Credit Report Companies And Building Better Credit.(Secured Credit Cards)

Secured Credit Cards

Improving your credit score is something that interests practically everyone. Everybody wants to know how to get better credit so that they can buy the things they want in the future. Cars, homes, boats and property are all things that people aspire to own, and being able to attain them depends on one's credit score. Luckily, improving credit score can be done.

The first step to improving credit score is finding out what your current credit score is with the three different credit report companies. To find out this information, you have to visit a credit report company. There are three major credit bureaus and each has their own website. You won't even have to leave your house to find out your credit score.

Log on to the secure website of one of the three credit report companies and you will find options that include a one time only online credit check, to those that offer a constant monitoring of your credit report to let you know when changes occur. Another option would be a service that will do a merged credit report from all three companies in one report. The score that you have from the three different companies will vary as they may have different models and information to report, this is what makes it good to check all three in a merged report.

Credit scores can range anywhere between 300 and 850, with 850 considered as the best score one can have. Credit score in the range of 500-700 is common for most people. Different credit reporting companies use different scales to rate credit score as Very Bad, Bad, Fair, Good, Very Good, Great, or Excellent. You must have a minimum of Fair rating on credit score to apply for a loan or a credit card.

Don't lose hope if you don't have Fair credit, or many derogatory marks on your credit score. Always remember to pay your bills on time, apply for as few credit cards as possible and try to pay more then the minimum payment on a bill can help improve your credit score with the credit report companies.

Having a high credit score is very important because it shows that a person will likely repay debts in a responsible manner, the key factor that creditors look at. Young people do not always think that credit is so significant, but one mistake will stay on your credit for years to come.

Increasing your credit score is a topic that should interest most everyone. You score can range from 300 to 850. It is likely your score fall somewhere between 500 to 700. You can do an online credit check to get your score. There are three credit reporting companies that maintain scores. Credit report companies may have different scores for you. A good credit score it felt to be an indication of the type of person you are. A bank is more likely to lend you money if you have a good score.

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Business Credit Card Offers.(Secured Credit Cards)

Secured Credit Cards

A business platinum credit card is not one of the regular business credit cards with a unique feature where not only you but your business also benefits from it. The Blue Cash for Business Card is issued by American Express and is a nice option for business owners with average credit who want to take advantage of a great cash back reward program while making regular purchases for their business. If you are a new business and looking for a credit card, chances are you want a small business credit card.

When looking for a new small business credit card, you want to keep in mind that although you’re new and small, you don’t intend to stay that way. When looking for a business credit card, it's important to keep in mind that you're going to be considering different features than those you might look for in a personal card. The other things that you need to examine in a business credit card are similar to what you would look for in a personal credit card.

The other qualities that you need to inspect in a business credit card are similar to what you would look for in a personal credit card. If you are in need of a small business credit card, it certainly will pay to look around before you make your move to sign up with any particular company. If you decide to go with a business credit card over a corporate card, you'll want to pay close attention to the interest rates of any cards you are considering.

With a business platinum credit card, you can also expect lower interest rates (or none at all when you pay off balances each month) than you would see with regular credit cards. Once you've opened up a new business credit card, use it to make purchases on a regular basis and pay off your balances each month. Choosing a credit card for business use is not a decision to take lightly, as the card will be a major factor in the amount of money you spend for your purchases, the ease in which you can track your business expenses, and the potential for earning free items or cash back.

A business platinum credit card allows you to vary your spending every month and gives you the flexibility of spending without present limit, which makes it easier for you to spend the amount that you need. If you end up having multiple accounts for your business platinum credit card, you can easily track the spending over the Internet or by the monthly paper statements. Through the use of a credit card, you can, with little to no effort, separate your business expenses from your personal expenses.

In order to find the right credit card for your business, you should take the time to shop around and compare some of the different cards that are offered for businesses. After you have found the business credit card that works best for you, it is time to start taking full advantage of it and get your business off the ground. No matter what business credit card you choose, there may or may not be catches to it, which is why it is up to you to decide which one works the best for you and your business.

