Before we start talking about free credit cards, it is necessary to define somewhat what is meant be free in this context. While there are some credit cards out there that will charge you a monthly or annual subscription fee to become one of their customers and receive their credit card, these deals are becoming far less common than they used to be and therefore it is by far the norm now not to have to pay a subscription fee for a credit card. Therefore, a credit card being free in this sense will be assumed.
What I mean by free in the context of this article is interest free, or an APR of 0%. There are a growing number of credit card providers on the UK market that will offer introductory deals for a certain number of months during which you will receive a 0% APR on either a balance transfer, or on your purchases, or sometimes if you are lucky, on both.
These types of cards, while sounding very attractive, are actually not that difficult to find. All you have to do is be willing to search for them. Because of the high degree of competition that exists at the moment among credit card providers in the UK, you will find that excellent 0% deals are in fact quite common. In most cases, unless you either have no income, either because you are unemployed are a student or for some other reason, or unless you have a bad credit history, you will most likely find it quite easy to find credit cards that are offering some sort of 0% deal.
While you may be lucky enough to receive a phone call or a mail in the post offering you a 0% credit card, if you want to find one faster than simply waiting for this, the best place to begin is by searching online. There are literally hundreds of websites out there now that specialise in helping customers find the right credit cards.
To begin your search it is recommended that you visit general credit card websites that will offer you the option of searching through hundreds of credit card deals. These web sites will give the best opportunity to find a 0% credit card offer that suits your needs. Remember to pay attention not only to the fact that any given credit card is 0% but also, make sure you check how long the 0% period will last, whether it applies to purchases, balance transfers or both, and what will be the interest rate that applies after the end of the 0% period.
Just recently 0 per cent credit card deals are becoming a little more complicated. They are still easy to find, however, many of them now come with hidden charges that can sometimes take away the advantage of having the 0 per cent credit card in the first place. Moves taken by credit card companies include:
Reduced credit limit
Reduced interest free period
Balance transfer fee
Once you have found a card that interests you, visit the credit card provider's website directly to find out more and, if satisfied, apply. |
