credit card advice
Most consumers today have felt the sting when they realize that the price tag that first lured them in has snowballed beyond recognition at the moment of checkout. For example, that $10 pizza delivery somehow ends up costing you $20 by the time the tax, tip, and delivery fee are included.
And it doesn’t stop there. If you use a credit card to pay for your purchases, and then carry that balance past the grace period, you’ll start accruing interest fees on top of everything else.
While taxes are unavoidable (and tipping is just good manners), you can avoid — or, at least, minimize — interest fees with the right credit card. You may even earn rewards while you do so.
0% Purchases | 0% Balance Transfers | Cash Back | Travel | Business | Low Ongoing
Best Cards with 0% Intro APR on New Purchases
Although paying off your balance before the end of your card’s grace period is the easiest way to avoid interest fees, carrying a balance for a few months is sometimes necessary.
For these situations, a credit card with an introductory 0% APR offer can give you at least six months of interest-free purchasing. And the best intro-APR offers, like some of our picks below, offer more than 12 months of 0% interest.
- 0% Intro APR for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a 16.90%-26.74% variable APR; balance transfer fees apply
- Get up to $600 protection on your cell phone (subject to $25 deductible) against covered damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellular telephone bill with your Wells Fargo Platinum Visa® Card
- Free access to your FICO® Credit Score with Wells Fargo Online®
- Zero Liability protection for promptly reported unauthorized transactions
- Convenient tools to help create a budget and manage your spending with My Money Map
- $0 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 18 months | 0% for 18 months | 16.90%-26.74% (Variable) | $0 | Excellent/Good |
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.74-25.49%. Balance transfer fee is 5% of the amount transferred, $5 minimum
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase - it's automatic
- Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- No minimum to redeem for cash back
- Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
- Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey℠
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months | 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months | 16.74% - 25.49% Variable | $0 | Excellent/Good |
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.74-25.49%. Balance transfer fee is 5% of the amount transferred, $5 minimum
- Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
- Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter
- Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - it's automatic
- Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back.
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months | 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months | 16.74% - 25.49% Variable | $0 | Excellent/Good |
+See More Cards with 0% APR on New Purchases
As handy as intro-APR offers can be, they do have some limitations, not the least of which is that they are introductory, meaning your APR will revert to the default rate once the promotional period expires.
Furthermore, some transactions will not qualify for the 0% APR. While some deals may cover new purchases and balance transfers, others will only cover new purchases. Cash advances will not be covered and will usually start accruing interest fees immediately.
Best Cards with 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers
Whether from one large purchase or a series of smaller ones, it can be all too easy to wind up with a credit card balance that starts accruing interest. And when the interest rate is near the average 16.9% APR, those fees can get very expensive very quickly.
If your current card isn’t cutting it in the interest rate department, you can often transfer your balance to another card with a lower rate. Choosing one with an introductory 0% APR offer on balance transfers, such as our cards below, can potentially cut your fees down to $0 for 12 months or more.
- INTRO OFFER: Discover will match ALL the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically. There's no signing up. And no limit to how much is matched.
- Earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com, or wholesale clubs up to the quarterly maximum each time you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Redeem cash back any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
- 100% U.S. based customer service.
- Get your free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score, number of recent inquiries and more.
- Receive FREE Social Security number alerts-Discover will monitor thousands of risky websites when you sign up.
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 6 months | 0% for 18 months | 13.74% - 24.74% Variable | $0 | Good/Excellent |
- 0% Intro APR for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a 16.90%-26.74% variable APR; balance transfer fees apply
- Get up to $600 protection on your cell phone (subject to $25 deductible) against covered damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellular telephone bill with your Wells Fargo Platinum Visa® Card
- Free access to your FICO® Credit Score with Wells Fargo Online®
- Zero Liability protection for promptly reported unauthorized transactions
- Convenient tools to help create a budget and manage your spending with My Money Map
- $0 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 18 months | 0% for 18 months | 16.90%-26.74% (Variable) | $0 | Excellent/Good |
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.74-25.49%. Balance transfer fee is 5% of the amount transferred, $5 minimum
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase - it's automatic
- Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- No minimum to redeem for cash back
- Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
- Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey℠
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months | 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months | 16.74% - 25.49% Variable | $0 | Excellent/Good |
+See More Cards with 0% APR on Balance Transfers
Keep an eye on the length of the promotional period, as your remaining balance will be subject to the default balance transfer APR once the offer ends.
