0% Credit Cards in the UK
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Brand
Comparisons |
How
Can Credit Card Companies Afford To Have 0% Interest Credit Cards? |
Credit cards are a big business in the UK and the world over. Credit card companies, like other companies, are in business to make money. They also need to offer incentives to customers in order to get them to take their cards over those offered by other companies. One such incentive is to offer 0% interest rate for an introductory time period. Some companies offer this 0% for balance transfers, some offer it for new purchases and some offer it for both. The length of time that the interest rate remains at 0% varies but is usually between six and nine months. The interest rate (APR) after the interest-free period is over, is usually much higher than standard credit cards. The credit card companies bank on the fact that most people don’t pay off the balance before the interest rate starts and they make up the difference in interest charges over time. Many people are just not savvy enough to keep a close watch on their credit cards. The credit card companies know that most people are in too much debt. In fact, the total amount of credit card debt in the UK now is over L180 billion. Credit card companies work with volume as well. The more credit card customers they have, the more incentives they can offer. These incentives can include 0% interest, as well as travel points and other rewards programs.
If you have large debt
on another, higher interest credit card, you should consider using a 0%
interest card to help you out. You
will likely save hundreds of dollars in interest.
The main thing to remember when using a 0% interest card for debt
assistance is to make sure that the entire balance is paid off by the
end of the 0% interest time period.
If not, you may end up paying more in interest and will not have
helped yourself at all. Financial planners advise to seek an extension on the 0% card
if you are coming to the end of the time period and you still have a significant
balance. Many credit card
companies will extend the 0%, sometimes as much as a year.
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Kinds of Cards |
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Copyright
2005 0% Credit Cards UK Guide Articles
By Kate Spencer. All rights reserved |
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