Credit Information


Save This Page

allspectrum.info
Resource exchange submission form:

Convenience Can Be Costly


You've just opened your credit card bill and attached to your statement you find a "convenience check" included. It may already be filled out with a dollar amount such as $300, $500, or even $1,000. Your mind fills with ideas of what you could buy with this "instant" money. A new summer wardrobe, a nice dinner and tickets to a concert, a weekend getaway.

But before you go off on a shopping spree, you should be aware that your "convenience check" is nothing more than a cash advance on your credit card. Cash advances on credit cards carry many extra fees, often overlooked or misunderstood by consumers.

Here's a quick look at the types of fees most card issuers charge for a cash advance:

1) Upfront fee of 2-4% of the amount advanced. On a $1,000 cash advance your fee will range from $20-$40 in addition to the interest charges.

2) Higher interest rate than on purchases. Many credit card companies charge 18% or more on cash advances. In addition, most companies apply only a small percentage of your monthly minimum payment toward the cash advance.

Some require that you pay down the balance on your purchases first before applying payments to the higher-interest advance. In other words, you'll be paying fees and interest on your cash advance for a long time, especially if you only pay the minimum payment.

3) Cash advances normally carry no grace period. This means interest charges accrue as soon as you withdraw money or cash the convenience check.

By law your credit card company must disclose any fees associated with a cash advance. The easiest way to find out what fees are charged is to carefully read your credit card statement or to call your credit issuer's toll-free customer service number and ask questions.

Credit card companies charge these fees for two main reasons. One, to cover the costs to process this transaction which are often higher than a regular credit card purchase. And secondly because of the percentage of defaults among credit advance users. These costs are then passed along to you the consumer in the fees and interest rates associated with a cash advance.

The next time you are tempted to cash that convenience check or withdraw money from an ATM using your credit card, be sure you understand the fees and long term effects of using a credit card cash advance.

© 2004, www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com
Author: James H. Dimmitt - James is editor of "TO YOUR CREDIT", a weekly free newsletter. Subscribe to the newsletter by visiting http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com.

Google



MORE RESOURCES:

TheStreet.com

S&P upgrades Invesco credit ratings
BusinessWeek
Standard & Poor's raised investment-grade credit ratings for Invesco Holding Co. Ltd. on Wednesday, citing the investment manager's recent performance ...
S&P says may cut AT&T's credit rating by one notchReuters
AT&T Placed on Credit Watch NegativeTheStreet.com
AT&T: Focus On Buybacks Could Spur S&P Credit Rating CutBarron's (blog)
Dallas Business Journal -Phone Plus (blog) -ClaimsJournal.com
all 62 news articles »


Credit Unions Can Do More Small Business Lending, Cheney Says
BusinessWeek
July 29 (Bloomberg) -- Congress should raise the lending limits for credit unions because it would help small businesses and create jobs ...

and more »


The Business Insider

Real Estate Bonds Entice Goldman as Ford Sells: Credit Markets
BusinessWeek
Elsewhere in credit markets, Bank of America Corp., the largest US lender, and Banco Santander SA, Spain's biggest bank, are selling bonds in euros after ...
Goldman and Citigroup to Sell $788.5 Million CMBSABC News

all 32 news articles »



Cabela's Inc. Announces Plans for Store in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
MarketWatch (press release)
Cabela's also issues the Cabela's CLUB(R) Visa credit card, which serves as its primary customer loyalty rewards program. Cabela's stock trades on the New ...
Cabela's 2Q Profit Nearly Doubles to $18 MillionABC News
Big box outfitting store to open in EdmontonEdmonton Journal

all 98 news articles »


Reuters

Swiss Stocks Rise; Credit Suisse, UBS Jump on Banking Upgrade, ABB Climbs
Bloomberg
The pesticide maker's drop offset Credit Suisse Group AG's 1.1 percent advance after Deutsche Bank AG raised its recommendation for the European banking ...
Gruebel Tops Goldman Sachs With `Don't Lose Any Money' Risk-Mantra at UBSBloomberg
UBS May Lift Fixed-Income TargetsWall Street Journal (blog)
UBS posts second-quarter profit of $1.9 billionThe Associated Press
Forbes -Reuters -Toronto Star
all 588 news articles »


Which Casinos Still Face Credit Woes?
TheStreet.com
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Credit woes still loom for casino companies, according to Moody's Investor Services. ...
Moody's Says Casino Industry Still UncertainABC News
Gaming industry's outlook uncertainLas Vegas Review-Journal

all 46 news articles »



Asia's Bond Issuers Target Record Year
Wall Street Journal
As a reflection of the Asian credit mood, the JP Morgan Asia Credit Index, which include investment and junk-rated companies and governments, ...
Company Bond Returns Trailing Stocks by Most Since February: Canada CreditBloomberg
MultiPlan Offers Debt in Busiest July Since at Least '98: New Issue AlertBloomberg
ANALYSIS-Banks rethink may prompt investor return from junkForexyard

all 10 news articles »


Flourishing Five No. 3: Credit Tressel for Buckeyes' dominant decade
CBSSports.com
(Third in a series. Some schools have great football teams. Some have great basketball teams. But a select few have the best of both worlds. ...

and more »

Google News

Targeted Visitors

2006 Babies. Com

Newairpurifiers.com

Publicautocredit.com

Breast-Cancer-Knowlwdge.org

CreditScoreUSA.org

TheSweetMagnolia.com

AcneAdvocate.com

Tell the World

CALIFORNIA-HOUSE-FLIP.COM

SFCRONICLECARS.COM

Reginerst.com

cheapwi.com

forex-info-4u.com

car loan with bad credit or no credit
yes car credit
used car bad credit
bad credit car loan financing
car n credit
bad credit car financing
refinance car with bad credit
car no credit check
buy a car with bad credit
car bad credit
car credit center
bad credit car finance
buying a car with bad credit
buy a new car with bad credit
car no credit
bad credit car dealer
car loan bad credit history
car rental without credit card
no credit card car rental
car loan for people with bad credit
no credit car loan
carecredit
new car bad credit
refinancing car loan with bad credit
bad credit need car
bad credit car refinancing
how to get a car loan with bad credit

 

 

 

font size="6" color="#0000FF">Credit Score USA.org

 

> home | site map © 2006