The Lowdown on Low Interest Rate Credit Cards

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 29th, 2010

Low interest rate credit cards are useful for those who carry their credit card balance forward every month. However, not all applicants for a low interest rate credit card actually manage to acquire one. The reason for this is that these cards require a good to excellent credit rating, which precludes many potential cardholders.

There is sufficient information available online for an individual looking out for a low interest rate credit card; these cards are advertised aggressively. The average rate of interest with a low interest rate credit card is around 9%; it can go down to 5.5% for individuals with exceptional credit scores. Individuals with poor credit scores can negotiate with credit card companies for a deal that suits their requirement -- the company may agree if the individual has had a steady income for the past few months and is likely to continue earning in the future.

Companies that offer low interest rate cards try to compensate for the low rates in various ways; these include an annual fee which may be up to $60. The actual rate of interest can be much higher than stated when the annual fee is considered; one should try and obtain a card that does not charge an annual fee. Often, credit card companies waive the annual fees upon request.

Low interest rate credit cards are often advertised as offering a 0% APR for the introductory period. This is a strong enticement for credit card prospects that spend heavily during the initial period only to find the interest rate escalate to upward of 15% at the end of the introductory period. A low introductory rate is fine if one plans to transfer a balance from one card to another, but otherwise it should not be considered as one of the influencing factors when selecting a low interest rate credit card. Low interest rate credit cards also try to make up for the low rate of credit by charging high balance transfer fees; sometimes these fees can be as high as 3% of the transfer amount. Therefore, it is important that one carefully reads and understands the terms and conditions related to a low interest rate credit card before signing up for one.

Low interest rate credit cards charge either a variable or a fixed rate of interest. A fixed rate of credit is advisable for card holders who are in the habit of carrying their balances forward every month. These cards also offer the opportunity for debt consolidation. One can transfer the balance from other cards to a low interest rate credit card that charges either no or low transaction fees, and the savings on the interest can be diverted towards paying off the principal.