Thursday, March 27, 2008

Buy now pay later

Buy now pay later

Everyone wants materialistic things that they can’t afford to buy. When we see advertisements for luxury items that we’re craving but cannot afford, we’re letting our irrational side take over. We can, after seeing the commercial or reading the advertisement, choose to ignore it and fight the irrational temptations. Or, we can take advantage of some wonderful savings and deals to delight in the luxury. Stores often lure their customers in with buy now, pay later deals. While this always sounds incredibly tempting, consumers need to take some extra time to look at and read the fine print. Sometimes, the buy now pay later deals offer no interest as well. Once the time span is up, it can sometimes become a shocking situation to the consumers.

If you suddenly just have to have that huge, wall-mounted television, a buy now, pay later deal is a blessing. If you can manage to have it paid off before that initial period is up, you truly took advantage of an excellent deal. Of course, this means that you either made a lump sum large payment to get rid of the debt or you were wise and paid as the months went on, even though you weren’t required to be making payments. That’s the ideal thing to do.

What most consumers find after their buy now, pay later period has expired, is that if they have not aspired to pay off their purchase in full by the expiration date, interest has accrued since the first day of purchase. Even though the promotion may have said that you can buy now, pay later and have 0% interest for a certain amount of time, you may not have read the fine print. Many times, stores will charge interest from the beginning which can total quite a bit of money. Since most stores have their own credit cards, their interest rates can be quite steep. Suddenly, you can be looking at 12 months of 23% interest that has accrued. However, consumers don’t take the time to ask questions and read the fine print.

If you are able to take advantage of a buy now, pay later deal – strive to make somewhat of a payment each month. Some months you may only be able to send a few dollars. But, every payment that you make towards the ending balance will be a huge help. Try not to allow yourself to continue to accrue more debt. And, realize that if you can’t afford to make the payments now, is a buy now, pay later option really practical? Your financial situation can change rapidly and you don’t know what the future will hold. If you can’t afford it today, wait until you can afford it.

Cash Payment

Cash Payment

Today it seems that it is harder and harder to find anyone who accept a cash payment. Everyone and anyone want you to use a credit card to pay for everything that you buy. I have seen commercials on TV recently that suggest using cash to pay for things is a big inconvenience for everyone around you. I don’t think that this is very fair. There are millions of Americans who have poor credit, and have absolutely no way to get a credit card. Many of these people don’t want a credit card, because that is what got them into trouble in the first place.

The cash payment has been around for a very long time. We have used money to buy and sell goods for centuries. Though money has changed in form, the main idea behind it has remained the same. The Internet is one thing that has boomed in the last decade, and buying things online makes a cash payment almost impossible. This is understandable. However, when I want to pay my cable bill with a cash payment, I don’t see why there should be anything that stops me from doing so.

I do run into problems when I want to make a cash payment. When I use cash, my payment is often delayed. This means that the day my account is paid will often be two or three days behind when I actually made the cash payment. They have it set up so that if you make your payment with a credit card it is instantly apply to your bill. I don’t think that it’s fair for those making a cash payment to have to wait for their payments to be applied. It simply doesn’t make any sense to me. In essence, a credit card is only a promise of a cash payment, so why is it faster?

I do understand the convenience of a credit card. However, at this time in my life I choose not to have one. I could very easily get four or five of them, but I had problems with them in the past, and I do not feel I’m ready for another credit card just yet. I want to make sure that I am financially secure and able to handle the responsibility. Until that time comes, I will want to use a cash payment for most of my bills. I could write checks, but I find that I enjoy getting out of the house to drive around to make my cash payments. When I have to get a call from a company saying my payment has not been made when I have indeed made a cash payment, I tend to get very upset. Perhaps companies need to rethink the way they look at their payment process.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Learn How To Consolidate Credit Card Debts

Learning how to consolidate credit card debt is one of the best things cardholders can do. Consolidation is perfect for those who are looking to better their credit for the future. There are many advantages for cardholders who consolidate credit card debt. If you are thinking about consolidation, then there are a few things you should consider before doing so. Use these tips as a guide while you consolidate your debt.

Why Consolidate?

There are several great reasons to consolidate credit card debt. One of the best reasons is to get better rates. If you can get a better rate on a consolidation than you currently have, then there is no reason not to consolidate. Anytime you can consolidate credit card debt and save yourself money, you should. Locate all of your interest rates from each card and write them on a list. Then note the new rate you would be given. If the new rate is lower than the average of the old rate, then to consolidate credit card debt would be profitable for you. If there are cards that have a lower rate, then you don’t have to include them in your consolidation. Another reason people love to consolidate credit card debt is to make their lives simple. By paying one bill, they can cut out a lot of stress and bill paying time. You should probably not consolidate credit card debt for this reason alone however. You don’t want to pay more in the long run just to cut out a few pieces of mail monthly. Consolidation also gives those in a credit card mess a chance to get out of it. By consolidating, they may be making lower monthly payments than they would be if they didn’t consolidate credit card debt. By closing out the other accounts, their credit may also be improved.

Who To Turn To?

When you want to consolidate credit card debt, you should turn to professionals. There are many great credit card companies and banks that would love to help you with your request. Make sure you do your research so that when you consolidate credit card debt, you are certain you are making a decision that is profitable to you. Make sure there are no hidden fees that come with different consolidation plans. Doing your research can help you save money for the future.

Making The Choice

If you want to consolidate credit card debt, you should first look at all of your debt in detail. Once you know what you have, it will be easier to contact professionals to help you with your consolidation. Don’t be afraid to tell them you are shopping for the best deal. You should do yourself the honor of getting the best deal out there to making your consolidation as worthwhile as possible.

Credit Card Debt Elimination And Financial Programme

Credit card debt has become a serious problem for people across the world, with over 1.3 billion credit cards in use in the United States alone. That's equal to about 4 cards for every man, woman, and child living in the USA. It's no wonder why more and more people are turning to professional help to escape from the perils of excessive high interest debt.

What is Debt Consolidation?

You've probably been hearing a lot about debt consolidation loans in the media lately, as it is quickly becoming the most popular service for those who want to reduce their monthly payments and simplify their financial situation. The process works by eliminating all of your high interest bills, and replaces them with one lower interest loan, with one easy to manage monthly payment.

This service is only one of several available, so it is important to learn about all of your options before signing up with any financial companies. Another popular option is to hire a debt specialist, who will work with your credit card companies to lower your interest, or even reduce your balance. The easiest way to find the option that will work best for your own financial needs, is to request and compare several free quotes online. Follow the links below to find out how to request free quotes.

Finding the Best Financial Program

Along with several different types of services to choose from, you must also choose which of the several different companies currently offering those services will work best for you. This once again bring up the importance of comparing several different companies and services. Do your homework, compare quotes, and you will be confident that the credit card debt elimination program you choose is the best.