Business Credit Card - Startup Funding for Your New Business

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 29th, 2010

If you are an entrepreneur hoping to start a new business, a business credit card may be just the thing you need. Although business credit cards have been around for many years, they have only recently started to provide incentives that are truly enticing to those starting a new business. When business credit cards were first offered to the businessperson, they were geared more toward corporate executives. This is no longer true. Today, credit card companies realize the value of the small business owner.

Types of Business Credit Cards

With the push to draw in more cardholders, credit card companies are offering a vast array of business credit cards. For this reason, it is best to take the time to compare business credit cards in order to determine which one is best for your business. For example, you can get a business credit card offering airline miles, rewards, or cash back incentives. Even if you are a new business that is using your credit card to help get yourself started, you need to take the time to choose a card that is best for the long run. Applying for every business credit card you can find and hoping to get approved for one will reflect negatively on your credit report. In addition, you might end up with a credit card that is not right for your business.

Taking Advantage of Your Business Credit Card

After you have found the business credit card that works best for you, it is time to start taking full advantage of it and get your business off the ground. In fact, a business credit card can be a great way to start pumping money into your business and helping it grow. Quick and simple, a business credit card does not require going through a long loan application process at the bank. In addition, you don't need to lie out a business plan in order to justify the loan. Instead, you are free to spend the money when you choose and how you choose, providing you with a greater amount of flexibility than a traditional loan.

After the initial set up of the business is complete, you can take complete advantage of your business credit card by paying off your business expenditures at the end of each billing cycle. This is particularly important if you have a business credit card with a high interest rate, which is common for cards with special rewards programs. If you think it might be awhile before you will gain enough revenue to pay off your loan through your business credit card right away, then you need to be sure to select one with a low APR.

Another option is find a business credit card with a great introductory APR. Some of these introductory APRs last as long as a year, while others may be just six months, three months, or one month. Sometimes, the length of this introductory offer is determined When you compare business credit cards, look for one that will provide you with an introductory period long enough to get you to the point when money starts rolling in rather than flowing out.

Growing With You

Many business credit cards do not have a preset credit limit. This can be an advantage to a small business that is just starting out because the amount you can charge on the card grows along with you. The more you spend and repay, the more leverage the credit card company will give you. This can be very handy because you do not have to wait for approval to increase your credit limit. In addition, some credit cards only allow for an increase once per year - this can be bad news for a business looking to expand. So, when you compare business credit cards, be sure to find one with plenty of spending room, or look for one that can grow as you grow.