Sunday, September 25, 2005

this and that the I a with um the you are Buying Real Estate seven eight night ten eleven

This is a test to check to length of the file names.

I was told they would only use the first 6 words but I have never checked it.

Let’s see..

I an a with um the you are Buying Real Estate seven eight night ten eleven

This is a test to check to length of the file names.

I was told they would only use the first 6 words but I have never checked it.

Let’s see..

Credit Cards for Buying Real Estate seven eight night ten eleven

This is a test to check to length of the file names.

I was told they would only use the first 6 words but I have never checked it.

Let’s see..

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Credit Cards Plastic

Credit Cards: Plastic money



Credit Cards are the lifeline of America. If you do not have a credit card, you will not be able to rent an apartment, rent videos or shop for long.
Credit Cards are also called Plastic Money. If you have wondered why all credit cards are of same shape, size, it is because they all follow same ISO 7810 standard.

Almost, all the banks offer credit cards, however some captive banks like American Express, Centurion Bank also offer cards .The credit cards allow you to shop up to a pre negotiated limit with not an immediate payment from your account. The settlement or payment is done at the end of fixed period say a after every 50 days or so.

When you shop with a credit card, the merchant runs your card over a machine that reads a magnetic strip at the back of card, his machine is attached to a phone line that verifies if your credit card has  expired or not and also,  if you have enough limit to cover your purchase. After verification, he generates a receipt that you can keep and a copy he keeps with himself.

There is another kind of Credit Card called a Secured Credit Card. A secured credit card is a special type of credit card in which you must first put down a deposit between 100% and 200% of the total amount of credit you desire. Thus if you put down $5000, you   will be given credit in the range of $2500–$5000. This deposit is held in a special savings account. You are   still expected to make regular payment, as you would with a regular credit card, but should you default on a payment, the card issuer can deduct payments on the card out of the deposit.
Each month the credit card company will send you a statement that reflects all the purchases you have made and will also indicate in that statement due date. You must pay a certain amount till that due date.
Credit Cards charge different interest rates according to the credit ratings of the consumer. The credit rating is a simple number which lenders use to determine whether or not they will give a loan or line of credit to you. Credit ratings are extremely important if you want a low charge, good credit card. You must understand the credit ratings system very well and also take some steps to establish a good rating.
There are three main agencies which credit card issuing banks go to in order to acquire an individual's credit rating: Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian. Many banks get two or more reports, as details may differ among the agencies. Opinions differ as to which agency is the best or most accurate. The formula used by these three agencies is known as FICO, named after the Fair Isaac Credit Organization, one of the first companies to begin using credit ratings in the 1950s. A FICO score is a number ranging from 300 to 900, and roughly approximates the risk an individual poses to a lender. If you have a   rating of 300, you are considered extremely risky, while 900 indicate virtually no risk.
To establish good credit rating you will first need to take a credit card with higher interest rate and then you must start spending on this card as this will ensure that you are getting ratings. However always pay your dues in time and never ever default on payments. Do not get into bad debts that you can not pay.
Apply for credit for small time frame say few months and avoid while spending. When you are extended the credit, duly pay it. Each such activity will reflect on your credit rating thereby when you have good ratings ,you can get new credit cards, one that offer lower rates and easier terms. Take a secured loan, a loan against your own savings. It is like taking a loan against the $1000 savings in the bank you had and paying it after a month but this reflects very well on your credit report. All these in a span of 3 years will give you excellent ratings and you can then easily get best rates from Credit Card companies.
Once you get a good credit card, keep a tab on your spends by regularly checking with the company. Most credit companies offer an online access to your account so do not start binging but carefully spend the money. Also, if you have more then one card try   your gain by keeping your purchases in the grace period that is the time for which you are charged no interest at all. Transfer all your balances  
Credit cards are easiest mode of currency today. Next time you go shopping, spend smartly with your credit card!!