ACNU Grand Montreal is a blog about personal finances, business and online savings. Many people are lost when it comes to finances and they find ACNU's finance blog to be a helpful resource. Visit often to see how you can improve your personal finances while educating yourself about business development.

Credit Card Debt Consolidation: Top 3 Factors to Consider

24 August 2011

If you’ve got a number of credit cards and insurmountable credit card debt, then perhaps it’s time to consider a debt consolidation loan. A consolidation loan is a loan that you can use to pay off all your debts, meaning that you can pay them off for less money without having to worry about lots of different bills.

For instance, if you had borrowed $3000 five years ago, you may now owe $5000 (principle plus interest). A debt consolidation program may involve eliminating some amount of interest so that you pay less than $5000.

Also, your previous outstanding balances may be on five different credit cards. You need to pay 5 bills every month. Once you participate in a debt consolidation program, all your accounts will be consolidated into one account. You now pay only one bill each month.

In a credit card debt consolidation, your average interest rate may be reduced. All your loans can also be transferred to one single card that has a lower interest rate than the ones you are currently paying.

Here are top three factors to consider for Credit card debt consolidation:
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Apply Online For A Credit Card For A Fast Response

14 July 2011

There are many different ways for you to apply for a credit card. There is one way to apply for a credit card that is becoming more popular every day. That is to apply for a credit card online. More people find that it is easier and faster to apply for a credit card online instead of waiting for an invitation letter to apply. You can find acceptance letters or denial letters in the mail, but when you are accepted for a credit card online you are going to receive the credit card faster than when you apply thru the mail.

There is an abundance of places to apply for a credit card online. For the most part each website will even let you know what the credit card company is looking for as far as your credit report. They are going to let you know if they are looking for people with good or excellent credit and they are even going to let you know if they will accept people with poor for no credit at all as well. If you know, what your credit report is like that will help you decide which credit card to apply for online. When you are going to apply for a credit card online you may want to check to see what is all on your credit report. Do this because that will help you find a credit card company online to apply to, and perhaps this will include a credit card you don’t have, or if you should be seeking a credit card with a lower credit line, or a secured line of credit…

If you find that you are having a hard time finding a credit card online to apply for or that will accept you, you may want to check on some of the department stores online that will help you rebuild your credit.
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Anyone Can Qualify For A Major Credit Card

05 July 2011

You may have seen the following ads or something similar:

Separated? Divorced? Bankrupt? Widowed? Bad Credit? No Credit?

No Problem

Make the call NOW and get the credit you deserve!

- Even if you’ve been turned down before, you owe it to yourself and your family.

- Your major credit card is waiting.

If you have no credit or a poor credit history, this ad may appeal to you. Using a secured credit card can be an effective way to build or re-establish your credit history. Be aware, however, that some marketers of secured credit cards make deceptive advertising claims to get you to respond to their ads.

Secured and unsecured credit cards work the same way; both can be used to pay for goods and services. A secured card requires security for your line of credit; an unsecured card does not. The savings account for a secured card may range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Your credit line will be a percentage of your deposit, typically from 50 to 100 percent. Usually, a bank will pay interest on your deposit.

Also, you may have to pay application and processing fees that sometimes amount to hundreds of dollars. Before you apply, be sure to ask what the total fees are and if they will be refunded if you are denied a card. A secured credit card also often requires an annual fee and has higher interest rates than unsecured cards.

The Federal Trade Commission has taken action against companies that deceptively advertise Visa and MasterCard through television, newspapers, and postcards. The ads may offer unsecured credit cards, secured credit cards, or not specify a type of card. The ads typically are phrased to make you believe you can get a credit card simply by calling a telephone number listed in the ad.

Sometimes the number is not toll-free. A “900″ number service, for which you will be billed just for making the call, may instruct you to give your name and address to receive a credit application, or it may give you a list of banks offering secured cards, or direct you to call another “900″ number at an additional charge to get more information. Be aware that deceptive ads often leave out important information.
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An Introduction To Affinity Credit Cards

05 June 2011

Affinity credit cards are one of the most popular kinds of plastic we carry today, especially as the fashion for balance transfer deals and the like continues to fade. Where once the focus was on how we could save money by shifting our credit card debt around, now more and more of us are looking to profit from our card use, or at least to benefit in some way from our everyday spending habits. This change of emphasis has led to a vast increase in the number of rewards and cashback cards on the market, but where do affinity cards fit in to the picture?

At its simplest, an affinity card is one which identifies the cardholder with a particular company, organization, or field of interest. The card will generally have a visual design to reflect this link, and will also offer some benefit related to the affinity topic in question. A good example is a hotel chain affinity card. If a credit card account holder travels a lot on business or for pleasure, and has a favorite chain of hotels to stay in, then a credit card linked to these hotels can offer benefits such as discounts on room reservations, a points program which lets you build up credits for free meals or use of facilities, or even access to advanced concierge services to make your stay in a new city more enjoyable.
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