True Earnings® Card from Costco and American Express
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Earn cash back on gas and a $25 statement credit with your first purchase made with the Card.
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Earn cash back virtually everywhere you go - 3% for annual gasoline purchases of up to $3,000 (1% thereafter), 3% for restaurants, 2% for travel, 1% everywhere else, including Costco.
5% cash back in quarterly bonus categories like gas, home improvement and department stores, subject to quarterly maximum. Signing up is free and easy!
Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points when you spend $500 in your first 3 months of Card membership - redeemable for select gift cards valued at $100!
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The Membership Rewards program - Turn your everyday purchases into Membership Rewards points, and then redeem them for an amazing collection of travel, shopping, dining and entertainment rewards.
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Gold Card Events - exclusive access to tickets for select concerts, shows, major sporting events, and more in cities nationwide.
Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express
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Earn 20,000 bonus SkyMiles® (including 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles) after first purchase and another 2,500 for adding an Additional Cardmember.
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Earn one companion Coach Class ticket each year upon renewal.
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Earn at least 1 mile for every eligible dollar spent.
3-2-1 Points: Earn Membership Rewards® points up to three times as fast: You can earn 3X points on airfare, 2X points on gas and groceries, and 1X points on everything else.
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No annual fee for your first year, a savings of $175.
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Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards bonus points when you spend $1,000 in your first 3 months of Card membership.
0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months and no annual fee.
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Flexibility to pay over time.
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Turn purchases into free travel: Enjoy travel rewards with no travel restrictions or blackout dates - get points for flights on any airline, stays at any hotel, and car rentals with any company.
5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like travel, department stores, gas, groceries, restaurants, and more means extra money for you, and extra toppings for your pizza.
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5% to 20% Cashback Bonus at our exclusive (as in you need to be on the list) online shopping mall.
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Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on everything else you buy - from textbooks to toothpaste, automatically.
Build your credit with our contest-winning student card design - 250,000 votes on 7,000 submissions resulted in the new Mix Tape. Get yours today!
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5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like travel, department stores, gas, groceries, restaurants, and more means extra money for you, and extra toppings for your pizza.
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5% to 20% Cashback Bonus at our exclusive (as in you need to be on the list) online shopping mall.
5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like travel, department stores, gas, groceries, restaurants, and more means extra money for you, and extra toppings for your pizza.
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5% to 20% Cashback Bonus at our exclusive (as in you need to be on the list) online shopping mall.
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Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on everything else you buy - from textbooks to toothpaste, automatically.
Take a good look at your Pre-Approved Credit Card Offers
Chances are you have received offers in the mail asking if you would like to open credit card accounts. Frequently, these offers say that you have been "pre-approved" for the card, with a line of credit already set aside for your use. Typically, these offers urge you to accept quickly, "before the offer expires." However, before accepting a credit card offer, understand the cards credit terms and compare costs of similar cards to get the features and terms you want.
I'm a foreigner and need a credit card to establish credit. I have a Social Security number, but I?m not a U.S. resident. Are there any cards that I may apply for and get approved?
There are many cards you can apply for, as long as you have a social security number. However, you may find it difficult to get approved because you do not have a credit history in the U.S. To start building a credit history in the U.S., you need to obtain credit from a credit card company or bank that reports to all three of the major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). You might have to consider credit cards with higher interest rates, security deposits, lower credit balances or application fees. Read all the terms and conditions thoroughly to protect yourself from a card that will cause you more harm than good. If you have a checking or savings account, apply for your bank?s credit card. They may approve you since you have a financial history with them. Also, they may add a stipulation that late or missed payments will be withdrawn automatically from your checking or savings account. Remember: always avoid any credit card offers that charge high fees. There are plenty of options out there to help you establish credit. You do not have to go into high debt to do so. Once you establish a positive credit history, you can then get approved for credit cards that cost you less and offer you more.
I wanted to get a credit card but I do not have any credit history. Are there other ways to build a credit history?
to someone seeking credit for the first time, it may seem like a vicious circle: You cant get credit without a credit history, and you cant establish a credit history without credit! Frustrating, isnt it? Interestingly, some institutions only look only at your salary, job and the other financial information that you put on the application to determine if you qualify for their card. However most will be interested in your track record -- How have you handled other debts -- and will ask to see your credit report. To get the story on you, institutions will turn to information provided by credit-reporting agencies or credit bureaus like Equifax that collect, store and quantify information about borrowers. The records show your credit history -- how much credit youve received and how faithfully youve repaid. Fortunately, even if youve never had a Mastercard, American Express, Visa, Discover, or other major credit card, you can still build a good credit history: ? Open a checking account or savings account or both. Although not part of your credit history, your accounts may be checked by potential lenders as evidence that you have money and know how to manage it. ? Cancelled checks can be used to show that you pay utilities or rent bills regularly, a sign of reliability. ? Apply for a department store credit card. Stores dont ask for credit histories as often as major credit card institutions, so you should be able to get a card based on your annual salary. Then, repaying your store bills on time becomes a major "positive" in your credit history. ? Look for a financial institution that will allow you to deposit funds to serve as collateral for a credit card. Some institutions issue a credit card with a credit limit equal to the amount on deposit. These cards are relatively easy to obtain and as with your department store card, paying these bills on time will enhance your credit history. ? If you dont have a credit history because you?re new in town, request a summary of any credit record kept by a credit bureau in your former town. Dont know whom to contact? Ask the bank or department store in your former town for the name of the agency it reports to. You may already have a great credit history and not realize it. If you do, its time to "comparison shop" the credit card companies and find out who has the best deal to offer you.
