It all depends on what you want really, but an extensive credit card comparison done through a good website is all it takes to find the perfect credit card for you.  You need only click a few buttons and you’ll be able to apply online in most cases.  When you apply online you can get your decisions quicker and therefore are able to apply to other companies in order to get their decisions.

Rewards can make owning a credit card much easier.  You are less likely to complain about paying off your balance if you’ve got something at the end of it to show for all your spending.  It isn’t as if anyone gives you points or rewards for spending cash is it?  So you might as well pay for everything with your credit card and then pay off the balance at the end of the month.  The only thing you need to look out for is that you have enough money to pay off the balance.  If you do then it’s all good, you get no interest and all the rewards, but if you have money left on that balance at the end of the month then those rewards could cost you dearly.

When i say you need to have a good credit history, this is actually one of the credit card’s bad selling points.  It’s bad because you could have just come into a substantial amount of money, or perhaps got yourself a good job with wages that would actually allow you to manage a credit card, yet Barclaycard still wouldn’t allow you to have their card if you haven’t got at least 4 years good history with credit!  Wow!  Talk about picking the best from the crop eh?

However, if you are captain perfect, and you’ve never defaulted or had the slightest problem in the last 4-5 years then you might just stand a chance.  It always amazes me that the people who need a credit card to get them through a rough patch can never get one!

The good stuff about the card is as follows

• 0% on balance transfers until July 2011
• 0% interest on purchases for 3 months
• No annual usage fee
• Reasonable charges
• Purchase delivery protection
• Identity protection service
• Worldwide assistance
• Emergency card replacement – with a cash advance if required

With all these pros it certainly is a card that you could see yourself carrying if you’re already loaded isn’t it?  But it’s not much good for the Billy Ordinarys out there in the world.

Barclaycard are always good quality

Again, as i said in my last post about 0% interest on balance transfers, it’s all about what sort of factors you’re looking for from your credit card.  If you want great interest rates and you need to transfer a balance then you might choose a different card than someone who is just starting out with a credit card.  It’s important to evaluate your needs.

The best ones on the market will always be the ones that offer you the most cashback, it’s that simple really to tell the truth.  However, do look out for hidden charges for things like transfering a balance.  Sometimes your credit card company will charge you a percentage of your balance transfer and you really need to look out for it because it could surprise you.

I’ll run over a few of the best cashback credit cards over the next few days, but the ones that are the forerunners at the moment are the ones that are offering the simplified system of cashback credit straight to your credit card, like Freedom from Barclaycard.  These guys have their heads screwed on quite well when it comes to the reward system (they ought to have after their years of experience).

The way to get around the cashback deals all over the place these days may sound very simple indeed, but believe me it’s a hard one.  This very special rule to using the cashback credit card is simple, you simply pay off your credit card balance every month without fail.  This allows you to gain all the cashback without paying for any interest at all.

Now this is prefect if you’re a whizz with money, but if, like many of us you suffer in that department then you really need to be careful, especially when the credit card that offers you this cashback miracle also tell you that you can have 3 months purchases without any interest at all!  This is where the going gets tough, because what mght not seem like a problem in the beginning will eventually turn into a bad debt that you can’t pay off at the end of the month.  But just remember that this will only happen if you fail to pay it off every month without fail and no matter what offers you’re getting.

Never spend more than you can afford to pay back at the end of the month, and get a direct debit set up from your bank so that you can pay your credit card bill straight away on time, every time.

The freedom reward scheme works on all the cards from Barclaycard i think, and it won’t be long before all the other companies are providing their customers with a scheme that’s exactly the same, but just with a different name.  The beauty of the Freedom reward scheme is that you don’t have to collect points and spend them in a particular place, or buy a set of glasses you don’t want, and all that other junk that credit card companies used to throw at you.

With Freedom you generate cash on your card, it’s as simple as that.  Each time you make a purchase on it you’ll see how much cash back you’ve earned on the card and you’ll have to opportunity to take this off your purchase should you wish to.  This is really good because you can keep a track on your cashback savings without a statement and all that other rubbish; it’s just there on your credit card ready for you to use whenever you want to.  What a great reward scheme, from a really great big player in the credit card business.  Barlclaycard have still got what it takes!

But they compare very well against the likes of Sainsbury’s and even Virgin (usually a real big boy to beat).  So what’s so good about them?  Well to begin with we can talk about the thing everyone seems to need to know almost instantly and that the interest rate.  The Barclaycard Simplicity is literally what it says.  It has no introduction rates on purchases, no intro rate on balance transfers, and no annual fee; all it does is offer a consistently low interest rate of 7.9% and a great reward points scheme.  We say it’s about time this happened.  We’ve all grown tired on all these different rates and 0% clap trap on this and that for x amount of months; we’ve been crying out for something simple and fair, and now it’s finally here.

Even the points system is simple.  This is simply a standard reward points of various things kind of credit card, without any of the complications involved like other credit cards have.

