The Credit Card Application: A First Step Toward Credit

On most days I love my work as a financial advisor to my wide variety of clients. I love helping people take a serious look at their financial situation and helping them make wise financial decisions. I get frustrated, however, when my clients “put the buggy before the horse” so to speak and start worrying about things like credit problems before they have even applied for credit. I have had countless conversations about the importance of filling out a credit card application as the first step toward building credit.

It is shocking how many people forget about the credit card application as a necessary means to the end of actually having a credit card and being able to build up their credit card situation. So quite frequently I have to sit down with a client and work through the process of filling out a credit card application before we can move any further in our discussion about the importance of building up good credit for the rest of their lives.

The process of applying for credit can be rather overwhelming if you have no idea what kind of credit to apply for or what kind of credit card deals to avoid. If you’re anything like the average citizen, you receive countless credit card applications in the mail each week. How can you determine what really is a good deal and what is beneficial for your future? I’d encourage everyone to take their pile of credit card applications and make a visit to a financial advisor as soon as possible. Allow a professional to assist you in the decision making process.

The next step is just to fill out the credit card applications that you have chosen to go with and see which ones you are approved for. You might have a little trouble getting approved for your first credit card, but you’ll never know unless you actually fill out the credit card application to be approved. This is one of the simpliest yet most overlooked steps in the process of becoming people for whom getting credit isn’t an issue. So start at the beginning and do what it takes to get good credit.

Posted in Instant Credit Card at May 6th, 2011. No Comments.

On Credit Card Instant Approval

Credit card applications nowadays have begun to provide clients with an instant approval feature. Meaning, the person applying for a credit card would easily know whether he or she is eligible for applying. This process of instant approval is basically used online or through the internet.

To be able to prevent confusion in dealing with a credit card instant approval, you should know these facts:

* The credit card instant approval and the credit card application are two different processes. The approval of your credit card does not necessarily mean that your card would be delivered to you as soon as possible. It only means that you are qualified to apply for the credit card. The credit card application will be your next step once you have been given the go signal by the bank.

* The instant approval of credit cards is made to target customers with good past credit records. Although because of the high credit market today, the banks are willing stretch their limits and offer this program to different kinds of people. This may depend on the bank youre applying the credit card on.

* Majority of banks provide customers with a credit card application form online. These credit card companies make use of this program with secured connection software for your informations protection.

* The information you need to give for your credit cards instant approval include: your name, your current address, your social security number, and if there are previous address you may have over the years. This is the most common information asked on the instant approval feature of the banks.

* The main advantage of getting a speedy approval for your credit card applications is the elimination of the major trouble caused by guesswork on whether the company thinks that you deserve a card or not more instantaneously. Unlike the old-fashioned way when you have to visit a bank in person and ask if youre qualified then knowing youre not, this time it’s a lot more convenient.

* The approval of your credit card online would only take you a few minutes to know your evaluation. It would be your choice to continue your credit card application.

And lastly, when you have been approved on your credit card application, don’t just go splurging thinking that instant approval also means instant money. Instant approval is more tantamount to instant debt. Think about it.

Posted in Instant Credit Card at January 25th, 2011. No Comments.

Instant Online Credit Card Applications Have Changed

Five years ago, a consumer could apply for a credit card and receive not only confirmation of approval, but also the cards 16 digit number and expiration date in a matter of minutes. Getting a credit card online was truly an instant process. And an easy one. Especially for identity thieves, who could max out a persons virtual credit card before the actual plastic arrived in the unsuspecting consumers mailbox. Problems such as these ultimately led to the phasing out of instant online credit cards.

At present, American Express offers 60 second decisions upon submission of an online application. If approved, the consumer is given notice of his or her status, not their numbers. If the consumer does not immediately qualify for online approval, then notification of approval or denial is sent via mail. Consumers with good to excellent credit looking for an instant credit card, therefore, should consider American Express credit cards.