No matter what you decide regarding a small business credit card, be sure that you find the proper credit card that suits your company with a pre-set limit for spending for your employees.

For more information on how to use a business credit card to build your lines of credit for your new business, you might want to you visit http://www.CreditCardMonitor.org There are many offers for business credit cards available, doing your research will save you hundreds of dollars in interest payments per year.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Banks

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Gift Cards - Give People What They Want.(Secured Credit Cards)

Secured Credit Cards

More and more businesses nowadays are offering gift cards, and as a result they're becoming more popular.

We've all received those awful presents that we just don't want, and spent time in endless lines exchanging gifts or getting a refund.

Here are seven ways that gift cards can eliminate the gift buying blues:

1. The person who receives your gift card can buy whatever they want with it, so you know that your gift will be appreciated.
2. Many people like receiving gift cards for an experience, rather than a store card. So you might like to give someone a gift card that can be redeemed for a massage or facial, as an example. Restaurants and hotels are also starting to offer gift cards as well.
3. If you're buying for a teen, you've probably already discovered just how fast trends change. And the last thing any teen wants is to appear out-of-date. So let them worry about what's hot right now, rather than trying to work it out for yourself.
4. How about a mall card? Malls are starting to offer gift cards that can be redeemed in any store in the mall. This is great, because it gives the recipient total control over where they shop and what they buy.
5. A gift card gives more options and choices. Not everyone will want to spend the whole amount in one go, and with most gift cards they can spread their purchases over multiple shopping trips.
6. If you're buying a gift for someone who lives a long way from you, it can be a hassle to package up the gift and then expensive to post it. A gift card can go inside a normal Christmas or birthday card, for the cost of a standard letter.
7. Buying a gift card from a major retailer gives you peace of mind, because that store is going to be around for years to come. So you don't have to worry about buying a gift, only to find you need to exchange it and the store has gone out of business.

The bottom line with gift cards is that it's all about freedom of choice.

When you give a gift card, you give someone the opportunity to buy exactly what they want, and save yourself the hassle of trying to work out what they might like.

So check out what's available, and start buying gift cards instead of gifts - you won't regret it.

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Susan Helton used to be an overwhelmed shopper just like many of you.

For more great ideas and secrets to non-stressful shopping visit her website at

http://www.Gift-Card-Central.com/

or

Gift Cards - Prepaid Visa Gift Card

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Helton

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Credit Card Fraud.(Secured Credit Cards)

Secured Credit Cards

How do people obtain your credit card information to make purchases that you might have to pay for? Some of the common ways include:

Paying for dinner at a restaurant. Your waitress or waiter takes your credit card with the check for your dinner, brings it to the register and processes the transaction and returns your card with a receipt to be signed. What you didn’t notice when the card was given back to you was it wasn’t even your credit card! Some waiters and waitresses might give you a fake credit card in return and keep your credit card to go shopping with, later. Or perhaps the credit card was returned to you, but only after the waiter or waitress copied down the details and placed the information in their back pocket for later. With that information, he or she can make purchases online or by phone, and not need to sign any receipts.

Some thieves hide inside contests, because everyone wants to win things for free! You’ll receive a mailing that says you’ve won a free vacation or item that requires you join a travel club or pay for shipping on the item you’ve won. When you provide your credit card information to join the club or pay for the shipping costs, you may not ever receive the free trip or free item, and you could begin seeing charges you didn’t make appear on your credit card statement.

If a thief finds copies of your receipts or any paperwork containing your credit card details in the trash, it can be used to make purchases under your name and account.

Fraud costs credit cardholders and lenders millions of dollars annually. Not all fraud can be preventing, but there are a variety of precautionary measures you can take to help prevent yourself from becoming a victim of credit card fraud.

