Convenience Can Be Costly


You've just opened your credit card bill and attached to your statement you find a "convenience check" included. It may already be filled out with a dollar amount such as $300, $500, or even $1,000. Your mind fills with ideas of what you could buy with this "instant" money. A new summer wardrobe, a nice dinner and tickets to a concert, a weekend getaway.

But before you go off on a shopping spree, you should be aware that your "convenience check" is nothing more than a cash advance on your credit card. Cash advances on credit cards carry many extra fees, often overlooked or misunderstood by consumers.

Here's a quick look at the types of fees most card issuers charge for a cash advance:

1) Upfront fee of 2-4% of the amount advanced. On a $1,000 cash advance your fee will range from $20-$40 in addition to the interest charges.

2) Higher interest rate than on purchases. Many credit card companies charge 18% or more on cash advances. In addition, most companies apply only a small percentage of your monthly minimum payment toward the cash advance.

Some require that you pay down the balance on your purchases first before applying payments to the higher-interest advance. In other words, you'll be paying fees and interest on your cash advance for a long time, especially if you only pay the minimum payment.

3) Cash advances normally carry no grace period. This means interest charges accrue as soon as you withdraw money or cash the convenience check.

By law your credit card company must disclose any fees associated with a cash advance. The easiest way to find out what fees are charged is to carefully read your credit card statement or to call your credit issuer's toll-free customer service number and ask questions.

Credit card companies charge these fees for two main reasons. One, to cover the costs to process this transaction which are often higher than a regular credit card purchase. And secondly because of the percentage of defaults among credit advance users. These costs are then passed along to you the consumer in the fees and interest rates associated with a cash advance.

The next time you are tempted to cash that convenience check or withdraw money from an ATM using your credit card, be sure you understand the fees and long term effects of using a credit card cash advance.

© 2004, www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com">www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com
Author: James H. Dimmitt - James is editor of "TO YOUR CREDIT", a weekly free newsletter. Subscribe to the newsletter by visiting www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com">http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com.


MORE RESOURCES:


ABS comes alive as credit card, auto investors return
Reuters - 9 hours ago
Several measures by the Federal Reserve aimed at bolstering liquidity in the US credit markets after a lengthy series of interest rate cuts have helped to ...
Investment firms' borrowing at fairly steady pace The Associated Press
Fed's Direct Loans to Banks Climb to Record Level (Update2) Bloomberg
Fed's Liquidity Initiative: Knowns and Unknowns Financial-Planning.com
DealBreaker.Com - The Associated Press
all 133 news articles


BBC News

Credit Agricole seeks $7.72 billion in new capital
The Associated Press - 16 hours ago
PARIS (AP) — Credit Agricole said Thursday it plans to sell $7.72 billion worth of assets and named a new leader at its investment bank. ...
Credit Agricole to restructure Calyon RTE.ie
Credit Agricole to Sell Assets, Says Litzler Resigns (Update2) Bloomberg
Credit Agricole calls corp banking 'core strength' as it details ... Forbes
guardian.co.uk - Forbes
all 302 news articles


Brocktown News

House panel votes to extend child credit, energy tax breaks
The Associated Press - 6 hours ago
The bill would increase eligibility for the refundable tax credit in 2008. That's the credit that becomes available when the child tax credit, ...
Renewable energy tax bill advances in US House Reuters
all 64 news articles


Bradford & Bingley 'A-1' counterparty credit rating still on ...
Forbes, NY - 13 hours ago
MUMBAI (Thomson Financial) - Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said Bradford & Bingley Plc.'s 'A-1' short-term counterparty credit rating remains on ...
S&P places EDS ratings on credit watch Hindu Business Line
Tesco downgraded to 'A', outlook cut to negative - S&P Forbes
Pilgrim's Pride ratings affirmed with negative outlook - S&P Forbes
Forbes - Forbes
all 221 news articles


CreditCards.com

Retailers assail credit card fees in House hearing
Houston Chronicle, United States - 7 hours ago
The exchange, which took place before a House Judiciary Committee antitrust task force, shined a light on a lesser-known aspect of the credit card industry: ...
Democrat backs credit card transaction fee bill Reuters
Ahead of the Bell: Credit card fee fight CNNMoney.com
CONSUMER WATCH Retailers: Stop MasterCard, Visa from price-fixing MarketWatch
Digital Transactions - CreditCards.com
all 56 news articles


BBC News

Market Regulators, Read This Now
FOXBusiness - 5 hours ago
The credit rating agencies knocked down within weeks to junk status almost half of the subprime mortgage bonds issued in 2006 and the first half of 2007; ...
Ambac Responds to Moody's Comment on Second Lien RMBS WELT ONLINE
Bond insurer shuns credit swaps FT Alphaville
MBIA posts huge loss on credit derivatives Reuters
BBC News - Reuters
all 256 news articles


Standard & Poor's restores SD credit rating
San Diego Union Tribune, United States - 7 hours ago
By Jennifer vigil Standard & Poor's, the credit agency that suspended San Diego's rating in the midst of its financial turmoil, restored the city's credit ...
San Diego credit rating restored after 4-year suspension San Jose Mercury News
S&P Restores City's Credit Rating KGTV, 10News.com
Stratton touts stronger credit rating Albany Times Union
San Diego Business Journal - Bizjournals.com
all 37 news articles


Bank accounts cost more than credit cards
The Age, Australia - 12 hours ago
The cost of bank accounts, at $1.7 billion, is greater than the $1.1 billion in credit card fees. HOUSEHOLDS are paying $4.4 billion in bank fees and a big ...
Banks take $10b in fees Melbourne Herald Sun
Borrowers dig deep as banks pile on the fees Sydney Morning Herald
Reduced fees with new credit card from Abbey Thrifty Scot (press release)
Ninemsn - The Age
all 45 news articles


WaMu reduces home equity credit to homeowners
Bizjournals.com, NC - 3 hours ago
Washington Mutual Inc. has slashed or suspended $6 billion in available home equity credit to its customers in an effort to reduce its risk in a flailing ...

credit - Google News

site map
Nocommentweb.com © 2000 - Partners

psychology help | snus | ekspress lån | express loan | Santander Spain | cheap insurance | snus|