Most credit card issuers generally take anywhere from five to seven business days before reaching an approval decision and getting the plastic in the mail. With some companies, consumers can expect to wait as long as 30 days. Clearly, the days of the instant credit card are gone.

Individuals without excellent credit that are in a rush to get a new credit card can now expect to wait at least five business days to get the card they applied for. Having good credit facilitates and expedites the decision process. However, those with average and borderline credit scores are often left in credit decision purgatory.

So what should one do if they truly need an instant credit card? One solution is to consider applying for credit cards from different issuing banks. Since each bank varies in its application processing time and approval criteria, applying for credit cards from different companies can expedite the process of obtaining an instant credit card, while also providing an opportunity to make a more informed decision on which credit card to accept and use over the long term.

Perhaps the end of the guaranteed instant online approval era of credit cards is not such a bad thing. The more stringent and time consuming application process currently in place provides consumers and credit card companies immeasurably better protection against identity theft. It also gives the consumer time to evaluate the interest rates and rewards offered by the instant credit cards they apply for and make better decisions about which credit card to use.

Posted in Instant Credit Card at December 25th, 2010. No Comments.

Getting Low Interest Credit Cards

Right now, there are a lot of people who are enjoying the freedom of getting and using low interest credit cards. Others are struggling, and slowly finding themselves starting to be overcome by the high interest rates on their cards. You know the story, at first, it wasn’t much, but now that you have added a lot of credit onto those cards, and frequently use the plastic, the amount you pay each month in interest has become a bill in itself – something that you do not need.

So, you ask, how can you get that low interest credit card? You know those ads for more credit cards are always coming in the mail (your email, too), and truthfully you’re more than a little tired of it. In fact, you have probably also noticed that the more money you owe – the more credit card applications you receive. Here are some steps you can take to get one of those low interest credit cards.

Look At The Percentages

While getting all of those applications in the mail, it is best that you take a few minutes to carefully read between the lines before applying. The promises may indicate a low introductory rate, often a gimmick used to get you to apply real quick – without reading the small print. Card companies will give a 0% interest introductory offer, and then it may go sky high after the initial offer is over. Even if you do not have that 0% introductory offer, but the card has, say, an 8% interest level for the life of the card – this latter offer could be the better one.

Many cards, the so-called cheap credit cards, may offer you a 0% balance transfer, and possibly even a 0% interest for a specified period. After that period, though, if you do not have it paid off – it may be time to find another cheap credit card to transfer your new balance to.

Look At The Conditions

In general, it is true that it takes a good credit rating in order to get one of the low interest credit cards. So, you may need to accept a little higher interest card than what you are hoping for, use it to get better credit, and then look for a low interest credit card after your credit improves.

Lately, some credit card companies have been raising the interest rates on credit cards for rather simple infractions. This could include anything from a single late payment, to paying your utility bills a day late. This is another matter to look into if you may be prone to make late payments. Know what the top rate of the card may be.

Look At Smaller Card Companies

The major cards, like Visa and Master Card, do not have to make such special offers – simply because they are the larger companies. But smaller companies, like Discover and American Express, make some really attractive offers in order to draw the new customers.

Look At The Rewards

Other cards, while possibly not being as low as some of the others, may offer you some good rewards. Of course, this type of card only has real value if you can benefit from the rewards. For instance, a card giving you free air miles is useless – if you never fly anywhere. While it may not lower your interest so much, the rewards could definitely save you in money elsewhere.

Another option is a card with Cash Rewards program. Usually this is given if you pay off the credit card debt with each month’s billing period. This is certainly an additional savings – even above the fact that no interest is charged.

Look To Reduce Your Rates

One thing that could be very helpful in you getting those low interest credit cards might be something real simple. Through surveys, it has been found that about 51% of the people that just asked for lower rates from their current credit card companies got what they wanted. This definitely is worth a try – whether you call them, or just write a letter asking about it.

