It is the day after Thanksgiving and everyone has started shopping for Christmas. Malls are packed and people are fighting for the things that they want for their loved one. Where are you? Me, I am at home sitting in front of my computer taking care of my Christmas shopping and getting the same deals without the fighting. I am shopping online. There are a lot of people that are online shoppers and there are some people that believe that shopping online is a big rip off. Let’s take a look at some of the pro’s and con’s for shopping online.

As I said before shopping online you do not have to fight the crowd for that one item you want. You don’t have to circle the parking lot several times looking for a parking place and you don’t have to spend your gas going to the store. But by shopping online you won’t get your merchandise right away unless you pay more, you will have to pay shipping and handling and some delivery companies charge a fuel charge.

Customer service is another issue. Shopping online you have to call customer service when you have a problem and most likely you will sit on the phone for a while. If you go to the store you can go to the customer service counter and talk to the person one on one and take care of the problem in just a matter of minutes unless there is a long line.

Many times online stores have a better selection than they have in the stores. This is because the online site is showing what they have in the warehouse and at the store you only see what that one store might have in stock. If you are having trouble finding something at the store you may have a better chance of finding it online. If shopping online stores don’t work you can always check Ebay they have everything.

Insurance is another key issue when it comes to shopping online. If you go to some of the auction sites where you are not dealing with a store but other individuals that are trying to sell things online it is a good idea to also get insurance when you make a purchase so that if you don’t get your item you still don’t loose your money.

Every person is different. If you would rather go to the stores and make all your purchases and you think the internet is one big scam. Then you will be more at ease Shopping your way. If you are one that for some reason can’t get to the store or you don’t want to waste gas and you can wait for your merchandise then shopping online is more your thing. If you haven’t done it before give it a try. You may actually like it all you need is a credit card, and just type in a little bit of information. like your name and address so that the store knows where to send your package.

Since most Americans have credit cards, it is important to know how to use them in a smart way. Very often we hear talking, how bad credit companies are. But in fact, they are not bad. They are even good in giving us the opportunity of having a credit. 

First rule to follow: protect your credit score. When you use your credit card to make purchases, you have a certain amount of time (usually one month) to pay that card off or you will be charged interest. If you are late making the payment you’re then charged late fees. Also, any late payment lowers your credit score.

Another term that you need to be familiar with when dealing with credit cards is grace period. A grace period is the time that the credit card company gives you to pay the bill before you are charged interest rates and finance charges. There are three types of grace periods commonly associated with credit cards. They are: a typical grace period, a full grace period, and no grace period.

A typical grace period you pay interest on all new purchases unless you have paid off your previously monthly balance. A full grace period means that you never pay interest on new purchases regardless of weather you paid off your balance the previous month. A no grace period means that you pay interest on new purchases weather or not you have paid off your previous months bill. The way you can figure out this information is to call your bank and ask. If you don’t have a credit card yet, it’s always better to apply for one with full grace period.

If you like to shop online, it’s really easy with credit card. When you buy something on the Internet, you don’t need to worry about people stealing your personal information. For your online purchases, most credit card companies will generate you completely different card number that is not linked to your profile with personal data.

Another good way you can use your credit card is to help you protect your large purchases. Let’s say you go to the store and buy a flat screen TV. Some credit cards have ‘extended warranty’ option. It means that if your flat screen has 1 year of warranty, (if you purchased it with your credit card) visa or mastercard could add another year of warranty to your purchase. If your TV breaks in 13 months, your credit card company will pay the repair.

When used the right way a credit card can be a good thing to have. But you have to be responsible and use caution.

People applying for credit cards pretty often: at the gas station, at retail stores. But how they can know, how many credit cards is enough for a person? There is no clear answer on this question. When you calculate your budget, you see that a part of your income goes for paying off your credit card statements? If it is more than 50 percent, chances are you have got too many credit cards.