So if you want a good reward card that doesn’t sacrifice it’s interest rate (or anything else for that matter) then you need look no further than Barclaycard.

The point cards include the Citi cards, Discover, Capital 1, American Express, Partners First, Vista, and MasterCard. You don’t have to worry about going through banks when you apply for credit cards online. Some of the card vendors are offering 0% APR up to one year and thereafter you pay low APR continuously.

Discover is offering 5% cash back rewards on some of their cards. Anytime you purchase gas, you get money back. The APR is as low as 0% up to six months. Look for the No Hassle Miles and Rewards cards. American Express is offering 0% APR up to one year also. Each point you earn adds up. When you get enough points, you can redeem those points for rewards on merchandise, travel, etc. You can also earn Delta flyer miles.

Vista is offering 0% APR on some of their cards in which you get ongoing low interest rates, airmiles, cash back, travel rewards, and more. You can get up to 5% cash back on certain purchases. The cards are available for students, businesses, and those with poor credit.

MasterCard has some offers going on right where as you get 0% Introductory APR with cash back up to 5% also. You can earn frequent flyer miles, and other rewards with each purchase made from your credit card.

Other card vendors are offering prepaid cards that allow you to earn free points and cash back also. These cards are designed for people with bad credit. You can use free direct deposit features, online bill pay, etc.

First Premier is offering credit cards to people with bad credit also. Each month your credit history is reported to the three major credit bureaus. If you want to reestablish your credit this may be a good way to get started. Be sure to pay your debts on time however to avoid other bad credit reports.

Your points that add up can be exchanged for rewards including free flights, car rental, cinema tickets, hotels, etc. For each dollar you spend, you get a point. Each credit company is different but some of them allow you to earn one point per every dollar you spend and trade them in for holiday, vouchers, dining, etc.

SonyCard offers the 3000 reward points system, which allow you to spend money on your card and in the first three months of your spending you can take advantage of some rewards.

With some of the American Express cards, you get one BA or Air Mile point for every dollar you spend and you get up to 1000 air mile points when you spend 500 bucks within the first three months or less.

When it comes to credit cards that offer air miles it pays to shop around. Each card provider has something different to offer you. Some companies offer more while others offer less, but read the terms and conditions to ensure that the cards are worth applying for.

If you have a credit card already, you may want to check with your card provider to see if you have point system. Otherwise, you can apply for credit cards that offer air miles online. These are the best cards because you get something for your money that you spend on items purchased from your credit cards.

Lastly, some credit card vendors are offering 1.5 points per each dollar you spend. Find these cards online too.

Some of the credit card rates are available through CITI, Chase, AT & T, and so on. CITI offers the Platinum Select cards with 0% Annual Percentage Rate for nine months. Other APR includes the nine, 49 introductory cycles. CITI also offers the Driver’s Edge Platinum Select card with 0% APR up to 12 months.

You can earn an additional 5% on rebates and purchases for up to nine months. In addition, you can earn another 1% thereafter. CITI has the Dividend Platinum Select cards with 0% APR up to nine months. During the trail, you can earn 5% cash back with each purchase you make at supermarkets, gas stations, or drugstores. CITI allows you to earn an additional 1% on all other purchases.

No matter which card you chose you want to find the credit card, with the cheapest interest rates, and if possible, cash back programs with the highest cash backs available. Some of their cards may offer a cash back program just as other card suppliers may have the same or similar offers, making it one of the cheapest credit card rates around.

Chase is another company that offers some of the cheapest credit card rates. Chase offers you the Platinum Visa or MasterCard with 0% APR up to six months. You have a low APR thereafter. Another company that offers the cheapest credit card rates is Discover. Discover offers the Platinum Card with 0% Introductory and APR up to six or twelve months.

These rates matter because if you get a credit card that offers cash rewards or other rewards and pay high APR those points will add up to zilch when you are done. Thus, when you look for reward cards, look for great rates too.

The airline credit cards are optionally for people who purchase airline tickets often. If you have a balance forward system set up then the interest rates are higher, so these are not the cards for you.

Some of the card vendors are offering up to 20,000 points when you use your card for the first time. You can earn another 10,000 miles when you spend x amount of dollars on your credit card. Two miles are giving out for each dollar that is spent on airline products.

The airline cards that allow you to earn lots of bonus points are the types of cards you want to look for because your next airline ticket will be much cheaper, or else you get it free by redeeming your points.

Some card vendors are offering rewards to those who use Alaska or American Airlines, while others offer points for anyone traveling Delta Airlines. Thus, if you are looking for airline credit card deals search for the cards that offer you points for the specific airline you often use to travel on.

Some of these card providers are offering free airline tickets or companion tickets to those of you who purchase the first ticket with your credit card. You can earn points and get a free ticket too.

Each card provider is different and provides you with options over frequently fly miles that you can earn from spending money from your credit cards. Interest is a bit higher these days, but many of them are still offering great interest rates for credit card airline miles. Be sure to look for the best deals.