Posted in Prepaid Credit Card at November 12th, 2010. No Comments.

Instant Credit Card Approval – An Ideal Way To Get

Instant Credit Card Approval – An Ideal Way To Get Credit

For those that are looking for instant credit card approval, why wait until the mail arrives? For those that are looking for a way to secure credit faster and in a simpler manner, instant approval credit cards may be the ideal choice. What are these credit cards and how do you get involved in getting them? Believe it or not, it is quite easy to benefit from these services. In addition, virtually all credit card companies are offering this service.

What Is The Service?

Instant approval credit cards are just what they sound like. They are an opportunity for you to enter your personal information and then to obtain the benefit of having an instant answer. You will find out within a matter of minutes, in most cases, if you qualify for the credit in the first place. This allows you to have answers instantly rather than waiting days or weeks for an answer in the mail. This can be a great way for you to secure the credit you need now so that you can benefit right away from it.

How Does It Work?

Securing instant credit card approval is easy to do. In short, you just need to provide your personal information. One of the most popular ways of doing this is to use an instant credit card approval online. This allows you to do all of the work on the web, cutting down the hassle and the time even more so. All you need to do at this point is to enter your personal information into the system. Then, the computerized network will pull up a credit report on you, use the information provided there, and make a decision about whether to provide you with credit or not. You get an answer instantly.

How Can I Use This?

There are several ways that you can use this type of service. First most people that are looking for credit will still be obtaining credit card applications in their mail. If you obtain one of these offers through the mail, it is quite easy for you to benefit from them. Simply, you will be able to open these mailings, determine if the credit card offer is the right one for you and then go online to accept the offer that they have presented to you. Most of the time; these credit mailings are not guaranteed if you do qualify or not. They are usually a pre screening tool. In any case, you will want to insure that the credit card offer is what you want it to be. Finally, you will be able to get instant credit card approval online simply by inputting your information on the web.

Another common way for you to secure the instant credit card approval that you are after is to simply go on the web, look for credit card offers from various merchants and then to apply for the credit card. There are some ideal websites set up that can provide you with exceptional offers for various credit cards. Visit and make the selection as to which is the right offer for you. Input your personal information. They will then do a credit check, instantly, and come back with an offer for you. You can accept the offer and secure your credit within a matter of minutes.

It Is An Opportunity

Instant credit card approval opportunities are a great tool to have. Not all credit card companies will provide for instant approval, but most do. Still, the buyer should realize if they are getting the offer that is appropriate for their needs. Then, they can secure the credit that will help to improve their lives, allow them to obtain the thing necessary and it will allow you to benefit time and time again instantly. The instant credit card approval online is an opportunity to have what you want quickly.

Posted in Instant Credit Card at September 26th, 2010. No Comments.

Instant Approval Credit Cards Online – Approval within Seconds?

Instant approval credit card offers may appear in your mailbox, pop up on your computer screen or beckon you at retail outlets. If you’ve gone through the application process in the past, then you probably had to wait weeks to receive a decision. With the ease and accessibility of the Internet instant approval credit card applications are as easy as 1-2-3 and can take only a matter of seconds.

Step 1: Check Your Creditworthiness

The best instant approval credit card credit offers are reserved for those with good to excellent credit. If you know your credit is spotless, then there really is no need to worry. But as a side note, it is good practice to check your credit report regularly to make sure there are no errors or that you’ve unknowingly become a victim of identity theft.

If you’ve got borderline credit, poor credit or you’re really not sure where you stand, then it is very important that you obtain your report. Review it for accuracy, fix anything that might be a red flag to lenders and watch out for suspicious-looking accounts. Even if you have tainted credit, you may still qualify for instant approval credit cards. But be forewarned that submitting applications and getting rejected can bring your FICO score down, affecting your application for other offers. So consider your choices carefully.

