Hunting down the illusive low rate credit card

By John Braveman

The gloomy financial forecast for 2009 shows no sign of improving, if reports in the media are to be believed. Financial institutions are decidedly nervous going into the New Year. The latest Bank of England interest rate cut to the lowest in its 315 year history seems to have had little effect on calming monetary nerves and all reports indicate that the sun has finally set on the era of easy credit. However, consumers still want credit, and they want it at a good rate " preferably 0% for at least the first few months. Credit card companies are worried about exposing themselves to further potential bad debt, so are there still low rate cards available to those with the credit rating and the desire to keep spending on plastic?

The number of television adverts offering 0% deals on credit cards has been considerably less than last year. Compared to 2008, when the thought of a recession was far from the average consumers mind, there has been very little in the way of credit card offers of any kind. This absence has been noted by the organisation Credit Action, who have found that credit in general and low rate credit cards in particular are much rarer than at the same time last year. They also found that where credit was available it was more expensive than before, with 0% offers being harder to find. The findings suggest that banks and credit lenders are reducing their market exposure and are now waiting to see what 2009 brings before opening up the market again to card-hungry consumers.

However, the popularity of credit cards remains unabated and consumers are still on the lookout for a credit bargain. Director of Credit Action Chris Tapp has commented on this, explaining that credit cards are an integral part of modern consumer money management for the public and a very normalised part of the way consumers manage and borrow their money. It looks like it is going to be very difficult to persuade a public that has grown so used to using plastic on a daily basis to change to a different system any time soon. The advent of online shopping and auction sites such as Ebay has also prompted an increase in the use of credit cards, as transactions online are almost exclusively credit card based. The combination of a public in love with credit and a shift in how we shop confirms that credit cards still have a special place in the nations wallets.

There are still some cards out there that do offer a 0% grace period on purchases, although many of these grace periods are much shorter than before. 0% balance transfer offers are still relatively plentiful, but even their criteria have been tightened. Once these 0% honeymoon periods are over, the APR on purchases can rise rapidly (usually around the 18% level) and this can prompt many customers to start card jumping in the hunt for a 0% transfer deal. Frequent card jumping is a quick way to send your credit rating down, as card providers are looking to consolidate their customer bases rather than add to them. To them, the 2009 buzzword is 'loyalty, not liquidity. In the coming months we may see a credit industry that tries to stabilise its position rather than going overboard to attract new customers. The lack of product promotion in January points to this groundshift.

Rather than chasing after 0% shadows, credit card customers may be wiser to take a more pragmatic approach to this changing marketplace. To paraphrase the quotation, there are now three things certain in life " death, taxes and interest charges. Credit card customers may find that cards that do charge an APR are easier to access than the 0% offers, as the lenders know they will start to make money from the customer from the beginning of the financial relationship. The best thing customers can do is to look for a relatively low APR rate that doesnt contain any hidden extras such as compulsory insurance payments, handling fees or overpriced late payment fees. Consumers, like businesses, have to adjust their expectations to take into account the overall change in the financial markets.

The Internet has its part to play in the brave new credit card world, and online comparison sites are coming into their own. They give the smart consumer a chance to make an informed decision before they leap blindly into the offer that seems to promise the most financial bling but may have a hidden sting in its tail once the honeymoon period is over. Credit card companies are realizing that there is a groundshift in the marketplace and that, despite the dire financial warnings issued almost daily, the consumer is very much in charge this time around. There are still low rate credit cards to be had, but it all has to be part of a much more symbiotic relationship between customers and credit card companies.

About the Author:

John Braveman has many years of experience working in the financial sector. He writes for various websites and uses his experience to help present a clear view of the financial market. You can read more about low interest rate credit cards here.