Credit Card Cash Advances - The Pros and Cons

Credit card cash advances are an appealing way to get out of a tight spot quickly. Unfortunately, they can become an extremely bad habit. While cash advances are convenient when someone is handing you money, they can become very inconvenient when more and more of your weekly paycheck goes to pay off a debt months after the original cash emergency has passed.

For most of us, money is one of the biggest constraints we face. Many agencies offer cash advances of some sort or another, but you must understand the price associated with that money, lest you bury yourself in debt.

A cash advance is an advance of money to a person in urgent need of money, to be paid off later. Among the many forms of advances available to you are credit card cash advances, whether a simple ATM withdrawal or a check issued by a credit card company. Among the drawbacks of credit card advances are the facts that there is usually a cash advance fee to be paid and that you have to pay interest on cash advances from the date they are issued rather than from the end of the billing cycle. The interest rates on the borrowed money can be a few points short of usury.

Another option, sometimes useful for larger sums of money, is the cash advance check from a credit card company, which can also be used to make payments to payees who do not accept credit cards in the conventional manner. However, always compare the costs associated with different borrowing methods, since many forms of cash advances including those from credit cards can carry costly fees and interest charges. The particular terms associated with your account can be found on the back of your monthly statements. This may be your best option if you are offered very favorable cash advance terms; as ever, the key is to “look before you leap.”

If your cash advance comes with harsh terms, it may be sensible to transfer the balance onto a card with low balance transfer rates. When considering such a move, be aware of the policies of both cards involved; sometimes balance transfers are considered a form of cash advance. It is possible to use credit card cash advances to fund large investments, though one must be aware of the risk of debt if an investment goes foul.

For one in urgent need of money, credit card cash advances can be a lifesaver. Credit card companies are among the multitude of agents quite willing to offer fast money — for a price. Just be sure not to make a habit of it, or you’ll be more broke than when you first thought you needed the money.

Wireless Credit Card Processing Solutions

Definition. Wireless credit card processing services enable merchants to accept credit and debit card payments on mobile terminals at locations outside of their offices. Depending on the type of wireless credit card processing solution, the mobile terminals may be using short- or long-range networks to transmit the payment information collected from the card’s magnetic stripe.

Types. There are two major groups of wireless payment processing solutions:

• Long-Range Wireless Payment Processing. Long-range wireless solutions use the same networks that cell phone carriers use for transmitting voice and data. The service is available everywhere network service is present. It is perfect for businesses that regularly accept payments at their customers’ locations or at trade conventions and similar types of events.
• Short-Range Wireless Payment Processing. Short-range wireless devices use the same connectivity services that cordless phones use. The credit card processing terminal can be operational within a radius of several hundred feet of the location of its base unit which is connected to a phone line. The short-range wireless payment processing solution is perfect for merchants with limited mobility requirements, e.g. merchants who need card acceptance capabilities at different locations on their premises.

Advantages. There are several main advantages to using mobile solutions for accepting card payments:

• Additional Processing Options. A mobile credit card processing service allows you to immediately process card payments at trade shows, conventions, or on your customers’ premises.
• Increased Security. With a wireless terminal the customer remains in possession of the card at all times.
• Reduced Processing Costs. Because wireless transactions are processed in a card-present environment, they generally receive the best possible rates.

Disadvantages. There are a couple of disadvantages of using mobile processing solutions that you need to be aware of:

• Equipment Cost. The price of wireless terminals is significantly higher than that of regular point-of-sale terminals and can be the deciding factor in your decision, especially if your processing volumes are low.
• Network Coverage. Generally described as the biggest draw-back, network connectivity is continuously being improved. You will need to check the reliability of the network that your prospective provider is using in the area you will be operating in before setting up a wireless merchant account.

Choosing a Secured Student Credit Card

A student credit card means financial freedom for students. Even though, it is just a piece of plastic, it helps you in managing all your college expenses. It is often linked to a credit line backed by a creditor. The creditor or a credit card institution makes a pre-determined credit limit for using the card.

You can spend this credit line using this credit card directly at online stores or at offline stores. In return, the card providers charge certain interest rates on the amount that you spend using this card.

Generally, by paying the balance amount of your card fully every month, you secure yourself from any interest fee. However, this varies based on the terms of credit card that you use.

Why Secured Student Credit Card?

At times, when you badly need credit cards, but do not have a strong credit status. At such times, you may go for a secured student credit card. This type of credit card is often guaranteed, when you open an account with a creditor’s bank. To avail this type of credit card, you need to deposit anything between 100% and 200% of the total credit amount you need.

For instance, if you want a credit limit of $5000, then you have to deposit a sum of $5000 or $10000 in your account. This deposit is further transferred into a specially deigned savings account and act as a safety net for the provider.

Even, credit card fees and rate of interest is applied on these cards like other standard credit cards. Such type of credit card is an ideal way to build your credit standing. This also helps to avail those non-secured credit cards in near future.