Step 2: “Submit Now”

Okay, so now you’ve given yourself a thumbs-up. Your credit checks out and you are prepared to put in an instant approval credit cards application for credit. Instant approval credit cards online forms require you to include basic information: your name, address, previous address, phone number, social security number, date of birth and place of employment. Before submitting the application, read the Instant approval credit card terms carefully, ensuring that this card is what you want and that there are no hidden fees or limitations.

Your social security number is required so the bank or credit card company can pull your online credit report, including FICO score. Your credit report and scores are used to determine your creditworthiness and whether or not you will be approved for credit. Since you will be transferring personal information through the Internet, it is imperative that you submit instant approval credit card applications through secure web sites that use SSL 128-bit encryption. This protects your information and makes it impossible for hackers to intercept it.

Step 3: Shop ‘Til You Drop

Once you push the “submit” button, it can take as little as 30 seconds to get an instant response. Notice of your approval (or denial) will show up on your computer screen or will be sent to your email box. Follow the online instructions.

If you’ve been approved, then you can expect to receive your new instant approval credit card in the mail in only a matter of a week or two. In some cases, you may be able to start using your credit immediately. Many credit card issuers will provide you with your credit card number and expiration date for online purchases. However, rarely are you provided with the 3-digit security code that will be located on the back of your card. So for some instant approval credit card purchases you may have to wait.

If you were denied credit, you will be given a reason why you were turned down. Most likely this will relate to something negative in your credit report. Try speaking to a representative of the credit card company or bank to see if there is anything that you can do to get approved. If worse comes to worse, then get your credit cleaned up and reapply for an instant approval credit card.

Posted in Instant Credit Card at August 31st, 2010. No Comments.

Instant Approval Credit Cards Are They Credit Builders?

Many people today have heard about the “instant approval” credit cards, but may not understand exactly what they are. Instant approval is the method used by banks and credit card companies to take your application and instantly make a decision based on data they get from your online credit report. It is different from traditional credit card applications because you are either approved or rejected as soon as your application is submitted.

Instant approval is a method that is different from instant decision. When a bank makes an instant decision, this means that a certain period of time is given to the credit card company to decide if an applicant is approved. They will typically do a detailed background check, and it may take days or weeks for them to decide if applicants are approved. Many people may have also heard of the term “instant credit.”

Instant credit means that in addition to being approved immediately, you are also given a temporary credit card that allows you to make online purchases. Instant credit isn’t used much by the banks today due to the many fraudulent charges that were made after they begin offering it. Instant approval gives banks a reasonable amount of time to determine if an applicant is a good candidate.

Instant approval applications are just as secure as traditional applications that are sent through the mail. If you apply for instant approval credit cards online, make sure you go through banks and credit card companies that offer the highest level of internet data encryption. In most circumstances, using secure online instant approval services are much safer than sending applications through the mail. If your application is approved, you can expect to receive your card in about a week. The delivery time will vary depending on the company you use.

In most cases, instant approval means that the bank will give you a temporary approval based on your online credit information that will keep you occupied while they do more detailed research. The banks will do additional research to make sure your online data is accurate. While many people who apply for instant approval credit cards think they will immediately be issued a card, this is not always the case.

It is also important to make sure you have decent credit before applying for an instant approval credit card. Most decisions are made based on the FICO score, and if you are declined you credit score could be lowered even more.

Posted in Instant Credit Card at July 22nd, 2010. No Comments.

Instant Approval Credit Cards – Instantly Gratifying?

Nowadays, instant gratification seems to be everyone’s mantra. People see something that they want and they do not think twice about buying it. “Buy now and pay later” has become a routine practice followed by many people. Today, it seems that all you need is an income to get access to a credit card.

With the advent of electronic communication and the Internet, instant approval has become a prominent feature with credit card applications these days. Simply put, certain card offers maintain an instant approval feature whereby cardholders applying for a credit card get to know immediately whether he/she is eligible for the credit card or not. Many consumers find this method to be convenient as it requires much less, and in some cases, no paper work at all, eliminating the need to physically mail the card application by regular mail, which traditionally takes a much longer time.

