit, you may pay too much in interest when you finance your purchase. If you have less than perfect credit, take time for emergency credit repair before you begin to fill out credit applications.

Yes, you can begin today. You can clean up your credit and before you know it, you’ll have the emergency credit repair taken care of and be well on your way to a better credit report. It’s really easy and it’s not difficult to clean up your credit if you know how to do it.

First, you should look over your credit and spot those inquiries that you did not authorize. Take a look at your credit and see if there’s anything on there that you didn’t know about. Are there any open accounts that you did not open? If you are going to begin cleaning up your credit, part of the emergency credit repair is being able to spot the things you didn’t authorize. You want to be able to spot the accounts that you didn’t open and the only way you’ll even know about them is if you take a moment to go over your credit report!

Emergency credit repair does begin with you. The ability to go over your credit report and to spot things on the report that you weren’t aware existed is only the beginning. After you’ve had a chance to review these open accounts, determine when they were open and begin pursuing the company that opened the accounts. It may not be easy to clear up and that’s when you’ll need an attorney to come in and go to bat for you.

If you know you’ve done everything you can do to get your credit cleaned up and you aren’t able to get the emergency credit repair started for yourself, an attorney can at least be in your corner and try to help you take care of the fraudulent activity you spot. Keep in mind, if someone is opening accounts in your name, you have a legal suit ahead of you. However, most people never know about these accounts until they go over their credit report with a fine tooth comb!

When it’s time for you to consider a big purchase, know what is on your credit report. Take the time to get your credit cleaned up. It’s time for emergency credit repair when you have a purchase in mind, especially if it is a large one! You need the best interest rate possible for the large items you finance so it’s time to clean up your credit with emergency credit repair.

Looking to repair your credit? Dave Williams has been working as an emergency credit repair specialist for over 15 years and has helped numerous people with bad credit get their scores over 700! Check out his website for more information. If you want to fix your credit yourself, Dave recommends you get a copy of the Credit Secrets Bible

Poor Credit Mortgage

Some lenders can charge high interest rates for a bad credit mortgage, or attach severe restrictions and penalties. When you choose a bad credit mortgage, you need to be sure that you can meet the required terms; if you can show that you are making regular payments as agreed with the lender, it could help your credit rating. Once you have used some of these techniques to boost your credit score, be persistent about contacting and applying with many different bad credit mortgage lenders. But be mindful of early repayment charges.

To get approved for a bad credit mortgage loan, work on your credit score as much as you can to get it above that 600 mark and apply with or contact many lenders to compare mortgage loan programs. Even if you think that your personal and financial circumstances might go against you when applying for a bad credit mortgage you could be wrong. Apply to the credit agencies to check you rating and score.

In case borrowers like tenants or non-homeowners who do not own property or simply do not want to risk property for fear of repossession, they can opt for unsecured UK bad credit loans. Interest rate on both secured and unsecured UK bad credit loan can be reduced if the loan is applied online as you get numerous offers from as many lenders and can choose the package with lower possible interest rate.

When you are faced with many different choices of loans, you will have to compare so many different rates and terms. When you choose a bad credit mortgage, you need to be sure that you can meet the required terms; if you can show that you are making regular payments as agreed with the lender, it could help your credit rating.

Self Credit Repair

It is very important to strategize your disputes in order to have a successful outcome. Not many borrowers are aware that deleting negative items on your credit report can hurt your score. One of the main factors in a credit score is the 'credit history'. Whether it's positive/negative it will impact your score in a positive/negative way.

Derogatory accounts can be on your credit report for up to 7yrs from last activity. The activity is being reported for 'credit history' and accounts for 15% of your score. If the derog is much older than most of your credit accounts it is actually the account that is giving the positive affect on the score. If you delete this derogatory it WILL lower your score.

