Beware of Hidden Fees On Your Credit Cards

By Gerrad Mills

Many folks use visa cards daily without thinking of the added costs involved. With all the advantages available on cards, it's easy to find one that may actually work best for you. It just takes a little research to find out about any hidden expenses and to make sure you understand how best to use the card without paying extra money for it.

First, if you're meaning to carry a balance on your card, look for low interest rates or APRs. This will determine how much additional you will pay in fees. Try not to keep big balances as the APR will be a percentage of the balance you owe. Obviously, that number will get bigger as your balance does.

If you're planning to do a balance transfer, be sure you find out the APR on balance transfers. They are infrequently different than the normal APR on the card, so be sure you search your paperwork ( or if all else fails, call and ask ) to see what the rate will be when you bring over your balance. This could be a point of negotiation too, since they want you to pay the interest on that balance to them.

Another thing to look for is annual fees. I never take cards that charge me a once a year fee. There are plenty other mastercards available to me that don't charge costs, so I don't see the point in paying one. Occasionally people will take a little fee in exchange for a great rewards program, but just be certain you research the card completely and ensure the yearly fee is worth what you are getting.

Paying your bill on time is a very important way to not pay extra. Most credit card companies have a late charge for paying the bill late. Some companies will also charge a higher interest rate on late balances. If you have a card that has a promotional interest rate, or no interest for a specific quantity of time, it is crucial to pay that bill punctually. If you ever pay late, they can take away that 0% and charge you a really high APR. Read the fine print.

So, when you are getting a credit card, be sure you know and understand all of the fees. If you are paying a little higher rate or annual fee for a rewards program, do the maths. Be sure you'll still have some rewards in the final analysis after you pay all those costs. Most significantly, try hard not to carry a balance and you can get round paying interest altogether. - 29866

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