At the restaurant, keep an eye on the waiter or waitress as they take your card to the register to pay- or better yet, bring the card up yourself and stand there while it is processed. This will make sure that there is no time for anyone to write down your information. On the receipt, draw a line through each of the lines above your signature that contain money amounts. If you leave a cash tip on the table rather than deduct it from your credit card, draw a line through the tip line, or simply write in that space “on table”, so the waiter or waitress cannot later fill out the tip line to get themselves some money.

Whenever you receive a new credit card, sign the back immediately. Carry credit cards someplace other than your wallet. Save receipts from credit card purchases so that at the end of each month, you can compare actual purchases against what shows up on your statement to verify that everything matches and is correct. It’s just like balancing a checking account each month.

If shopping online, use virtual card numbers and make sure the website is secure and encrypts payment information before submitting to eliminate identity theft hackers from obtaining your information during transmission.

Avoid providing credit card details over the phone whenever possible.

Check your credit card billing statements every month, even if you haven’t made any purchases just to make sure that there are no purchases on the statement that you didn’t make. This helps you find fraud before it gets out of hand.

If you believe you are a victim of credit fraud or identity theft, get on the phone with your credit lenders immediately. Once it is reported, there are laws that protect you against charges made under your name and you will only be liable for up to $50, which is the maximum liability according to federal fraud laws.

Destroy Debt offers tools and advice advice to help you reduce debt. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debbie_Dragon

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Secured Credit Cards.(Secured Credit Cards)

Secured Credit Cards

When deciding upon what credit card is the best for you, don’t rule out secured credit cards. In fact, many people are finding secured credit cards to be the best option. Some people choose a secured credit card when they have had credit problems in the past, and obtaining a traditional credit card would be difficult if not impossible. Secured credit cards are great options for teaching your teenagers and college students about responsible financial spending. Secured credit cards help control your spending, since you must have the money before you can make a purchase, unlike a traditional credit card that you don’t have to have the money to back up your purchases.

So, you may be asking why bother with a credit card at all, if you have to have the cash available to fund your secured credit card. In our modern times, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do certain things without having access to a credit card. Have you ever tried renting a car or purchasing an airplane ticket without a credit card? Ever tried booking a hotel room without a credit card?

Secured credit cards work in the same manner as a checking account debit card, however, there is no actual checking or savings account associated with the card. You make a deposit to the company that issues the secured credit card, and that becomes your spending limit. When you have made purchases that reach the amount of money you deposited, you have to deposit more money in order to continue using the card.

Advantages of using a secured credit card, other than the obvious advantage of not spending more money than you actually have, include the fact that almost anyone is eligible to obtain a secured credit card. Regardless of your personal financial history and credit score, you can make a deposit with a secured card distributor and obtain a credit card. The only actual requirement to be approved for a secured card is you must be of legal age and have money to deposit on the card.

Other advantages of a secured credit card versus a traditional credit card are that you are not charged an annual percentage rate on the amount that you deposit, and you can have your paycheck deposited directly onto a secured credit card in many instances. A traditional credit card will smother you with interest rates, late fees and finance charges over time, and you’ll end up paying two to three times what you’ve actually charged to the card! With a secured card, you know exactly how much you’re paying for an item. Secured cards allow you to make purchases online when you would not be able to if you didn’t have a traditional credit card.

The main disadvantage to using a secured credit card in place of a traditional credit card is the fact that you have to have the money in advance for any purchase you want to make. While this is an advantage when considering your credit score and the perfect way to avoid getting into debt too deep for you to handle, it is also a disadvantage in the event of an emergency situation. If your car breaks, or your home’s furnace dies and you don’t have the cash available, a traditional credit card would come in handy. Perhaps without ever using traditional credit cards however, you will be able to save enough money to cover emergency instances and not need to rely on credit to bail yourself out of the emergency situation.

Secured credit cards may be the best option for your credit card needs. They allow you to travel conveniently, make purchases by phone or the internet, and without the dangers of falling into financial desperation!

This article has been provided courtesy of Creditor Web. Creditor Web offers great credit card articles available for reprint and other tools to help you search and compare secured credit cards.

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