Bankruptcies have been deleted from credit reports, and the scores have dropped with many individuals! Generally, a person who files bankruptcy starts rebuilding their credit after 2yrs. All credit items listed under a bankruptcy is UNRATED towards your credit score. The actual bankruptcy (listed under the Public Records section of your credit report) is the item that is RATED. Many disputers are baffled when items listed under a bankruptcy doesnt raise the credit score after being deleted. Make sure to compare the credit items on your credit report before disputing any items.

These helpful factors can help you dispute effectively:


1. When the account was open
2. When the account was first/last reported
3. Last account activity date
4. Original Creditor or Collection Company
5. Duplicates with different companies for same account.
6. Hard credit inquiries
7. Transfer/Sold/Paid dates
8. 1st Delinquency date.


One of the foolish mistakes a Credit Repair agency may make is attempting to delete an item (from the original creditor), because of late payments. What they're not realizing is that if the account is 'closed' or has been inactive for a while, the original creditor is less likely to respond back to the Credit Bureau. This will result in a 'deletion' of a credit item in your 'credit history'. They should be requesting 'payment history validation' to result in 'NEVER LATE' on your credit report. Collection, bankruptcy, and lien items cannot be used for this tactic.

Credit Rating- 5 Myths

There are a lot of myths floating around about how to improve your credit rating. Truth is, a better credit rating can save you $1,000s in annual debt payments.

Here I dispel 5 myths about improving your credit rating:

Myth #1: I do not stand to gain much financially by improving my credit score

The Truth: Even a 50-point improvement in your credit score can save you $1,000s in annual debt payments. Reason: a better credit score means you are eligible for lower interest rates on your loans and credit card debt, and lower rates can literally save you hundreds of dollars each month.

Myth #2: I should close as many credit cards as possible

The Truth: Actually, closing out your credit cards can actually backfire and worsen your credit score. This is because 30% of your FICO score factors in the amount you owe versus the total amount of credit extended to you. By closing cards, you hurt this part of your score. Pay down cards: yes, but close them: no.

Myth #3: I should reduce the types of debt I have to as few as possible

The Truth: About 10% of your credit score is based upon the diversity of debt instruments you have. Translation: it is better to have a few bank cards, a few credit cards, a few department store cars, and maybe an auto loan or a mortgage. Do not run out and close your department store credit cards, for example. Just pay down the high-interest cards and then put them away in a shoebox in your closet but leave the accounts open.

Myth #4: It is too late to fix errors and late payment issues from the past

The Truth: In reality, you can and should try to fix errors on your report and to reconcile late payments, even if those items occurred months or years ago. If you can prove that the errors you found are indeed errors, the Big Three agencies will remove them from your report immediately. Regarding late payments from the past, you can usually offer to make those payments even if it is now months or years since they were due. In exchange, ask the institution in question to remove the corresponding glitch from your report. Since 35% of your score is based upon your payment history, this can really boost your score.

Myth #5: I should not apply for more credit cards

The Truth: Actually, increasing the total credit amount extended to you can actually improve your score. This is even true for high-interest cards; just be sure not to actually use them after you receive them! And, watch out for cards with annual fees before you apply.

There are many myths floating around about how to improve your credit score. By educating yourself, you stand to significantly improve your credit rating.

Tips on using Credit Cards

After getting credit cards, it can be very tempting to go on a spending spree and buying all sorts of new things that you otherwise won’t buy before. So, chances are there that you end up shopping a lot and go beyond your affordability level. Ultimately you may be in debt. So, you must resist that temptation and use your credit cards wisely. It may be difficult; but proper planning will be helpful.

To begin with, you have to remember that you should not spend more than what you can afford. You should have a budget to figure out your affordability. Subtract your monthly expenses from your monthly income. The result you get is your disposable income; you can afford to spend on shopping. Anything beyond this you spend may cause you trouble; remember this when you use your credit cards.

