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Have you noticed all the hype about skymiles credit cards these days? If you pay attention to just about any form of media, chances are you have. They have been the topic of not only commercials, printed ads and billboards but, even hit news stations have been talking about skymiles credit cards. For instance, on an article on CBS Money Watch, skymiles credit cards are shown to be a great type to use when making restaurant purchases. But, what is it about these specialty offers that has everyone so crazy about them? Is the ability to earn free airfare the only thing they offer or is there more to them? Lets break down the different factors associated with credit cards from most important to least and see how skymiles stack up!

Do Skymiles Credit Cards Come With Competitive Interest Rates?

As with any other type of credit card, when it comes to skymiles, interest rates will vary from offer to offer. So, I can’t speak for all offers out there but, I can say, they generally come with highly competitive rates. Even though these offers come with great rewards, that’s not enough to get the masses excited. If you want people to be excited about a financial offer, you need to make sure that it’s the best one out there in all areas. With that said, most of the time, you will find surprisingly competitive interest rates on these cards. For instance, the Miles by Discover Card comes with a zero percent promotional interest rate and an incredibly competitive long term interest rate.

And The Fees…

Now, this is where you have to be a bit careful. In all reality, there are a few skymiles credit cards that are designed with lower fees. But, some skymiles credit cards have annual fees as high as $495.00 and, nobody wants to pay that for a credit card every year. But, if you do your research, you will find some with absolutely no annual fee! Just remember, before ever applying for a skymiles credit card or any other type of credit card for that matter, you should always read the interest rates and fees sections of the terms and conditions making sure you understand everything you will find yourself paying!

What About The Lenders That Offer Skymiles Credit Cards?

Did you like the commercial? Did it scare you a bit? Even though commercials like the one to the left may make you think there are some horrible lenders out there, the truth is, most of those that offer skymiles programs are great! But, before ever applying for any type of card, you should always make sure that you know and trust the lender. Although, you will be hard pressed to find a representative as bad as the famous Peggy, there are some lenders that are not as highly rated as others. When you open a new account, you are starting a long term, financial relationship. One that will either help or harm your financial stability! Before you apply, always ask yourself, “Do I know and trust this lender?”. Doing so will help you make sure that the credit card you open is provided by a lender that you will enjoy having a relationship with.

Are The Rewards Everything They’re Cracked Up To Be?

When it comes to any card that offers miles, the big talk is always surrounded by the rewards. But, are the rewards on skymiles credit cards worth all the hype? Well, that honestly depends on which card you choose to apply for. Some of them come with great rewards programs while others tend to lack in that category. Some cards only allow you to redeem your rewards with one airline, others allow you to redeem with whichever airline you’d like. Some only provide free airfare while others provide redemption offers like free airfare, hotel stays, car rentals and even cash back! It really does all depend on the skymiles credit card that you choose.

About The Author – Joshua Rodriguez

I know what you may be thinking, “Josh, why would you guest post on your own blog?”. Well, I started another website geared to similar topics called CNAFinance.com. I’ve been guest posting on several other relevant, highly trusted blogs to let people know about the new site and the services that I provide through it. With that said, click here to read a recent article posted the one, the only, CNAFinance.com!

When you face overwhelming debt problems, it is easy to jump into your options right away without really looking into their pros and cons. One of these options is to negotiate with your creditors to pay your outstanding balances at a reduced amount. This is called debt negotiation, or debt settlement. Before using these debt relief options, it is best that you understand what this type of program can do to solve your financial problems.

What Is Debt Negotiation

Basically it is a process which involves communicating with your creditors to negotiate a reduced payment of your outstanding balances, for less than the current balance. You have the option to do this on your own, or, if you lack the skills, to get help from a professional program whose expertise is to negotiate past due accounts. Creditors enter into such agreement in order to prevent more losses in case you decide to file for bankruptcy. So they benefit. And you pay off your debt for a reduced amount, so you benefit. You just have to know how the process works, know your accounts well, and either possess negotiating skills or find a good company to do it for you.

The Upside of Debt Negotiation

The upside of debt negotiation programs is that it enables you to settle your bills which you would otherwise not be able to do. You can save anywhere from 20% to 60% off your balance, depending on the creditor. It will also save you from the consequences of declaring bankruptcy. While bankruptcy may allow you to wipe your debts clean, its effect can follow you for at least 10 years.
Another advantage is that you will save yourself from all the stress, pressures, and harassment from your creditors. At the same time, you will enjoy the necessary relief knowing that you have pad off your existing debts. Typically you will find yourself free of past dues in anywhere from 12-24 months..

