How to Compare Secured Credit Cards.(secured credit cards)

secured credit cards

Secured credit cards are great for those without credit or those with bad credit because they help build back credit ratings. A secured credit card is a card where a deposited is made to secure the card. This deposit can be made to a bank account or certificate of deposit.

Since you will have money holding, some institutions apply interest to your deposit thereby allowing you to earn while you spend. This interest is normally small, but is a good tool to use when comparing secured credit cards.

Outstanding balances on secured credit cards are still subject to interest, so in comparing cards it is necessary to know what the APR is. If the APR is high, carrying a balance or making just minimum payment will cost more in the long run.

Like other credit cards, the fees charged to the secured credit cards play a role when deciding on the best card for you. Look out for cards with high charges as this will reduce the amount of your deposit significantly. Additionally there are some cards with hidden charges, so be sure to read agreements carefully and ask questions. Remember when looking around that not all secured credit cards charge an application fee; if re-establishing credit is your aim this should be important as it will leave you with more money to deposit.

Do you need to buy insurance to use the card? If yes, look around for a secured card that does not have this option if increasing your spending limit is your aim.

Generally the credit limit of secured credit cards is dictated by the amount of your deposit, however, some banks only give a percentage of the deposit as the available credit. Therefore the way in which your credit limit is arrived will factor significantly in any decision on the best card for you.

If using a secure card to re-establish credit or to build credit, ensure that the issuing company report to the credit agencies.

To compare secured credit cards, Eric Wasselman recommends Find Credit Cards.

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What Do You Mean By A Secured Credit Card?.(secured credit cards)

secured credit cards

Secured credit cards are another very popular breed of credit cards. Secured credit cards, as their name suggests, are secured. Well, they are secured for the credit card supplier, really. Secured credit cards require you to open an account with the credit card supplier and maintain some cash balance in that account. This cash balance acts as a security for the supplier of secured credit card. Your credit limit is dependent on the amount you hold in the account that you have started with the supplier of secured credit card. This is generally between 50 to 100% of your account balance. So in that sense, secured credit cards are not really credit cards (since they don’t offer you any credit really). For this reason, the secured credit cards are sometimes also referred as debit cards.

Why is the concept of secured credit cards so important?

As we know, credit card debt is a raging problem which is caused by improper usage of credit cards. Such people end up spoiling their credit rating to an extent where they cannot get another unsecured credit card (that is what we call the commonly used credit cards). Even after they have paid off their dues and cleared their debt, their credit rating still haunts them. For such people, secured credit cards are a boon. Secured credit cards present them with an opportunity to not only get a credit card in the first place but also to improve their credit rating by using the secured credit card in a disciplined way (paying their dues in time, controlled spending, utilizing a maximum of 70% credit limit etc etc). As they continue with these good habits, their credit rating gradually improves over a period of time. Hence secured credit cards provide them with the means of rectifying their mistakes (credit rating).

It’s not just the people with bad credit rating who go for secured credit cards. Some people go for secured credit cards because they don’t want to bother themselves with the bills etc for credit cards. They don’t like to even fill-up application forms for unsecured credit cards.

Then there are some who just don’t like to borrow money (even if it means borrowing from a credit card supplier by using their credit card). However, such people are very rare to find.

Some people just go for secured credit cards because they have heard a lot of horrifying stories on credit card debt – maybe someone from their family or one of their friends was devastated by credit card debt and they don’t want to repeat the mistake. So they decide to go for a secured credit card.

Whatever be the reason for going for it, the secured credit cards are surely popular too.

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Additional Credit Card Options: Secured Cards, Debit Cards, And Prepaid Cards.(secured credit cards)

secured credit cards

Consumers are able to take advantage of credit cards that behave like credit cards. Each of these additional options have pros and cons of their own.

Secured Credit Cards (http://www.secured-credit-card.us)

A secured credit card requires you to make a deposit into a savings account to obtain a credit limit with the credit card. This deposit is held as a security for the amount you purchase using the credit card. In the event that you fail to make your credit card payment for whatever reason, the deposit covers your payment.

Secured credit cards are good for those who have bad credit or no credit at all. It is a way to begin rebuilding your credit by demonstrating that you can make timely payments. From the creditor’s perspective, the deposit you pay decreases your credit risk, so the credit feels comfortable extending credit to you.

Debit Cards

A debit card is directly linked to your checking account. When you use your debit card to make purchases, it is similar to using a check. The amount of the purchase will be deducted from your checking account within one to three days.

There are two kinds of debit cards: direct and deferred. A direct debit card requires a personal identification number (PIN) to be used when you make purchases. Purchases made with a direct debit card are subtracted from your checking account almost immediately. A deferred debit has a Visa or Mastercard logo and requires a signature for purchases. In many cases, both the direct and the deferred debit functions are present on the same account.

Prepaid Credit Cards

A prepaid credit card is a hybrid of the secured credit card and the debit card. With a prepaid credit card, you load a certain amount of money onto the credit card. Normally, this is anywhere between $10 and $1,500. The amount of money you load onto the account is the amount you are able to spend. Each time you spend money using a prepaid card, your available amount is reduced by the amount you have spent. For example, if you have $1,500 on your prepaid credit card and you spend $100, you then have $1400 available to spend.

One of the benefits of a prepaid credit card is that there is no interest rate on purchases you make. Since you are spending money that you’ve loaded onto the card, the card issuer has not extended credit to you. It is also easy to manage a prepaid card because you cannot spend more than you have put onto the card.

Prepaid credit cards also have their drawbacks in hefty fees charged for the credit card. Application fees, monthly maintenance charges, fees for adding and withdrawing money, and overdraft charges, are just a few of the charges that come along with using a prepaid card.

Each of these kinds of cards has their advantages and disadvantages. If you are shopping around for a card, weigh the pros and cons to make the best decision for your purchasing habits.

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