However, credit cards give you the leverage to go beyond the surplus amount. But you should not exceed your disposable income just because you can do this with the credit cards. Over usage of the cards may take you to above the credit limit and won’t be able to spend any more, even if you have an emergency. And being unable to use the credit cards on emergencies is something really pathetic.

Do not use the credit cards on impulse. Unless it is very urgent, wait for some days and shop when you get some rebate or cash back. Very often, credit card companies give special offers; you can make use of these offers. This does not mean that you should not use your credit card except in emergencies. Rather, you should use your credit cards periodically. Finally, do not delay in paying off the bills. Delay in paying bills may make you pay some extra that is just money going down the drain.

Credit Score

Our credit score is one of the most important yet undervalued numbers in our lives. Our credit score’s affect on our lives ranges from where we live to what kind of job we have. So who is it that looks at our credit score and what does it mean when they look?

1. Lenders. Looking for a loan with a monthly payment you can afford? Then you need to qualify for that loan and you will want an interest rate low enough to keep your payments to a minimum. Lenders analyze our credit score for loans ranging from cars to credit cards. Maybe you are somebody who pays cash for everything. If so, it is a noble effort but does little for building your credit score. Eventually you may need to borrow money, so get a credit card, even if you keep the balance paid up. Lenders do not know you pay cash; they only look at the bottom line, your credit score.

2. Insurers. Want to pay lower rates on your car insurance? Believe it or not your credit score is evaluated in the process of determining your rates. Having a top rated credit score can reduce your premiums by up to 31%, while those who have poor credit scores can pay up to 143% more.

3. Landlords. Before renting your next home or apartment, remember that your landlord wants to make sure you are the type of person who is responsible and pays your bills on time. The landlord can review your credit score to determine whether to issue you a lease and allow you to be their tenant.

4. Employers. Companies with a human resource department almost make it a practice to review your credit score. Why is this? Again, bad credit can be a sign of not being responsible.

5. Cell Phone Carriers. To qualify for a cell phone plan, make sure your credit score is high enough or you might find yourself getting a pay-as-you-go phone. Cell phone carriers don’t want to issue discounted cell phones and minutes to somebody who might run up the bill and then run off. Utility companies will often review your credit score too for the same reason.

Are you the only one looking at your credit score? Think again. Keep good credit is not just the responsible thing to do, it is almost a requirement if you want to progress in today’s society.

Credit Cards- The Hidden Traps

While low interest rate credit cards are not currently very common there may well be lots of low interest credit card offers hitting your mailbox in the next three to nine months, as the banks and lending institutions eventually get bailed out of their bad loans by the Federal Government, and then start competing for the revenue streams that credit cards represent.

Here is a simple set of guidelines for you to keep in mind as these offers come pouring in; nearly every single one of the guide lines boils down to common sense and reading the fine print, and they all come down to understanding how interest works and how banks make money off it.

When you have a credit card, it has an interest rate, expressed as a percentage. This is the percentage of your annual balance that is charged as a usage fee every year by the bank. For your convenience, it's applied monthly. For example, if you have a card with a 12% APR interest rate, and borrow $1,000 on it as your average balance, you'll bay $120 in interest on the loan.

Every credit card has a grace period; this is the period during which if you pay off the balance, no interest accrues. One of the things to look at carefully in a low interest credit card offer is how long the grace period is. Typical grace periods are in the realm of 25 to 35 days; longer grace periods are better than shorter ones from your perspective. Some low interest credit card rates set their grace periods as low as 14 days after the purchase - even if they wouldn't run another billing cycle in the mean time!

The reason why grace periods are important is because the way to minimize the disaster of bad credit management is to pay off your credit card bills in full, every month, just like you make your car payment every month. Keeping a balance means you start accumulating interest, and the rule of thumb on interest is that it always makes everything more expensive. The mathematical rule of thumb on interest is called the Rule of 72. Divide 72 by your interest rate, in points, and that's the amount of time it takes for the cumulative interest payments to equal the average balance you had on the card.

