Finding
credit cards on the Web By Bankrate.com
Not only can you find card deals on the Web, sign
up for them and have your card in the mail to you the same day,
you can also take care of card business online.
A good place to start: Go to our credit
card search page and choose "online cards" from the
top pull-down menu.
A lot of card companies have Web sites that let you
do a lot of administration with digital ease. You can look at your
statements, pay bills, talk to company problems solvers, download
your information into your own computer and even download pre-prepared
tax numbers.
Some will let you know if your statement has been
sent, others will let you know if you are approaching a problem
-- maybe you're nearing your credit limit. Some will tell you how
your perks (like frequent flier miles) are piling up.
Decide just how valuable these services are before
you sign up with a card. If they are super convenient it may be
worth paying a little extra for the card as you trade money for
time.
But before you do, understand fully what each little
online offer means. An online credit card bill payment may actually
take longer, or cost more, than a snail mail payment for example.
Also be sure to check you card company Web site for
security -- that's your private financial (and personal) information
up there, so you need to be sure you go with a card operation that
has a secure Web site. A site that does not tell you exactly how
they protect your privacy may not be the best pick.
Some card companies on the Net offer you the chance
of going completely paperless. It can be convenient, but there are
those experts who argue that having a paper record may be a very
good thing if you get into a dispute with your card company.
Using the Net offers you and the card company a lot
of conveniences -- but don't assume all that ease will translate
into savings. Ask the same questions you would if you were on the
phone or looking at information the card company had mailed to you.
Find out ALL of the costs and potential costs associated with the
card. The Net may offer no real savings, just a different way of
doing business.
Bankrate gives you the best rates, but you can surf
over to Visa
, MasterCard,
American
Express, Discover,
or Diner's
Club to get a feel of how online card company sites work before
you get down to the serious work of applying.
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