There are other disadvantages of having too many credit cards. For one each credit card that you apply, it takes 20 points off of your credit score, that recovers only several months later. Your credit score is important because it affects the things that you will be able to do in life, like the house you will be able to live in or the car you will have to drive. If you are a young person just starting out don’t go overboard with the credit cards. Trust me when I say you are going to have to use that same credit history all your life and destroying it when you are young can lead you into a life of debt and heartache.

Many credit cards now require you to have a personal identification number (PIN). Having many cards can be confusing unless you have the same pin for each one which is not recommended. Having too many credit cards can be confusing because you may not remember all your PIN’s. 

At the same time, having a large number of credit cards can be confusing, but it is good for your credit history. If you have a lot of cards, but don’t use them, you have large “available credit”. This parameter is being used when calculating your credit score. In the eyes of the banks, more credit is available for you - better. But it’s important not to use all available credit more than 50%. Be careful.

Most Americans carry 8-10 credit cards. All these cards could lead to serious problems. Many credit card companies offer service of credit card consolidation, when you pay only one bill for all you cards. Well, taking this route can be a good idea as long as you cut up the ones you pay off and don’t take them and go on a shopping spree maxing them out again. Many credit cards offer introductory rates that are too good to be true but are just to tempting to pass up. Then after the introductory period is over then you have a credit card you can’t handle. Then you end up missing payments then are charged late payment fees and whatever other fee the credit card company wants to charge. Also making a payment late can hurt your credit score which is not an option if you want to be able to make future purchases.

Credit cards can be a great thing to have. Many things that we do these days require a credit card, but having a credit card also comes with a great sense of responsibility. Having too many cards can lead to trouble because the more cards we have the more we tend to spend and soon all of our cards are maxed out. Then we have trouble making the payments which leads to additional charges. My opinion is that if you are going to have a credit card, make it only one or two and make sure you only spend what you are going to be able to pay off as soon as you get the bill.

Are we really giving our loved ones a well thought out gift or giving them a gift that can be a real nightmare. Many gift cards have expiration dates or other hidden fees that could make its use very complicated. There are tho main kinds of gift cards on the market: retailer issued and bank issued. Let’s study them.

A retailer issued card is a gift card issued by a particular store to be used in that store. These cards most often do not have any expiration date or fees for not using the card because they know that they will get the money when the card is used. This may even bring a new customer into the store to shop. So the retailer benefits and they see no need to attach fees or expiration dates.

A bank issued gift credit card is a card that bears a credit card logo, such as visa or master card. These cards are more likely to have an expiration date and fees if you do not use your card in a certain amount of time. Americans have lost millions of dollars by buying these kinds of gift cards because many times they do not get used before they expire. 

As a giver you should do your homework before you purchase a gift card. As a rule gift credit cards could be purchased for the amount between $25 and $500. Also, you will need to pay for shipping. For security reasons, gift credit cards greater then $100 have to be shipped to the gift purchaser. 

Gift credit cards are secure gifts. They are safer then cash because they can be replaced if lost or stolen. Plus, they provide the protection and security features you’ve come to expect from Visa or Mastercard.

If you receive a gift card, you better use it soon, because it can expire. The two main reasons that a person don’t use gift cards is because they don’t have time to shop or they don’t know what to buy. You need to know, that gift credit card can be used for online purchases as well. Just keep in mind that it will take time to deliver Christmas present.

A gift card is a great gift to give or to receive. Be careful that you are not a victim of loosing your money by doing your research on the cards that you are interested in, and the person you are giving it to.

If you don’t already have one, chances are you are considering a gas credit card. How will that help you may be saying? With a gas credit card you can pull into the gas station and not have to empty your wallet into the gas tank. With a gas credit card you can buy gas and put it on the credit card and pay for it later. Also, gas credit cards have descent cash back rewards or points for pumping gas. Consider, that you could save up to 5% on gas, using gas credit card. Also you can earn up to 5 points per dollar spent, that you can redeem on gas or vehicle service later.