Some low interest rate cards have an introductory rate, typically 2-3%. If you have an outstanding balance on another card, and have an intro rate offer, look into transferring your high interest balance to the low interest card, and working out how much you have to pay each month during the introductory period in order to pay off the entire outstanding amount. Look at it as a way to get yourself out of debt, not as a way to get more money to spend, and you'll be safer. Pay attention to what the interest rate will be when the introductory low rate ends, and look at annual fees. Also look into what the interest rate changes to if you're ever late with a payment. Most credit card companies run their rates up substantially in that set of circumstances.

As with all financial services options, look at low interest credit cards in context. Be sure to compare the various offers, make sure that what you're getting is, in fact, the best deal for your situation, and work responsibly with your credit to build up a good credit history, so you can keep a good credit history and when you want to buy a big item like a house or a car you can get the credit you want easily.

Credit Card

Most likely on nearly all days when you check your mail, your box is swarming with offers and applications for credit cards. How do you know which companies are presenting you a good deal, and won’t take over your wallet with excessive finance charges and hidden fees in the future?
If you complete an offer online, make sure the site is secure to guard your personal info. This is the fastest way to be approved and you usually have an answer within hours. When completing an offer over the phone, do not give out any personal info, such as your social security number to anyone that you did not apply for information from first.
If you obtain a pre-approved offer, your response is required simply to make sure that you are the individual that the offer was sent to, and not someone that happened to see it in your trash. Identity theft is a real problem and any offer you receive that you choose not to reply to should be destroyed before disposal.
These pre-approved offers are usually very short and take a small amount of time to finish. You can either confirm online, phone, or return the offer by regular mail. Offers are made to be very easy and hand.
Many credit card companies have excellent offers, such as 0% or very low interest for a limited period of time, such as six or twelve months. This is where reading the fine print comes in.
All credit card offers contain disclosures regarding what interest rates will be after the original promotional period is over, how it is figured, what annual fees if any are charged, late fees, and grace periods. Many of these offers are great, and if you don’t have a huge amount of debt, this could be a fine way for you to pay off your existing cards in a short time.
Other confines also apply, concerning balance transfers, cash advances, and offer expiration dates. Be sure to evaluate offers, read all of the fine print.
If you are looking to restore your credit, you will most likely have to pay more interest at first, but as your credit gets better, the interest rates will decrease as well. Shop around to make a informed decision, and stay away from bad credit card companies. You will without doubt end up paying more in the long run, which defeats the reason of why you applied for the card in the first place!

Credit Card's Rewards

The first thing you should do is figure out what kind of car you want. Cash back cards, airline miles cards, general rewards cards. There are tons to choose from that will give you something back for you using these cards for your purchases.
There is a breakdown of all the cards and you can pick from Visa, Mastercard, Discover Card, and American Express. Good, Bad, or No credit it doesn't matter there is a card for anyone.
After you have found the card you want make sure its one that offers 0% interest and a ton of rewards. Right now your probably using your debit and credit card to pay for all your purchases including insurance, gas, groceries, or just anything. What you want to do is use your new card and charge everything to the card and cut the check to the new card and that way you will get rewards back meaning cash, airline miles, hotel stay, gift cards etc. You can even pay your insurance, house notes, car notes to earn even more points.
Your not spending more money but the same. Your just redistributing how you pay for it. In the mean time you could be earning thousands of free points for stuff throughout the year. Why wouldn't you take advantage of this?
So go shop for your card and get started. Again this website gives you the breakdown and reviews of tons of credit cards.
Thanks for your time. I hope this info helps
http://www.WebCreditCardSource.com
Stefan James is an expert on getting free stuff from credit card companies. I teach people how to breakdown their finances to get a ton of rewards back. Happy choosing.

