what to look for in balance transfer credit cards

what to look for in balance transfer credit cards?

by Michael Benifez

Credit card debt can be an easy problem to get into, but getting out of debt is a completely different story. Getting out of debt can be a long process, especially because of high interest rates that are charged on by credit card companies each month.

One easy way to lower your debt on credit cards is to take advantage of balance transfer cards, since you can save money by avoiding high interest fees.

What is a Balance Transfer Credit Card?

A balance transfer credit card is just like any other credit card, but gives the option of allowing you to transfer balances from other cards to your balance transfer card. The balance being transferred must be lower than the available credit on the transfer credit card, and various balances from different cards can be transferred as long as the available credit is high enough.

What is the Purpose of a Balance Transfer?

The main purpose of transferring balances from one card to another is to save money by avoiding interest charges. Many transfer cards will offer an introductory period with 0% interest, meaning that each and every payment made on the card will go directly toward the balance and not interest fees.

Credit cards allowing for balance transfer without 0% interest rate periods can also be beneficial, as long as they have lower interest rates than the original cards with balances. These type of cards can also consolidate several credit card bills into one, as long as the available credit is high enough to accommodate balances from several cards.

What to Look for in Balance Transfer Credit Cards?

If you are looking to lower your monthly interest payments, getting a credit card where you can transfer the outstanding balance of your other accounts is one of the best options. The only problem is that some cards will actually end up costing you more in the long run, because of fees and charges that may be included in the fine print.

You will want to apply for a card that does not charge a fee for transferring balances from other cards, or at least one that only charges a small fee for each balance transferred. You will also want to look at the interest rate on the card, because you will end up paying more in the long run if the interest charges are higher than your other cards.

Although an introductory period of 0% interest can save you a great deal of money at first, you will want to also take into consideration what happens after the introductory period ends. Interest rates can sky rocket, and they can even be charged from the date the balance was transferred, but this all depends on the rules and regulations outlined by the credit card issuer. The balance may also need to be paid off in a certain period of time to avoid any penalty fees, so you may end up paying more if you don't read the fine print.

Balance Transfer Cards are They Worth it?

Having a credit card where you've consolidated all the balances of your other unsecured purchases can definitely be beneficial, as long as you find the best card for your personal financial situation. You'll need to calculate whether or not a balance transfer card would save you money, by taking all interest charges and other fees into consideration.

A credit card needs to be used carefully and one allowing for transferring of open balances is a great option as long as you can save money, and can help consolidate debt from several credit cards and lower the interest rate all into one account.