Credit Card Instant Approval Facts

In order to prevent confusion when discussing the prospect of a credit card instant approval, one should know the following facts. First of all, the instant approval and the credit card application are two different processes. Getting instant approval is the screening process that the respective banks and credit card companies use to filter out unqualified prospects. If you do qualify, the instant approval merely means that the card company has identified that you are suitable for the card offer, but that does not guarantee that you will be approved for the card itself.

The primary data points or pieces of information that banks or credit card companies will need to process your instant approval request are your name, address, and social security number. Some card issuers will require additional information but those 3 pieces of information will be required by all banks and credit card companies to do the initial screening for instant approval credit cards.

The credit card providers usually target people who have a good credit history. But because of the competitive nature of the credit card business, banks and card issuers today are more likely to extend credit to a wider range of potential consumers with varying degrees of credit history.

Many consumers are very concerned about the safety of providing information online. Credit card issuers that provide application forms online provide highly secure, encrypted environments to safeguard customer information and ensure that cardholders vital information will remain safe throughout the application process.

Primary Advantage of Instant Approval Credit Cards

The primary advantage of instant approval credit cards online is simply a much quicker turnaround on qualification for the actual card offer. While this process is undoubtedly much more convenient than the traditional card application process, many times, however, the bank will need to further investigate the credit worthiness of the applicant and will require additional information before approving the application. So even when applying for instant approval credit cards online, consumers should be patient and realize that although qualifying for an instant approval credit card might be instant, getting approved and gaining access to the credit line most certainly will not be instantly gratifying.

So the bottom line is that while instant approval does hold some significant advantages, an instant approval does not mean instant credit or instant access to money, which is a common misconception of potential cardholders.

Posted in Instant Credit Card at June 26th, 2010. No Comments.

How Do Instant Approval Credit Cards Online Work?

Instant approval credit cards online are cards which you can apply online and receive notification via email of the acceptance or denial of the credit card, within just few seconds after filling out an online credit card application. To get an instant approval credit card, you must have at least good to excellent credit, or in other words, a clean credit history. In certain circumstances, more time would be needed to determine the approval of your credit card.

The instant approval credit card applications can be done online very easily and quickly. The features vary from one provider to another and you can usually get the application response within minutes. Instant approval credit cards are generally designed for those with very good credit, so before applying for the card online, make sure you start with an honest assessment about your credit worthiness first.

Know your earning capacity and your credit worthiness to start should adequately arm with the proper amount of information necessary in order to compare instant approval credit cards. Obviously, look for the best approval credit card to match your specific needs, whatever they might be. Some instant approval credit cards charge annual fees and some dont, so be sure to compare and check. While it is generally recommended to try to avoid paying any type of annual fee, in certain instances, paying an annual fee might make sense, depending on your particular circumstances. Look for the instant approval credit card with lowest overall financial charges. Some common benefits of instant approval credit cards online are airline miles, shopping, rebates and rewards, retail, business and cash back facilities. With instant approval credit cards being one of the hottest credit card products currently available in the marketplace, each credit card company has its respective web site that consumers can use to research and learn about the various functions and features of each card product available.

With so many people accustomed to getting things quickly, in order to keep up with consumer expectations and growing competition, card issuers are obliged to speed up the application process. Instant approval credit cards are filling the growing demand for quicker access to credit resources. The instant approval credit card process allows cardholder candidates to apply for credit cards online, without the customary extensive paperwork involved. Now, with secure transactions the online applications have become even more secure than the traditional paper applications which could be stolen from a persons mailbox, resulting in identity theft. These instant approval credit cards can also be applied for over the phone. Either way, you should know in a few seconds about the approval or the denial.