Save Money

Look no further, we’ve covered all necessary ground for you in our segment on smart rewards credit card usage.
When you search for the credit card that offers you a low APR, no annual fee, and is not looking for ways to fine you left right and center, throw in a search for a card that also offers you rewards along with all you are looking for. A reward credit card will offer you rewards for spending cash through the card. Instead of withdrawing the cash from the bank and spending it on things you could use your card for and get some form of reward for doing so is a great way for saving money.
Contrary to the popular belief that credit cards are a bad thing for the household economy, if used wisely and with diligence a credit card can in fact save you some big bucks. Among the many ways a reward credit card can save you money there are ten that stand out in the list or rewards for using your card for purchases instead of using cash.
There are basically three ways a rewards credit card can help you save money but these three ways can help you save cash in many ways. The basic rewards a credit card can offer is:
• Cash Back• Point-based Rewards• Frequent Flier Rewards
With a cash back credit card you could actually save a lot of cash when you use your credit card. Imagine using cash to purchase some goods or service you could not get a bargain or a discount. But with a cash back reward credit card you could get up to 5% cash back on every purchase. So go ahead and use the credit card for purchases you would have paid cash for any way.
The most popular form of reward for credit card user is the point based reward. In this system you get a point for every dollar you spend through your credit card. These points add up in proportion to the use of your card. You could redeem your reward points by cashing in on free service for your car, a free car wash and even free fuel among other things you could purchase by redeeming your credit card reward points. Using your credit card to purchase everything you need and then redeeming the points for goods and services is a good way to save a lot of cash in the long run.
Then there is the frequent flier reward for using your credit card. You could use your credit card every time you fly and at the end of the year you could get a free air ticket of up to 600 Dollars.
In the ultimate analysis you will find that your reward credit card can actually save you a lot of cash by allowing you to cash in on deals you would not have been able to bargain for in your individual capacity. So go ahead and use the card and let the company bargain the best deals for you and save you a whole lot of cash in the end.

Credit Card Dept Managment

The world is full of good things, which we can always acquire to make our life better. The urge to get them is strong as well. Moreover, we have credit cards to acquire them. Managing finance through credit cards is easy. However, are we also looking at credit card debt management at the same time?
Am I Paying More For My Desires?
Let us take up an example. I go for a luxury car for $27,000. I pay $7000 cash down through credit card with $100 monthly. At the first card due date, I revolve the credit and pay up minimum required $ 500. Now, on the unpaid balance of $6500, I will be paying interest @ 2.5%, which comes to $162. The interest is more than my monthly installment. If this continues, the car could finally cost me $30,000 or even more, with all interest and late penalties on overdue installments put together.
Here Comes Credit Card Debt Management
In order to bring about discipline to your finance, you can always go for credit card debt management. To tide over the payment crisis, you can take help from professional credit card debt manager. You either can approach your mortgage manager or can go online. The credit card debt manager takes into account your income sources as well as your payment status. Then he will work out an alternate and cheaper option for you to pay your credit card overdue debts. Those who cannot afford a debt manager can look for free credit card debt management. This is a credit card debt service where you can get consultation and solutions to your debt related issues. By free credit card debt management, it does not mean that the service provided is sub standard or low grade. The free services provided by reputed companies in consolidating your high cost credit card payments are as good as the paid services.
Therefore, there is no need to cling on to your high cost credit card debt. Just move over to low cost consolidated loan by an effective Credit Card Debt Management. Bring discipline to your finances.