You need to know, that gas credit cards are not the same. They can be divided on 2 categories: “gas station brand name cards” (no visa/mastercard/amex logo on it) and gas credit cards issued by banks with visa/mastercard/amex logo. What it the difference?

Gas station brand name cards let you buy gas or merchandise only from any particular gas station, like BP or Sunoco, for example. You cannot use this card anywhere else. Consider applying for this card if you know exactly that you going to use any of these particular gas stations for buying gas. But discounts and cash backs usually better with these credit cards, because they work like “Fidelity card”, that forces to be loyal to any particular gas brand.

There are also gas credit cards issued by banks. They let you buy fuel everywhere you want. Sometimes gas price could be better across the street, and you going to have you discount anyways. These cards give you more freedom in making decisions, where to buy gas for your car. Also it’s useful for trips: you have no idea, at what gas station you going to pump next. At the same time, gas credit cards issued by banks have visa/mastercard/amex logo on it and accepted for any purchases, not even gas.

Many top name gas stations offer their own credit cards. You can apply at the station you use most often or you can go online to a credit card comparison site and compare the gas cards side by side to see what is the best one for you and apply for it right there on the internet. A gas card is also good for keeping track of how much gas you spend each month and sense many homes have more than one car you can know which car is using most gas.

A gas credit card is a welcome sight when you see the price signs at the gas station these days. However as with all other credit cards they should be used with caution and keep track of what you are spending so that you are still able to pay it off when you get the bill. It is much easier to swipe a card than it is to walk into the gas station, wait in line, then pay the cashier, then go out and pump your gas. Go to your favorite station or visit a website like http://www.credit-cards-accepted.com and apply for your gas card today.

Gas credit cards at http://www.credit-card-accepted.com

In my opinion the pre-paid credit card is the best kind of credit card to have. Like many Americans today I can’t get approved for a credit card and since credit cards are needed for most anything like shopping online or renting a car this is the perfect solution, or is it?

A credit card is a lot like a checkbook. You can write checks as long as you have money in the bank. Then banks came out with a debit card giving them greater freedom while still using their checking or savings account. Now you can shop online or do whatever you need to using what looks like a credit card.

Then came the pre-paid credit card. This is much the same as a debit card but you don’t have to have the checking account. All you have to do is apply for the pre-paid credit card with almost a 100 percent approval guarantee. Once you have the card then you can go to the places they tell you and load money on your card. Then you have the freedom to spend at least until you use all the money on the card then you have to load it again.

With most of these pre-paid credit cards they charge an activation fee at first which is usually $5 or $10 then they charge a fee every time you load the card after that. But for people that have bad credit and can not get a real credit card it is well worth the fees so that you can have the spending power you need.

Although a pre-paid credit card is by far easier to get approved for than a credit card they are still all different and each one offers different incentives like some do not charge a loading fee. Some allow you to load your card using western union or have your employer load your paycheck on your card. It is best for you to go to a website where you can look at all the different cards and compare them. I am sure you will find the one you want and then you can apply for it right there online.

In many ways a pre-paid credit card is better to have than a credit card. One you don’t have to worry about APR, finance charges, late fees, and even a bill. If you don’t have the money already on the card you will not be able to use it. So if you have bad credit or no credit and you are unable to do the things you want because you don’t have a credit card you don’t have to look any further than a pre-paid credit card.

Don’t let bad credit or no credit stop you from shopping online or renting a car. You can be like everyone else and get a pre-paid credit card they are honored everywhere just like a credit card and these don’t let you spend more money than what you have and you don’t have to worry about paying it back. Overall I will highly recommend a pre-paid credit card over a credit card any day and that is what I will tell my children when they get interested in a credit card.

