The Best Low Interest Credit Card for Debt Consolidation

By Adrian Fletcher in Debt Consolidation on May 26th, 2008

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by Adrian Fletcher

It may seem like a contradiction to get another credit card if you are trying to solve a debt problem. Surely a new credit card is one more temptation to spend money that you haven’t got and get yourself into more financial difficulties. This is true to some extent as credit cards are so convenient to use and are many goods and services actually make it easier to use a card than cash at times. However, a low interest credit card for debt consolidation can help to reduce your debt provided it is used right. This article will give you some pointers on how to do this.

Credit cards are an important and lucrative part of any financial institutions business. They are also highly competitive. Thus new deals for credit cards are always being thought up. A better rate or incentive can persuade more people to take up the card. For instance, air miles might appeal to people that do plenty of international travel for business.

For people with large debts, a low interest credit card with a balance transfer feature is probably an attractive option. For someone in debt, the major advantage of such a card is to transfer all the debt to the new card. A feature of these cards is a low or zero interest rate for any balance transfers for an introductory period.

With this done, you should be determined to pay of the debts before the balance transfer introductory period is up. In this way, you will save money on interest payments. It will also help you to stay focused on paying off the debt because you know you will save money if you don’t hit the deadline. The debt payment will only be once a month too, making it easier to stay organized and not miss payments, as you may do with many cards.

However, it is important to point out that you have to pay of the debt within the introductory period. Don’t think that you don’t have to worry about the debt for another six months or however long the introductory period is. Otherwise, you will get a nasty shock when the repayments on the transferred balance are due.

The truth is you don’t need a low interest credit card for debt consolidation. You could get a loan instead. This may be a lower interest repayment rate than the credit card. However, if the balance transfer option on the credit card is 0% for six months then you won’t find a better deal.

However, you have to pay off the debt within the six months or you probably won’t be better off. This is something you have to work out before you decide to get the card. Commit to paying off the debt and you will be better. If you think it will take 12 months to pay off the debt then it may be better to go for another option with a lower interest rate.

With this said, another reason why a low interest credit card may be appealing is that it would probably be a lot easier to get than a bank loan. Provided you stay focused on clearing your debt a low interest credit card with a balance transfer facility can be an effective way to clear your debts.

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Learn about the best low interest credit card for debt consolidation and details on a popular debt reduction course