So, why do 0% APR credit cards exist? Its simple. By offering 0% APR credit cards, companies hope that their customers are going to embark on a spending frenzy. When the phenomenally low APR rate ends, 0% APR credit cards turn into credit cards charging a normal interest rate. The customer has to pay at this rate until their balance is paid in full.

For this reason if youre considering signing up for a 0% APR credit card, it is very important you do whatever you can to pay your balance before the 0% APR term is up. For example, if you get a 0% APR credit card that has a 0% APR for 1 year, you will have exactly 1 year to pay whatever balance you have before you get charged interest. To try and avoid having a balance that you cant afford, its best to spend small and pay it off as soon as you can. You may even want to make your own personal payment plan where you set aside some money thats to only be used for paying your credit card.

With that being said, if youre still interested in obtaining a 0% APR credit card, you should look no further than the Internet. Of course, it may be tempting to use one of the offers that come in the mail, but if you do that you may not get the best 0% APR credit card available. This is because there are some 0% APR credit cards that, in addition to offering a non-existent APR, also offer additional rewards. These can include: special points that can be redeemed for merchandise, travel rewards or even cash back. This means if you spend carefully enough, a 0% APR credit card can actually earn you free stuff or cash to help you pay your other bills. But if you sign up with just any 0% APR credit card offer you might receive in the mail, you may not get these advantages.

So, set the mailing aside and go on the Internet first. Visit a credit card comparison website, choose a card and follow the prompts to sign up for the offer. When you are finished, most 0% APR credit card sites will let you know in a matter of minutes if youre approved or not. If youre not approved do the process again. Keep doing it until you find the right 0% APR credit card. If you cant find anything, only then should you send in any mail-in offers you may have received.

The Truth About 0 APR Credit Cards

These types of 0 APR credit cards are offered by popular credit card lenders including American Express, Citibank, Chase, HSBC, and Discover. These cards have many benefits to offer if you have a good to excellent credit rating.

Keep in mind, that the zero percent offered with these cards is not permanent. It is an introductory rate and is typically offered for ninety days to as long as 12 months. At the end of the interest-free or zero percent periods, cardholders will have to pay a higher ongoing interest rate. Generally, these rates could vary between 10 % – 14% and sometimes can be as high as 24%.

A 0 APR credit card is ideal when you want to purchase something expensive but cannot find another way to finance it. There will be no interest charges for the in and you will have the introductory buffer period to pay off the expense. But buyer beware … make sure you can pay the purchase off before the introductory APR expires.

Most 0 Interest credit cards allow balance transfers from your existing higher interest cards and many will waive the transfer fees. This is one of the best methods to pay off debts at a faster rate, leading to substantial savings on the interest charges incurred.

It is possible that a single credit card can have multiple APRs including the following:
1) One APR for balance transfers, one for purchases, and one for cash advances the APR normally would be higher for cash advances compared to balance transfers and purchases.
2) Tiered APRs Different APR levels can be assigned for different account balance levels or tiers, e.g., 15% for balances between $1 – $500 and 17% for balances higher than $500, etc..
3) Introductory APR 0 APR as the introductory offer and a higher rate upon expiration of the introductory period.
4) Penalty APR A penalty APR rate may apply if you are late with your payments.

The Traps to Watch Out For:
A 0 APR credit card is an attractive proposition, and often is too tempting an offer to resist. However, it is essential to be informed about the often-untold catches in these lucrative offers.

1. The 0 APR is a Limited Time Offer In general, the 0 APR offered is only for a limited period. The period could vary from 3 months to 12 months. This implies that purchases made during this period will not attract any interest. You need to be cautious about the expiry period and remember to pay off before the period ends inorder to avoid hefty interest charges.

2. Once the introductory period is over, the 0 APR credit card may have a ridiculously high interest rate like 20% or higher.

3. On-Time Payment Most of these 0 Interest credit cards require you to pay the minimum payment on time every month during the introductory period. Late payments will result in penalties that include shifting the remaining balance to a much higher APR.

4. Complete Payment Certain 0 APR cards require you to pay off the balance entirely before the expiration period of the introductory offer. If not, the default high interest rate could be applied to the entire balance. Ensure that you understand these credit card terms clearly.

5. Applicability of the 0 APR Most of the 0 Interest cards offer the 0 APR on new purchases and balance transfers in the introductory period. However, there are some cards that offer 0 APR on balance transfers only with higher applicable APR’s on new purchases.

6. Other Fees Some credit card companies compensate the 0 APR by charging high annual fees or transfer fees on balance transfers.

7. Cap on Balance Transfer Certain cards may have a cap or limit on the balance transfer amount. This means that the 0 APR will apply only for the amount within the cap limit and anything more will be charged the default higher APR.

While it may be an attractive offer to go for 0 APR credit cards, it may not be a wise decision in certain scenarios. So, before you seriously consider a 0 APR credit card, it is essential to compute credit balances, interest rates, and your pay off capability. Read the terms and conditions carefully to avoid credit traps. Understanding the fine print could have substantial savings apart from trouble free credit rating.

What Are They?

The first thing for you to do is to understand what 0% APR credit cards actually are. Having this card will allow you to use credit without any interest accumulating on the amount that you have borrowed. Any fees including annual fees will still apply, but this amount of money is not something that you have to worry about having a 25% interest rate charge on top of, at least, not at first.

The 0% APR credit card is offered strictly as an introductory rate. It is never offered for the life of the card or even for an extended amount of time beyond say, 12 months. You will most certainly have this 0% interest for just a limited time. Sometimes it is just a few months, other times it can be as long 15 months for some of the longer, extended introductory APR offers. The goal that you should have is to take full advantage of this offer within the timeframe of the introductory offer and consider how it can benefit you.

Your Benefits

First off, you should look very closely at the particulars of each 0% APR credit cards offer that you are considering. Ask yourself the following questions:

* How long does the card offer keep this introductory rate?

* What is the ongoing APR after that introductory period is over?

* Is this an APR that you can live with, especially if you are a cardholder that tends to carry large card balances?

* Are there other fees that you should take into consideration, such as an annual fee?

* How well does this compare to your current credit cards?

* How well does it compare overall to the other offers you are considering?

Since all credit card offers are a bit different, make sure you read the details before you just accept any offer out there.

Your benefits come in when you can take what is being offered to you, in this case a 0% APR credit card, and use it to your advantage to save money, and in some instances, a lot of money. Lets say that you currently have a credit card that you have a 25% APR on, which is considered anything but cheap. Now, you are looking to find a way to lower the amount but the lender wont offer a drop in the APR (you should always call and ask for your current lender to lower your APR!) One thing that you should also do is determine if your 0% APR credit card offer applies to purchase, balance transfers or both. If the introductory rate only applies to balance transfers, you should move your outstanding balances to the new account, and ultimately pay it off before the introductory period ends. If the introductory APR applies only to new purchases, you should use this new card
strictly for all new purchases while continuing to pay down the balances on your higher APR cards. And if the 0% introductory APR applies to both purchases and balance transfers, you should centralize all of your card activity around this card for the entirety of the introductory period.

The key to any of these credit card strategies is an aggressive card balance repayment plan that minimizes the compounding effect of high APR finance charges. If you let your card balances continue to roll over, you are likely to end up paying just as much, if not much more, on the credit card anyway. Yet, those six months or more of no interest can be a true blessing to those that pay down their balances aggressively within the timeframe of the introductory period.