Previous Balance
Previous Balance. As the name suggests, this balance is simply the amount that you owed at the end of the previous billing period. Payments, credits, or new purchases made during the current billing period are not taken into account. Some creditors also exclude unpaid finance charges in computing this balance. If you do not understand how the balance on your account is computed, ask the card issuer. (An explanation of how the balance was determined must appear on the billing statements the card issuer provides you and on applications and pre-approved solicitations the card issuer may send you.)
I would like to re-build my credit. I filed for bankruptcy three years ago. How do I find a lender that will give me reasonable annual fee and interest rate?
Its true: after filing for bankruptcy, credit can be difficult to obtain. And what makes things worse is that your credit score will drop even lower each time a company disapproves your application. That means its doubly important that you apply for a card that youre likely to get rather than risk a turn-down. Youre definitely "at risk" at this time? a target for unscrupulous lenders with big promises and shady deals. Many lenders will try to entice you with "super-low interest rates for those who filed for bankruptcy." It all sounds good until they come up with some questionable reason why you dont qualify and then try to convince you to sign up for a card with high rates and fees. Beware! Other companies may offer low teaser rates, but then hike the interest after a short period of time. And if you miss a payment -- look out! Some impose outrageous fees for late payments, sticking you with a $25 fine when youre late on a $5 payment. Heres a secret credit card companies dont want you to know: Late fees represent as much as one-third of the income of some credit-card issuers.
When should credit card payments be credited?
A card issuer must credit your account on the day the issuer receives your payment, unless the payment is not made according to the creditors requirements or the delay in crediting to your account does not result in a charge. To avoid delays that could result in finance charges, follow the card issuers instructions about where to send payments. Payments sent to other locations could delay getting credit for your payment for up to five days. If you lose your payment envelope, look on the billing statement for the address for payments or call the card issuer.
I would like to re-build my credit. I filed for bankruptcy three years ago. How do I find a lender that will give me reasonable annual fee and interest rate?
Its true: after filing for bankruptcy, credit can be difficult to obtain. And what makes things worse is that your credit score will drop even lower each time a company disapproves your application. That means its doubly important that you apply for a card that youre likely to get rather than risk a turn-down. Youre definitely "at risk" at this time? a target for unscrupulous lenders with big promises and shady deals. Many lenders will try to entice you with "super-low interest rates for those who filed for bankruptcy." It all sounds good until they come up with some questionable reason why you dont qualify and then try to convince you to sign up for a card with high rates and fees. Beware! Other companies may offer low teaser rates, but then hike the interest after a short period of time. And if you miss a payment -- look out! Some impose outrageous fees for late payments, sticking you with a $25 fine when youre late on a $5 payment. Heres a secret credit card companies dont want you to know: Late fees represent as much as one-third of the income of some credit-card issuers.
Why Does APR fluctuate?
some credit card plans allow the card issuer to change the annual percentage rate on your account when interest rates or other economic Indicators (called indexes) change. Because the rate change is linked to the performance of the index, which may rise or fall, these plans are commonly called "variable rate" plans. Rate changes raise or lower the amount of the finance charge you pay on your account. If the credit card you are considering has a variable rate feature, the card issuer must tell you that the rate may vary and how the rate is determined, including which index is used and what additional amount (the "margin") is added to the index to determine your new rate. You also must be told how much and how often your rate may change.
Cash Advance
the world of credit can be a maze for the college student. This is why you should always exercise caution when applying for credit cards and using the cards you have. By making careful choices and responsible decisions, you can avoid financial disaster and get the most out your credit. If you educate yourself on credit and understand the terms of all cards you apply for, you can begin to create an excellent credit history for yourself. And with a positive credit history, the sky is the limit!
Credit Limit
Every credit card has a credit limit. It can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $250,000. There are even cards, such as the MBNA Quantum Card, that has a credit limit of $1 million. This limit is all you are allowed to spend. Once you charge the full limit on your card, your card can not be used until the balance is paid down some. The more you charge on your credit card, the higher your minimum monthly payment will be. Some cards do not prevent you from charging over your credit limit. If you do so, you will find your next monthly bill has over the limit fees added to your balance. You will then be required to pay the total amount over the limit and all the penalty fees in order to avoid even more over the limit fees the next billing cycle. (Change to: You will then be required to pay at least an amount you charged over credit limit and all the penalty fees, in order to avoid even more over the limit fees the next billing cycle) As you can see, your credit card bill could easily grow out of control if you get over the limit. The moral is, stay under your credit limit!
