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Choosing the right business credit card is essential to your business. A business credit card is good for those who have their own small business or have a company that they run. There are many credit card companies out there with small business credit card offers and they each have their own pros and cons. Finding the right one for your wallet and your business is entirely possible but only if you take the time to learn a little about each one and their terms and conditions. This will help you to avoid any upsetting surprises later on down the road.

It is important to remember that while these business credit cards are extremely helpful to those that are starting up a business and those that have a successful one, these companies are not in it just to be useful. They are giving these cards to business people like you to make money. Many of these small business credit card companies are even adding special perks such as rewards like airline miles and even cash back incentives.

Small business owners can use these credit cards for start up capital as well as in times of need when business is slow. Once they get their business up and going then they can repay the debt that they owe when they can afford to. Being able to use a small business credit card in a time like this can be priceless.

There are many different small business credit cards out there, and it is essential that you be very careful in which one you choose. Also, you need to make sure that you can afford to get a business credit card or several business credit cards before you actually sign any papers. For instance, if you are using this small business credit card to start up your own business, you may want to consider how this debt may affect your future finances. If you think that your business will not make it, then you should try to come up with another way of getting the money. If on the other hand you think that it is sure to succeed and you will be able to repay the money then you should go ahead and do what you have to do to get it done even if it means getting into debt with a business credit card.

It is essential that you shop around and find the business credit card that is the best for you and your own situation. The following is a small list of some of the things to take a look at in the contract of any business credit card you are considering signing up for:

1) Interest rates, this is their annual APR
2) Is their interest rate only good for a short period of time? How much does it go up after that?
3) Annual fees, do they have any?
4) What kind of rewards are they offering?
5) The credit limit
6) The grace period
7) The ability to take out cash withdrawals
Are balance transfers allowed?

No matter what business credit card you choose, there may or may not be catches to it, which is why it is up to you to decide which one works the best for you and your business. The business credit cards that I have listed above are business credit cards that I have researched so that I could provide you with some samples of what a business credit card has to offer, keep in mind that they are never the same. Each small business credit card has its own way of going about things. They all have different APR’s and monthly payment procedures, just make sure you know what yours are.

For more on business credit card offers, Robert Alan recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com

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A free prepaid debit card is a viable alternative to a credit card. If you are looking for a mode of payment which can save money and also help you manage your finances, then you can go for free prepaid debit cards. Prepaid debit cards are easier to apply compared to credit cards. If you are an employee of a business organization, you are given a free prepaid debit card. You often get these cards free as a promotional move also.

Free prepaid debit cards require no employee verification, bank accounts or past record of credit history. There is no credit line attached, so there is no worry about going past the credit limit and getting involved in a bad credit situation. You can manage your finances well and your overspending habits are curbed. Here are some of the 5 tips which can help you choose a free prepaid debit card wisely:

1. World wide acceptability: Most free prepaid debit cards are accepted at locations and shopping outlets which display the logo of the debit card company. However there may be some places and shops where which your free prepaid debit card may not be accepted. Make sure that you thoroughly know about the acceptability of the card in most of the locations you will be shopping or using the card.

2. Convenience: A prepaid debit card is just as convenient to use as a credit card. You should however know if you can use the card for online shopping and purchasing items over the phone. You can read the fine print of the free prepaid debit card company or find information from its website about the terms and conditions if any, of the usage of card online and for transactions over the phone.

3. Value added services: Your free prepaid debit card company should give you different value added services like sending your statements online or through the mail to your home or office. Some prepaid debit cards also notify you about the salary credited to your account, on your cell phone itself. Choose a debit card which can transfer funds from one debit card to the other without any problems. You can also choose a customized card where you can emboss your name or photo. Check with the debit card company if you have a certain amount for the customization.

4. Insurance: Choose a prepaid debit card which gives you insurance against loss, theft or damage to the card. You should be reimbursed for any funds that are taken out of your bank or debit card account when the card is stolen.

5. Terms and conditions: Though it is stated that a free prepaid debit card does not have any fees, you may be charged for things like card renewal or replacement of the card lost or damaged. You may be also charged a certain fee if you withdraw cash from the ATM for more than a certain number of times in day. Also a free prepaid debit card is offered as a corporate salary account by big corporate companies to their employees. After you leave the organization, the bank notifies you that the corporate account will be converted into a current account with your permission. You will be required to keep a minimum quarterly balance or so in your debit card account, otherwise you will be charged a certain amount of fee for non-maintenance of the minimum balance. You are also charged a transaction fee if you use the free prepaid debit card to remove cash on your account from the ATM location of another debit card company or bank. Find out if the above conditions are attached with your free prepaid debit card and to what extent you are liable.

Daniel Cohen recommends Find Credit Cards for comparing different free prepaid debit cards.