Once the instant approval credit card has been approved, the applicant will, unfortunately, have to wait to receive the card before being able to tap into the credit line. Its important to note that some instant approval credit cards have higher interest rates. Therefore, youll need to determine whether these expenses are worth the cost of securing an instant approval. With increasing competition between the credit card companies, instant approval credit cards are becoming an increasingly common option even for those with a less than perfect credit history. Some of the instant approval credit cards also include rebates, rewards and cash back programs.

Instant approval credit cards are much appreciated because they are different from the traditionally slow credit card application process; you are either approved or rejected as soon as you submit the application instead of having to wait for days, or even weeks to get a credit card. But remember, instant approval is different from an instant decision. The bank makes an instant decision, without counting in that certain period of time given to the credit company to decide if an application is approved. The banks effectively provide an instant pre-approval regarding your card application, allowing them additional time for the detailed research on your credit history before granting the actual approval. The credit history check typically will take a few weeks to complete.

Potential card applicants must realize that instant approval credit cards are a method used by banks and credit card companies to process applications instantly in order to speed up the decision process based on data they get from an applicants online credit report.

Lastly, always make sure to go through banks and credit card companies that offer the highest level of internet data encryption when applying for instant approval credit cards online.

Posted in Instant Credit Card at May 4th, 2010. No Comments.

Chase.com credit card

Chase.com credit card
Chase.com credit card offers

Online credit card applications seem to be the in thing and Chase too offers online credit card application facility. Here, Chase.com credit cards refers to the chase credit cards that can be applied for online. Just for those who dont know, Chase is a brand that is owned by JPMorgan Chase & Co. (a leading global financial services firm).

By Chase.com credit card offers, I mean the credit card offers that are available at chase.com. Obviously, Chase.com credit cards would be regulated by chase. Again, as with any other credit card supplier, Chase.com credit cards on offer would be changing too.

Anyways; one night, before going to bed, I thought of just checking the chase.com credit cards section. Here is what I found:

There is a separate Chase.com credit cards section. As I browsed through the Chase.com credit cards section (the online application ones), the first one I encountered was called Chase Cash Plus or the Chase Cash Plus Rewards. These promise faster rewards and offer 5% earnings on gas and on purchases made at grocery-stores/drug-stores. For other shopping venues, it offers 1% earnings. These earnings can be in the form of gift certificates or cash.

The next on the Chase.com credit cards section was the Flexible rewards Visa signature card. Here you earn a point for every purchase of $1. You can keep collecting these points and then finally redeem them for your choice of things (like cash, travel, gift certificates or some kind of merchandise). The redemption can start at 2500 points (and you get a bonus of 1000 points once you make the first purchase). Moreover, this one doesnt have any annual fee either. So that was the second one in the Chase.com credit cards section.

Moving on in the Chase.com credit cards section, I found Free Cash Rewards Platinum Visa card. This one, as the name goes, offers cash rewards. You can get a $25 check or a gift certificate on redemption of 2500 points. Since there is one point earned for every $1 spend, this mean that you effectively get 1% cash back on these cards.

I had started loving browsing through the Chase.com credit cards section. So I moved on to the next one in the Chase.com credit cards section. The next one on the Chase.com credit cards section was Chase Perfect Platinum MasterCard which doesnt limit you to getting rebates only on a particular brand of gasoline; instead, you get rebates everywhere.

Chase Platinum MasterCard was the next one in the Chase.com credit cards section. This one offers online account management i.e. monthly statements, bill payments etc can all be done online (also you dont have any annual fee on this one).

There were few more cards on Chase.com credit cards section and one especially caught my attention. This one was at the bottom of Chase.com credit cards section and was called Check Gallery Platinum Visa Card. Here you could choose the design of your card from those available e.g. cowboys, smileys etc.

By now, I was so sleepy that I really had to shut down my computer and go off to sleep.

Note: The information given in this article was correct at the time it was written. However, the author does not guarantee the correctness and completeness of this information at any time.

Posted in Credit Card Offers at January 4th, 2010. No Comments.