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Opt out of credit cards offers to protect your privacy
Your credit reports are being screened without your knowledge or permission. The purpose of this screening is to market products and services to you through mass mailings (junk mail)! If you have received offers for "preapproved" credit cards,...
Student Credit Repair Solutions for Building Credit
There are solutions for students to repair their credit. Believe
it or not but it is possible to get out of a student loan
obligation. First you must determine what type of student loan
you owe. Once you come to this determination you will next...
Ten Steps To Building A Good Credit History
Are you thinking of buying a house? Do you want to buy a new car to replace that old wreck? Trying to get insurance on you home, auto, or life? In each of these situations, what’s on your credit report will determine if you can get a loan...
The Best Credit Card - Shopping For A Credit Card
Credit cards are just like any form of credit, you should shop
around to find the best deal. Depending on your situation, you
may want to find a card with low rates, a reward program, or a
0% APR for transfers. Make sure you look at several...
Unsecured Personal Loans and Credit: A Summary
For those exploring the possibility of taking a loan but not quite sure what unsecured personal loans and credit are all about, here’s a helpful summary. This summary will help you to understand what unsecured personal loans and credit involve and...
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Read and Understand Your Credit Card Statement
Have you ever looked at your credit card statement and ended up just scratching your head in frustration? Well join the club! But don’t take any comfort in the fact that you have plenty of company, because lack of knowledge can cost you….right on your credit report, and once there can stay with you a while.
Adding to the challenge is that almost every creditor’s statement is slightly different, varying in format and billing cycle and interest calculations. You first want to check what you purchased and what you borrowed, so make sure you save all your receipts to make sure you weren’t charged for something you didn’t buy or were double billed. Immediately dispute any discrepancies via phone and in writing.
Next you’ll want to verify the interest rates being applied for each type of purchase. Remember, cash advances almost always carry a higher interest than normal purchases and interest usually accrues from the date you received the money. Also, if you have any balance transfers with introductory interest rates, verify that it is correctly noted and hasn’t been increased prematurely.
Review how your
interest is calculated (this information is usually on the back of your statement) and make sure that the right rate has been used for each category. On purchases, most cards take your average daily balance over the billing cycle and divide it by one-twelfth of your annual percentage rate (APR).
Lastly, but maybe most importantly, make sure you send your payment in well before the due date. In order to have your payment credited on time to avoid a late fee, it must be posted by the due date shown on the statement. Therefore, if paying by mail, it is advisable to mail your payment at least a week in advance. For those whose cash flow doesn’t allow an early remittance, paying by phone or on-line might be a good alternative.
About the Author
The Credit Counseling Foundation, Inc
provides web-based education and personalized consumer credit counseling to clients
and the general public in an effort to help consumers use credit wisely. Visit
us at www.godebtfree.com
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