The Downside of Debt Negotiation

The downside to these programs is that they negatively impact your credit rating. The impact can stay for many years on your credit report, usually a minimum of 7 years. This may affect future borrowings such as the ability to get other loans or credit, or at least making the interest rate more expensive. But if you already have more debt than you can handle, or you are behind in your payments (both typical for people who choose debt negotiation) then your credit is already damaged, and debt negotiation will at least help you get out from under the burden of debt.

You also have the risks of using a company that is no more than a scam, or just plain old incompetent, or simply doesn’t educate you properly. Debt negotiation scams are common, online or offline. These scammers will disguise themselves as legitimate, make an attractive offer difficult to resist, and then once you fall into their trap, they scam you of your remaining and hard-earned money. You end up having more problems than one. But if you check out the company carefully, you can reduce the chances of getting ripped off.

Before you decide to use and benefit from these programs, it is always wise that you weigh the pros and cons. If you believe that this option will resolve your problems, then the next thing you have to do is to exercise extreme care in choosing the services. Do your part in getting all the information you need to enable you to make the right choice from only legitimate debt negotiation programs.

Kris Bickell offers a variety of debt relief tips at www.Debt-Tips.com. whether you are looking for help with too much credit card debt, fixing past credit problems, or saving money, you will learn actual tips to help you get back on track, including a helpful credit card debt calculator.

If you owe the IRS taxes, and you can pay in full, it is always in your best interests to pay the balance off because IRS penalties and interest can be avoided. If not possible, using a credit card is a viable option, but it must be compared with other possible options such as a a bank loan, or a payment agreement with the IRS (called an Installment Agreement).

The IRS will allow you to pay your taxes with a credit card. The benefit here is you avoid IRS failure to pay penalty and interest, which is currently .5% per month and 3% respectively on the tax amount owed. The 3% IRS interest rate is updated quarterly. However, on the flip side, all of the IRS e-pay service providers charge a convenience fee with the lowest being 1.89% currently (see below).

After you account for the convenience fee you will have to pay, you need to find a credit card with a low APR (10.90%-20.99% is the range now) and or with a long 0%  APR introductory promotional period (some are 18 months). You also need to make sure you can obtain the credit limit that you need to cover the amount you can’t pay of your tax bill. If you can pay off the credit card within the 0% promotional period, your only cost is the convenience fee from the e-pay provider you select. However, if you cannot, with an APR of 10.90%, currently you are probably better off setting up an IRS Payment Plan, applying for a personal bank loan or setting up a home equity line of credit (if you own a home) . The chart above should give you a visual breakdown in general of what you need to consider. It excludes the promotional credit card offers out there now (5-18 months generally). Furthermore, it doesn’t include the home equity line of credit possibility since not everyone owns a home.

If you decide to setup an IRS Installment Agreement, there is a fee you must pay with your first-month’s payment (ranges from $52 to $105) and you will need to fill out form 9465, which can be found at IRS.gov. The IRS with their Fresh Start program made it easier for individuals to setup a monthly installment agreement with balances up to $50,000 as long as the taxpayer decides to make the payment method direct debit. If you owe more than $50,000, setting up a payment agreement is possible, but generally will require you to fill out a collection information statement that will provide the IRS with a current snapshot of your financial situation. IRS payments plans generally are granted if you have previously filed your taxes, don’t have other agreements with the IRS, are not in bankruptcy, and the taxes owed are not more than 5 years old.  Interest on your unpaid tax balance is compounded daily (currently 3%) with an additional .25% a month failure to pay penalty. The IRS basically will cut the failure to pay penalty in half (generally .5%) if you setup a payment agreement.

Figuring out what is your best option can be tricky because the amount you owe will sometimes determine your possible options. When in doubt, ask a financial advisor or work with a tax professional such as a CPA, or Enrolled Agent. For more information on IRS Payment plans, visit BackTaxesHelp.com or click here to find out more details on setting up a payment agreement with the IRS.

Credit cards are definitely important financial tools to most Americans. They provide that financial cushion that we can depend on if times get rough. So, it’s probably easy to understand why so many consumers use them. However, when anything becomes popular, there tends to be new companies that pop up to offer it creating competition in the market surrounding the product. This is true with credit cards! To compete, many lenders have started to provide rewards with their offers. These added features draw the attention of consumers as they compare offers in search of the best one for them. However, there are so many different rewards credit cards out there, it may be hard to choose the one you will want to use. If you are looking for the best rewards credit card, here are a few tips to help you with your comparison.