Compare credit cards at http://www.credit-card-accepted.com

Cash back is a credit card companies’ way of getting you to use their credit card. They know that when people hear that they can get money back just because they spend money, they are interested. After all the money they get back can be used for important things like buying groceries or clothes for our kids. Usually companies pay cash back bonuses not on all purchases, but only on selected categories. So, while choosing a credit card with cash back, look for one, that gives you the most bonuses on purchases that you spending money on.

Cash back credit card as any source of instant credit, is a good thing to have when you are in emergencies and there is no other way to get the things that you need. However they are only good if you are able to pay off the entire credit card balance the first month after you make the charges. Once the interest rated kick in then all the cash back bonuses are eaten up by the finance charges.

The best way to choose a cash back card is to go online to a website like http://www.credit-card-accepted.com and compare cash back credit cards. There are many different ones and each one is different in their offers. Since you are the best one to know which ones are best for you it will be easy for you to apply for the ones that catch your attention. Applying online will allow you to get an immediate answer so that you will get a quick answer and you will know weather or not to apply for another if you are turned down.

Some things that you have to watch out for when getting a credit card that offers cash back bonuses are limits. There are some companies that limit the amount of points that you can earn in a year or in a month. And some take up some of that by giving extra points just for getting approved for their card. Some credit card companies charge an annual fee and others - don’t. So you want to get one that does not so you don’t have to worry about loosing your bonus to the annual fee. But from the other side, if you want to maximize your cash back return, you need to look for the card with high cash back bonus, and those ones usually have annual fees. And if you decided to go with a card with high cash back return rate and annual fee, make sure to use it often, to make it reasonable.

Getting cash back is a great thing to look forward to and it gives you incentive to spend money. The more you spend the better your bonus will be. Keep in mind though that if you don’t keep track of spending and go way over your budget and are not able to pay off your card in a month then your cash back reward will not mean anything because then you are into paying finance charges and you are wasting more money than you will be getting back. You can use your bonuses for whatever you want but the key is to be responsible and not ruin your credit with a credit card designed to help.

Online credit card application at http://www.credit-card-accepted.com 

Offering frequent flyer miles is a credit card companies’ way of getting their card holders to be long term. After all, it tales a long time to accumulate enough miles to take a trip. When you do get enough miles you want to make sure that you get the trip you want. The class you want, the destination you want, the seat you like, and all the other perks you are use to when it comes to flying. The best way to do this is make sure that the card don’t have any restrictions and book your vacation flight early to ensure what you want.

Before you go out and apply for every credit cards that offer frequent flyer miles there are a few things that you should look for. Many cards offer bonus miles just for you signing up to carry their card many times it is about 15,000 bonus miles. You should look for cards that reward you a mile for every dollar you spend or one point for every mile you fly. Pay close attention to the annual fee. Many times credit card companies offer cards with no annual fee, but only for the first year. Be aware that, next year you could get stuck with $75 or $95 charge only for the right of collecting these miles. Many credit card companies tell you what the maximum number of points that you can accumulate, so if you are a frequent flyer you want that number to be high and you want to apply for the ones that fit your travel schedule. The more you travel the more you want the maximum point to be. You also want to make sure that your credit card company won’t take your miles if you do not use you card for a certain amount of time. Some companies do this and that is really unfair. You want to make sure that your credit card company will allow you to travel on any airline you choose. You don’t want to be restricted just to one airline.

Frequent flyer credit cards have some pro’s and con’s for example it is good to be able to have the miles so you can use them to book flights or book hotel rooms, but in many cases you have to pay a booking fee which uses some of your points and frequent flyer miles do not cover children’s tickets so if you are planning a family trip you will have to pay cash for your children’s tickets.

The best way to find a credit card that is right for you and your travel schedule is to go online to a credit card comparison site and compare the credit cards. It is also best to apply online for the ones you choose. Don’t worry the process is confidential and your information will not be sold. You will be able to get an instant response so that you know weather or not to apply for another card in the event you get turned down

A student credit card is the first credit card that most people get. These are the cards that companies offer to students in high school and college. The line of credit is usually low because the company knows that students do not make a lot of money and will not be able to make a big monthly credit card payment. A student credit card is much easier to handle than a check book and offer more convince in paying for books, tuition, and buying anything that they may need for school.