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If you’ve ever had credit problems, then you’ve probably received offers for credit cards aimed at people with bad credit. These offers range from legitimate to questionable to outright scams. How can you tell the difference?

The answer is to read the fine print, usually to be found in a document called “Terms and Conditions.” To show you the difference between “the good, the bad, and the ugly” in the low-end credit card market, let’s take a look at the fine print associated with such offers.

We’ll start with one of the more popular low-limit “starter” cards available today. These are actual terms published by a major company at the time this article was written. The card comes with a Visa logo on it and looks like a regular credit card, so you can use it as an extra piece of identification when you’re booking a hotel room, renting a car, and so on.

In the “Terms and Conditions” document, the first thing we see is the annual percentage rate (APR), listed as 19.5%. That’s not a particularly attractive rate, but it’s not as high as a lot of other cards. A little farther down, we see that the APR for cash advances is higher, 25.5%, which is normal since there is greater risk involved to the company.

Where it really gets interesting is the section that lists the fees associated with the card. In this example, there is an annual fee of $150! There is also a $29 fee to open the account, as well as a monthly “maintenance” fee of $6.50. Whew! That’s a lot of fees. But wait! It gets better.

Toward the bottom of the document, buried in the fine print, we see something called “Available Credit Limitations.” In 8-point typeface (very tough to read on a computer screen or printed page), you are informed that your generous initial credit limit will be a whopping $300. On your very first statement, you will be billed for the $150 annual fee, plus the $29 setup fee. The $6.50 monthly fees will start appearing after you make your first purchase on the card.

Let’s take a closer look at the math here. It will cost you $179 up front, plus $78 per year, to obtain $300 worth of credit. Your total cost for the first year is $257, assuming you pay off the balance each month and don’t incur any regular interest charges. Sound like a good deal? Does it make any sense at all to pay $257 to obtain $300 worth of credit? That’s 85.6% in effective interest! If you keep a running balance of $300 on the card, and just make the minimum payments every month, your effective interest rate will be 105.2% for the first year, and 95.5% for subsequent years. That’s some pretty expensive credit! This credit card offer, while legal, still counts as a total rip-off.

As bad as the above sounds, it still only qualifies as “questionable” rather than being a full-on scam. There are much worse offers floating around out there. I’ve even seen some “deals” where the fees are so stiff you start out above the credit limit before receiving the card in the mail! In the bogus category I’d also include cards where you are forced to pay an advance fee prior to receiving the “guaranteed” credit card, which of course never arrives. There are also “catalog cards,” where you supposedly build credit by purchasing items through a card tied to one particular company and their catalog of goods. The problem is that the catalogs usually consist of grossly overpriced junk.

So what constitutes a good credit card offer for someone who’s experienced serious credit problems and wants to take action toward rebuilding his or her credit? At the risk of annoying the big credit card marketing companies who target the “sub-prime” market (consumers with bad credit histories), my advice is to completely avoid any offer that comes to you unsolicited. Instead, do the research on your own.

Check out www.bankrate.com for current offers by legitimate credit card companies. Shop and compare before you apply. Remember, the APR is only one aspect of your decision, and not necessarily the most important. What you want to look at very carefully are the annual fees, setup fees, and monthly fees.

It’s important to realize that you may not be able to obtain an unsecured credit card when you’re just starting to rebuild your credit. Instead of paying $257 to obtain $300 in credit, you’d be far better off placing $250 as a deposit toward a good SECURED credit card from a reputable major bank. In this real-world example, the annual fee is only $29, the APR is 19.99%, and there are no setup fees or monthly maintenance charges. Your $250 deposit will net you $250 worth of credit (less the $29 annual fee), and you’ll build positive credit history just as quickly as with the ridiculously expensive offer discussed above. Plus that original $250 deposit is still YOUR money. After you’ve been granted unsecured credit again, and you’ve paid off any outstanding balance on the secured card, you can get your deposit back.

One final tip: If you have the opportunity to join a credit union, you should consider checking out their offers for low-limit unsecured and secured credit cards. Credit unions frequently offer much better terms than regular commercial banks. Through credit unions, you can often find credit cards with no annual fees, lower interest rates, and more flexibility.

Be sure, however, to confirm that the credit union reports account activity to the credit bureaus. Otherwise, your positive payment history on the new credit card won’t lift your credit score. And remember, no matter what card offer you’re considering, be sure to read that fine print!

Charles J. Phelan has been helping consumers become debt-free without bankruptcy since 1997. A former senior executive with one of the nation’s largest debt settlement firms, he is the author of the Debt Elimination Success Seminar, a five-hour audio-CD course that teaches consumers how to choose between debt program options based on their financial situation. The course focuses on comprehensive instruction in do-it-yourself debt negotiation & settlement designed to save $1,000s. Personal coaching and follow-up support is included. Achieves the same results as professional firms for a tiny fraction of the cost. Visit www.zipdebt.com for more information.

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