Paying Online

If you’re like most people, you probably love using debit cards for your online purchases. These cards (also known as money cards, check cards, ATM cards, or cash cards) not only save you from paying the high interest rates of credit cards, but they are also SO convenient. The funds are automatically and, most times, immediately deducted from your bank account, which can make balancing your checkbook much easier. But that same convenience and savings can turn into a HUGE headache, as well as a severe financial drain, if cyber thieves steal your card number.
Because your debit card is linked to your bank account, your personal funds can be emptied in a matter of minutes, and there’s not much you can do. Once the money is gone, it’s gone. Not only that, but all of the checks that have yet to clear your bank will start bouncing all over the place, accompanied by huge NSF fees and…Yikes! You are broke and even deeper in debt than if you had used a credit card in the first place.
Another problem with using debit cards is that the federal regulations governing their use differ (unfavorably) from the ones governing credit cards. Credit cards are governed by the Fair Credit Billing Act, which states that, if you report the loss or theft of your card as soon as you notice it, you are only liable for $50 of the loss incurred. Debit cards, however, are governed by the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, where you may be liable for $500 or more of the loss no matter WHEN you report it.
Although many banks are now rushing to assure consumers of policy changes that lessen such personal/financial liability, a policy cannot offer the same assurance of a federal law.
So next time you make an online purchase, you might want to consider using your credit card. Your bank account may thank you someday.

Visa Card

Many people assume that a prepaid Visa card is the same thing as a secured Visa credit card. This actually couldn't be further from the truth. A prepaid Visa credit card is significantly different from a secured Visa credit card. Here are five reasons why.
1. The Credit Factor
If you're trying to decide between a prepaid credit card or a secured Visa credit card, chances are that your credit isn't exactly spotless. If you want to improve your credit rating, understanding the differences between prepaid cards and secured cards is critical.
If you opt for a prepaid credit card, you're not doing anything to improve your credit rating. This is because prepaid credit cards typically aren't reported to the credit bureaus. On the other hand, when you are issued a secured Visa credit card, your account activity is reported to the credit bureaus, improving your credit.
By managing your secured Visa credit card properly, you aren't just gaining access to a credit card and the benefits that go along with carrying one, but you're also increasing your credit score and rebuilding your credit history.
2. The Money Factor
There is one thing that prepaid credit cards and secured credit cards have in common. Whether you open a secured credit card or a prepaid credit card, you're going to have to send in money. That, however, is where the similarity ends.
When you give money to a prepaid credit card company, they credit the amount to your prepaid card and then you can spend the money you've put on it. That's it -- end of story. When all the money is spent, you either add more or throw the card away.
When you send in money to open your secured Visa credit card account, the money is put into a savings account and you earn interest on that account. Then the credit card company extends you a revolving line of credit equal to the amount of that account.
3. Monthly Statements
When it comes to a prepaid credit card, there aren't monthly statements to pay. With a secured Visa credit card, however, you receive a monthly statement that must be paid on time (or it will affect your credit). You will have the choice of paying the minimum amount due, the balance in full or anything in between. This activity is then reported to the credit bureaus.
4. Hotels and Cars
Nowadays when you check into a hotel they ask you whether or not you are using a prepaid credit card and many hotels and car rental companies won't even accept prepaid credit cards as a form of payment. However, there is nothing differentiating an unsecured credit card from a secured Visa credit card, which means you can use your secured card to book hotels and car rentals without any hassle.
5. Moving Forward
If you carry a prepaid credit card, there will never be a chance of it evolving to an unsecured credit card. However, it is not uncommon for a secured Visa credit card to evolve into an unsecured credit card once you have established a payment history and have proven that you can be trusted with the card.
So while a prepaid credit card may look a bit like a secured Visa credit card, the fact remains that they are very different in many ways. If you want to rebuild your credit, then a secured Visa credit card is really the only way to go.