For parents that are interested in controlling their child’s spending they can get the credit card in their name this way they get the bills and can see if the child is going overboard with the credit card. The parent can then help keep the child from making bad decisions and getting into debt before they even are out of school. Another thing that may help a parent that wants the child to be able to have a credit card for the things they need but don’t want them to go overboard is a pre-paid credit card. This allows the parents to load the card and the student can not spend more than what is on the card.

Remember that whatever you do now will affect the rest of your life. If you go overboard with credit cards and are not able to pay them off every month you will have to pay finance charges and late fees when you are late. Once you get into trouble with credit cards it will affect your credit score and make it harder for you to get a car or a house in the future. So when you get your credit card the wise thing to do is only use it when you have no other choice and pay it off as soon as you can.

When you are looking for a student credit card that is right for you it is a good idea to go to a credit card website that allows you to compare them side by side so that you can choose the ones that is right for you and apply for them online. This way you can get an instant response and if you are turned down you will know it immediately so you can apply for another one. Chances of being turned down are slim because the credit card company knows that at that age the applicant has little or no credit and don’t have much income. The beigest problem you may have in finding the right interest rate.

In summary student credit cards are good to have for times when you need the cash but you don’t have it. Having a credit card as a student requires a lot of responsibility and restraints. Knowing what you need for school and what you think you need to impress your friends. Being responsible now can mean getting the things you want in the future. Getting a credit card in your parents name is a good way for your parents to help you look out for your future.

Rewards are the credit card companies’ way of getting you to use their cards. They offer things like cash back, points, and frequent flyer miles just to name a few. Each credit card company offers different rewards the best thing to do is to compare credit cards to see which one has the rewards that you are interested in.

The cash back reward is the credit cards way of saying thank you. They give you back so much money on every purchase you make. Some of them start from sending you upfront check as soon as you start using your card. Then they continue paying you a percentage of your purchase - “back in cash”, from 1 to 3 percent.

Point rewards is another way credit card companies reward you for using their card. Each company offers points at a different rate. Some reward extra points on your first purchase and points for other things like buying gas with the credit card buying groceries and prescription drugs are usually all purchases that get you points. Usually, large retail stores do short-term promotions and reward customers with double or triple rewards during any period of time, like weekend or something. Once you have accumulated a lot of points you can redeem them for merchandise, gift cards or even cash back so that you can buy whatever you want.

For people that like to travel by airplane credit card companies offer frequent flyer miles. When you make a purchase with the credit card you earn a certain number of miles for each dollar you spend. When you have earned enough miles you can take a trip to wherever you want to go either for business or pleasure. When you are applying for a credit card for frequent flyer miles you want to make sure that you get a card that lets you travel whenever you want to and you don’t have to worry about blackout dates. You also want to make sure you can go wherever you want to go and there are no restrictions on destination. Frequent flyer miles are a good way to save for that family vacation.

To choose the card that is right for you, think of what do you spend your money on. For example, if you have relatives in Alaska and visit them a lot, it might make sense to apply for Alaska Airlines credit card in order to accumulate points for every time you buy a ticket from this company. May be every 3-rd trip could be for free or with very good discount! Think of getting a gas points cards if you travel a lot. Think about hardware store points card if you are in construction business.

All of these rewards are great but don’t fall into the credit card companies trap and go on a spending spree so that you will earn enough miles for the vacation. The truth is that if you had saved the money you spent on the spending spree you probably could have paid for the trip in the first place. This is the kind of mindset that the credit card company is hoping they can get you into because even though they may give you two miles for every dollar you spend they are making a lot more money than you think. Not to mention how many purchases you will have to make for a family of four to travel a thousand miles. No matter what you do with your credit card you have to act responsibly