Tip #1: Don’t Look At The Rewards First: Unfortunately, a great deal of consumers get so consumed by the rewards that these credit cards offer that they forget to compare the most important factors associated with them. Factors like overall cost and issuing lenders are far more important than rewards. With that said, rewards are fun but, never allow them to consume you during your comparison. It is always best to keep a level head and choose the card that you feel will be best for your overall financial position.

Tip #2: Pay Attention To The Cost: When it comes to figuring out what factors you should compare as you shop for rewards credit cards, a good place to start is the overall cost of the card. The factors like interest rates and other fees will be the determining factors that tell you how much you will pay as a result of using your new credit card. With that said, when you compare the different offers available to you, the first thing you should do is read the rates and fees section of the terms and conditions for each offer that you are interested in. This will give you a thorough understanding of exactly how much money each different offer will cost you over time.

Tip #3: Choose A Reliable Lender: Once you have chosen 3 or 4 different cards that you are interested in and that have competitive rates and fees, it’s time to look into the lenders. The truth is, credit cards are just like any other product. Some of them are offered by reliable lenders and others are offered by less than reliable lenders. The way that you use and maintain your credit card will effect your overall financial stability. You want to make sure that when you choose a product that is so important, you choose to work with only lenders that you find to be reliable and trust worthy!

Tip #4: Time For The Fun: Finally, it’s time to compare the different rewards that are offered with rewards credit cards. The truth is, each offer will be different as far as pricing, issuing lenders and even rewards. There are tons of different types of rewards that you could earn like free airfare, cash back, gift cards, theme park tickets and much more. At this point, you should look into the rewards programs to find out which ones offer rewards you will use, which ones make it easier to earn points and which ones make it easy to redeem your rewards. After looking at all of these factors, choose the card that offers the best rewards.

If you follow these tips during your comparison, I’m sure that the offer you choose will be the best offer for you. If you have any questions or would like a free phone call consultation to find out which offer is best for you, please feel free to email me at Joshua@JEMCreditCards.com!

These days, credit cards are incredibly important to the average consumer. This is because, if you would like to do something like go on a vacation, reserve a table at a restaurant or even buy something from the Home Shopping Network on TV, you are going to need one of these small pieces of plastic! With that said, it should come as no surprise that the majority of consumers who can qualify for a credit card currently have and use at least one! With anything that is so popular, consumers will generally have questions that they would like answered in regards to the product or service. This is definitely the truth when it comes to these cards! The truth is, I get emails all the time asking me questions about these special lending accounts and, some of the are relatively important to everyone! With that said, here are the most common questions that consumers ask and the best answers that I can give:

Question #1: What Is The Best Credit Card?

Answer #1: The most common question that gets sent to my inbox from the consumers that visit my website is, “What is the best credit card out there?” and various different variations of the same question in different words. The truth is, this is one of those questions that simply doesn’t have an answer that would be suitable for everyone. The reason for this is that there are several different offers provided by several different lenders. Each different offer is designed for a specific group of consumers. Therefore, the card that may be best for me will most likely not be best for you! With that said, the only way to truly find the best offer for you is to do a proper comparison of the different ones that are available. For tips on how to compare, read this article….Finding The Best Credit Card For You!

Question #2: What Is So Special About Skymiles Credit Cards?

Answer #2: I talk about skymiles credit cards quite a bit here and for good reason. The truth is, skymiles cards offer consumers much more than most other types of offers out there. These accounts allow you to earn miles or points each time you make a purchase using your card! The points that you earn are saved in a points account and when you have enough, you are rewarded greatly for them. Common rewards associated with skymiles programs are free airfare, hotel stays, car rentals, theme park tickets and more! With that said, they are special simply because it is hard to find an offer that provides more rewards. To compare skymiles credit cards, please feel free to click this link….Compare Skymiles Credit Cards!

Question #3: What Is The Grace Period?

Answer #3: Finally, it seems as though quite a few people simply don’t understand what a grace period is. This is simply the amount of time that you have to pay your credit card off in full without being charged interest rates on the balances that are carried from month to month. Generally, if you pay your balance off each month, you will find that you will not be required to pay interest on the balances!

I hope that I’ve answered any questions that you may have had. However, I understand that you may have a few others. With that said, if I didn’t answer a question that you would like answered, please feel free to email it to my by sending your question to Joshua@JEMCreditCards.com!