Visa

Many people assume that a prepaid Visa card is the same thing as a secured Visa credit card. This actually couldn't be further from the truth. A prepaid Visa credit card is significantly different from a secured Visa credit card. Here are five reasons why.
1. The Credit Factor
If you're trying to decide between a prepaid credit card or a secured Visa credit card, chances are that your credit isn't exactly spotless. If you want to improve your credit rating, understanding the differences between prepaid cards and secured cards is critical.
If you opt for a prepaid credit card, you're not doing anything to improve your credit rating. This is because prepaid credit cards typically aren't reported to the credit bureaus. On the other hand, when you are issued a secured Visa credit card, your account activity is reported to the credit bureaus, improving your credit.
By managing your secured Visa credit card properly, you aren't just gaining access to a credit card and the benefits that go along with carrying one, but you're also increasing your credit score and rebuilding your credit history.
2. The Money Factor
There is one thing that prepaid credit cards and secured credit cards have in common. Whether you open a secured credit card or a prepaid credit card, you're going to have to send in money. That, however, is where the similarity ends.
When you give money to a prepaid credit card company, they credit the amount to your prepaid card and then you can spend the money you've put on it. That's it -- end of story. When all the money is spent, you either add more or throw the card away.
When you send in money to open your secured Visa credit card account, the money is put into a savings account and you earn interest on that account. Then the credit card company extends you a revolving line of credit equal to the amount of that account.
3. Monthly Statements
When it comes to a prepaid credit card, there aren't monthly statements to pay. With a secured Visa credit card, however, you receive a monthly statement that must be paid on time (or it will affect your credit). You will have the choice of paying the minimum amount due, the balance in full or anything in between. This activity is then reported to the credit bureaus.
4. Hotels and Cars
Nowadays when you check into a hotel they ask you whether or not you are using a prepaid credit card and many hotels and car rental companies won't even accept prepaid credit cards as a form of payment. However, there is nothing differentiating an unsecured credit card from a secured Visa credit card, which means you can use your secured card to book hotels and car rentals without any hassle.
5. Moving Forward
If you carry a prepaid credit card, there will never be a chance of it evolving to an unsecured credit card. However, it is not uncommon for a secured Visa credit card to evolve into an unsecured credit card once you have established a payment history and have proven that you can be trusted with the card.
So while a prepaid credit card may look a bit like a secured Visa credit card, the fact remains that they are very different in many ways. If you want to rebuild your credit, then a secured Visa credit card is really the only way to go.

Visa, Master, AmEx

American Express Credit cards made their presence known in the financial jungle in the early 50’s. Visa and Master Card also came into the scene around the same time and served the same market segment – Credit. There soon developed their own model for serving the market and established themselves as leaders in the credit card providers the world over.
While American Express or AMEX as it is popularly known in the European countries has grown to be the most widely recognizable of credit cards and is a name that describes exclusivity in a way. However, not many credit card holders throughout the world know the difference in the three major players in the credit card industry. Actually there is no difference between Visa and Master Card, the main difference is between these two players and American Express credit cards – The major difference is in their style of operation.
Visa Card and Master Card are primarily methods of making payments. These are tow financial companies that have grown into institutions by themselves. They negotiate and setup payment systems at different merchant locations across the globe but never issue any credit cards themselves. Visa and Master Card set up business partnerships with merchant establishments where customers can use the credit cards and banks or financial institutions that actually issue credit cards to their customers. Visa and Master Card make the payment to the merchant establishments where the cards are used and charge the company that actually issued the card to the customer a fee for making the up front payment on their behalf. The card issuing company on its part charges a fee for issuing the card, an annual rental for the card and an interest on the amount of payment paid out to the merchant establishment.
These credit card companies are billed by Visa or Master Card and they in turn bill the card holder. The holder never pays any cash directly to Visa or Master Card.
American Express is different in that they have an entirely private setup. They issue their credit cards under their own name and logo. They also directly make payments to merchant establishments where the card is used. American Express do their own marketing of services to merchant establishments and card customers. The other difference is that American Express has a limited usage through the world while Visa and Master Card are accepted at over 20 million merchant establishments in over a hundred and fifty countries.