Student secured credit cards have a wide range of terms and rewards. If you consider applying for any of these cards, check for the availability of any other reward plans or offers with your local bank on this card. This is because banks on a regular basis introduce new offers on this credit card. Even, the Internet acts as a useful source to find and apply for such type of credit card, which fits best with your personal needs.

Things to Keep in Mind:

When you apply for such type of credit card, ensure to check the fees associated with it. Some credit card companies literally charge more than hundreds of dollars that may eat up your deposit amount, whereas some may deceive with hidden charges in the name of set up or registration fees.

In fact, an ideal card of this type never comes with these charges at all, so ignore such multiple fee demanding cards. Likewise, the rate of interest also needs to be less, if not move ahead to a reasonable priced card.

It is not so difficult to get such a credit card, but it is a bit difficult to control the spending limit. That is why secured student card is an ideal option for students like you, since it limits your spending capacity leading to a debt free life.

How to Prevent Identity Theft in 8 Ways?

8 Ways to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

* Check Your Credit Report. Obtaining a copy of your credit report at least once a year will help you monitor the accuracy of your accounts. Carefully examine if all transactions reflected on your credit report is correct. Check the record of your payments. Check that all your personal details are correct as well. If there is any misinformation on your credit report, contact the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) right away and request that the errors you found be immediately corrected.

* Do not carry all your credit cards and your important IDs in your wallet. If your wallet gets stolen, thieves can easily get a lot of personal information about you. Carrying one credit card should be enough to get through your purchases. In case, you do lose your wallet, do not waste a minute and notify your credit card issuers instantly.

* Never provide your personal information through telephone, e-mail or the internet. Identity thieves often use phone calls to get a persons Social Security Number or credit card numbers. They often reason that the information is needed for verification purposes. However, be aware that legitimate lending companies and banks do not make verifications over the phone. You may also receive e-mails asking you to provide confidential information. Bear in mind that legitimate companies never solicit such private information over unsecured channels.

* Do not throw ATM receipts or shopping receipts in the trash. When you are using the ATM or shopping, always take the receipts with you. You can throw these receipts when you get home. Just make sure you shred them into small pieces before putting them in the trash.

* Keep a close watch on your credit card. When using credit card or debit card to pay for your bills, make sure that your card never gets out of your sight. This is especially true in restaurants. Some waiters use skimmers or small devices that are used to get information from your credit card. If it is not possible to keep your credit card in sight, it is best to pay in cash.

* Be aware about credit card bills or statement of accounts sent by post mail. If you have not received your state of account or bills for the month, call your lenders and inform them that you have not received anything in your mail. This is a common scheme where thieves call the bank and ask for a change of address so that the true owner of the account will not be informed about his charges.

* Do not write confidential information anywhere. For reference, you can list down all your personal information in a separate notebook kept in a secured place in your home.

* Do not provide your Social Security Number (SSN) unless it is extremely necessary. If a company asks you to provide your SSN, you may politely decline and explain your stand against identity theft. A legitimate company must be able to provide their customers a written policy about how they handle confidential information such as SSN. If a company does not have a Privacy Policy, you have every right to refuse. If a company insists, take your business somewhere else.

These are just some of the ways on how you can protect yourself from falling victim of identity theft. Some of these are simple steps that are often forgotten or neglected by many people. However, keep in mind that identity thieves are more cunning and are always on the alert, ready to victimize people who do not take these precautions.

12 Simple Steps To Minimizing Credit Card Fraud

Here are 12 simple steps you can use to minimize the possibility of fraud on your credit card account:

1. Keep both your personal and credit card information secure. Never email your credit card details to anyone. Sending information via email is not a secure method of transmitting data and can be intercepted by savy criminals.

2. When you receive a new credit card always sign it immediately. This prevents someone from finding your card and signing their name.

3. When you receive a replacement credit card always destroy the old card immediately. Cut the old card into at least three pieces or shred it.

4. Make sure you thoroughly destroy old receipts or any information that may have your credit card details printed on them. The most effective method is to use a shredder.

5. Open and read your credit card statement as soon as you receive it. Check to make sure you know what all the expenses on the statement are for.

6. If you see transactions on your credit card statement that you do not recognize, immediately contact your bank or credit card company and request verification of purchases and dispute those charges that you can’t account for.

7. If you find that you have misplaced or lost your credit card for any reason, immediately Call the credit card issuing company and let them know. They will block the card to prevent any potential unauthorized use.

8. Never tell anyone your Personal Identification Number, which allows cash withdrawals using your credit card.

9. Make sure your Personal Identification Number is not easy to guess. Avoid using numbers that are easy to trace, for example do not use your date of birth, or your address. Ensure you use a different Personal Identification Number for each credit card you have.

10. Do not use an ATM if you suspect it has been tampered with. Report your suspicion to the bank that operates the ATM.

11. When you use your credit card in a retail store always keep a watch on your card while the clerk is processing your payment. Double check that it is your card that is returned to you.

12. If you use your credit card to make online purchases, always ensure the web pages where you input your credit card details are secure. A secure web page has a URL that begins https:// and has an image of a locked padlock in the bottom right hand corner of the browser window.