iraquideaths.com

If you are thinking about applying for a credit card, you need to step back and make sure you know what you are doing. If you are like me, you probably get dozens of credit card offers in the mail each month. These offers often appear to be quite attractive -- according to the bold print on the cover letters.

But before you go ahead and apply, you need to make sure you know the terms. Ask yourself the following questions:

What is the APR?

The APR measures the cost of keeping a balance on a credit card. Issuers are required to disclose the APR, plus any applicable interest rates, before you use your credit card. They must also tell you what limitations there are and how often your interest rate could change.

What this means is that you may have a different APR for balance transfers, cash withdrawals and promotional periods. If you default on your credit card (make a late payment), your interest rate will increase dramatically. You should know what the rates will be in all of these situations.

Keep in mind that the quoted rate in the pre-approval is not guaranteed. So make sure that you read the card terms thoroughly after you are approved. You may have a higher interest rate than you were expecting.

What is the grace period?

The grace period is the amount of time between the purchase of an item and when it begins to incur finance charges. This is important, as you want to pay off your credit card balance before you are charged interest. The longer the grace period, the better.

Some grace periods have conditions. For instance, they may only apply to purchases and cash advances. Balance transfers might not have a grace period at all.

If there is a grace period, the credit card issuer is required to mail your bill at least 14 days before the due date.

Are there any annual fees or transaction fees?

There are many credit cards that charge annual membership fees, which are often $25 or more. There are platinum and gold cards that charge hundreds of dollars. If you pay off your balance in full each month, remember that you are still paying to use your credit card through the membership fee. Most people do not need this added expense.

Credit cards often charge fees for cash advances, late payments, balance transfers and overcharge fees. These fees add up quickly. For example, a balance transfer could cost you 3% of the amount transferred. Thats an immediate $300 charge for a $10,000 transfer.

How are the finance charges calculated?

This does make a difference. You need to know how you will be charged. There are two basic methods: average daily balance and adjusted balance.

Average daily balance adds up all of your daily balances and then divides them by the total number of days in the billing period. This is your average daily balance. Most credit card companies use this method. Your average daily balance is then multiplied by your monthly periodic rate.

Adjusted balance simply subtracts your payments or credits from the balance at the end of the prior billing period. The monthly periodic rate is then multiplied by your adjusted balance.

It is important that you are able to answer all of these questions before you use a credit card. Shop around for the card that best fits your needs. Know exactly what your terms are, and watch for changes.