Chase Credit Cards

Chase credit cards are offered from Chase Manhattan Bank. It is based in New York City and is one of the largest financial institutions in the world. Chase has become a major player in the credit card industry, having recently merged with Bank One, which at the time, was Chicago's largest bank.
Chase offers a wide variety of credit cards that are designed to fit the specific needs of consumers. They had the foresight to realize that a one size fits all mentality in this modern world is less than sufficient. In fact, Chase currently offers over 250 credit cards to choose from.
That may sound like overkill, but if you really think about it, it isn't. With our ever evolving economy, the marketplace is becoming increasingly diversified. This is evident by the number categories of cards that are available (about a dozen as of this writing).
Without question, the most effective way to compare these offers is on a comprehensive web site. Our recommendation goes to www.Find-Cards-Now.com. It is a secure site that allows the respective card holder the opportunity to compare, review and apply for Chase credit cards online.
The real value of having such a large and diverse selection is that allows you to find offers that are nearly customized to meet your specific financial needs. Taking a closer look at how this is accomplished, let us break down the main categories and see how they are designed to offer value.
Chase balance transfer credit cards are the most popular offers. They allow you to consolidate existing debt held on other credit cards onto a single card. The advantage is ease of use dealing with a single card as opposed to many, and more importantly, the opportunity to take advantage of 0% APR and low introductory transfer rates.
Chase business credit cards offer higher credit limits than consumer credit cards, and flexibility in issuing employee credit cards with adjustable spending limits. There are also built in accounting advantages that allow for greater oversight and monitoring of spending activity.
Chase rewards credit cards have become quite popular and offer a plethora of choices ranging from travel rewards to cash back rebates. With rising gas prices in recent years, the gasoline cards have risen in popularity. They benefit both businesses and the individual consumer alike.
There are several other categories of Chase credit cards including retail, student, and entertainment cards. It's about as close as you are going to get to designing your own customized gold or platinum card. And as always, be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully before applying.

Credit Card

A credit card is a financial agreement between the card holder and the bank or credit union. This card contains a magnetic strip that contains the personal identity and secured information of the holder. This card also contains the photo of the card holder and is used at the money dispensing machines (Automated Tailor Machines or ATM’s).
It is small card that contains the complete financial details of the customers. The terms of the deal are set by the lender which include how often payments are to be made, what will be the minimum payment, and what the rates of interest that will be applied are. The borrower has to pay not just the borrowed amount but also the additional charges based on the rate of interest.
Credit card is a beneficial tool for the customers. Some of the benefits are:
Emergency Protection: If you’re ever in an emergency, you’ll see how helpful a credit card can be. Whether you’re stuck with medical bills or auto repair fees, these credit cards can be used anywhere and at anytime.
Convenience: There’s no need to carry money in the wallets. Just the plastic card is enough. You can buy anything what you want at any time even if you don’t have cash with you.
Building Your Credit: If you dream of buying a house or really nice car, you need to have a credit history that demonstrates that you can take on debt and pay it back on schedule. You can use a credit card to make small purchases and build up your credit score by paying your statement on time.
Security: Large amounts of cash can be lost or stolen. But if your credit card goes missing, you can have the account cancelled and a new card issued without losing any of your money.
Credit cards can help you improve your daily lives if you use them responsibly. But the temptation to live beyond your means and max out your credit limit can be a problem. That’s why it’s important to think of your credit cards as tools that you can use.
Some of the important things to be kept in mind that will help you to manage your credit card debt are:
Go Back to Cash: If you’re having trouble keeping your credit card in your pocket, switch back to cash for a while. Using cash for a bit will help you remember that little purchases add up.
Make a Budget: The first step to financial freedom is a realistic budget. Sticking to a budget will help you from splurging with your credit card.
Get Credit Counseling: If your debt gets out of control, talk to someone! Ignoring your credit problems won’t make them go away – it will only make them worse. Talk to your parents or a trusted friend who may be able to help, or consider getting help from a group or institutions that can help you with your problems.
Set a Limit: Many analysts recommend keeping your credit card balance around 30% of your credit limit for maximum benefit in the formula used to calculate your credit score. A promise should be made to yourself that you will not exceed the limit and the credit card debt will not go out of control.