Additionally, most credit cards will charge a balance transfer fee for the service. These fees can range between 3% and 5% of the total transferred balance and will reduce the total amount you can transfer.
Despite the fees, however, balance transfers can still be very valuable savings tools, especially if your current APR is very high. You can use an online balance transfer calculator to determine if the balance transfer fee is worth the interest rate savings.
Best Cash Back Cards with 0% Intro APR Offers
What’s better than paying 0% interest on your new purchases for a year or more? Why, earning cash back rewards on those purchases, of course.
In today’s competitive credit card market, issuers are stacking the perks to draw in customers. This means some of the best cash back cards out there, including the options below, also come with awesome intro-APR offers.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.74-25.49%. Balance transfer fee is 5% of the amount transferred, $5 minimum
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase - it's automatic
- Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- No minimum to redeem for cash back
- Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
- Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey℠
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months | 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months | 16.74% - 25.49% Variable | $0 | Excellent/Good |
- Earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com, or wholesale clubs up to the quarterly maximum each time you activate.
- Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- INTRO OFFER: Discover will match ALL the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically. There's no signing up. And no limit to how much is matched.
- Redeem cash back any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
- Use your rewards at Amazon.com checkout.
- Receive FREE Social Security number alerts-Discover will monitor thousands of risky websites when you sign up.
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 14 months | 0% for 14 months | 13.74% - 24.74% Variable | $0 | Good/Excellent |
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash rewards on purchases
- Enjoy 1.8% cash rewards on qualified mobile wallet purchases, like Apple Pay® or Android Pay™, during the first 12 months from account opening
- No category restrictions or sign ups and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open
- Get up to $600 protection on your cell phone (subject to $25 deductible) against covered damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellular telephone bill with your Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card
- 0% Intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a 14.74%-26.74% variable APR; balance transfer fees apply
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 12 months | 0% for 12 months | 14.74%-26.74% (Variable) | $0 | Excellent/Good |
To make the most of your cash back card, look for cards with bonus categories that complement your spending habits. If you dine out a lot, for instance, look for a card that offers bonus rewards for restaurant purchases.
Be sure to pay off your purchases before your APR offer expires, however, or you’ll end up wasting your rewards on interest fees. Regular interest rates will almost always exceed any cash back rewards rate, so the credit card company will likely win if you allow interest to accrue.
Best Travel Cards with 0% Intro APR Offers
With the average international vacation topping $3,000, it’s likely fair to say that many who charge their trips will be spending a little time paying them off.
With such a high cost, it makes sense to use an intro-APR card to cut out the interest fees, but that means giving up on travel rewards for your trip. Or does it? While only a few travel cards come with 0% intro-APR offers, the list below includes some of our top-rated cards.
- INTRO OFFER: Discover will match ALL the Miles you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically. For example, if you earn 30,000 Miles, you get 60,000 Miles.
- Earn unlimited 1.5x Miles for every dollar spent on all purchases all with no annual fee.
- No Blackout Dates - fly any airline, stay at any hotel.
- Redeem your Miles as a statement credit towards travel purchases.
- Freeze your account in seconds with an on/off switch either on the mobile app or website to prevent new purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers.
- Get your free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score, number of recent inquiries and more.
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 14 months | 10.99% for 14 months | 13.74% - 24.74% Variable | $0 | Good/Excellent |
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $1,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day and pay no annual fee. Plus earn 10X miles on thousands of hotels; learn more at hotels.com/venture
- Fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime
- Enjoy a low intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 13.74%-23.74% variable APR after that
- Travel when you want with no blackout dates
- No foreign transaction fees
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 12 months | N/A | 13.74% - 23.74% (Variable) | $0 | Excellent, Good |
+See More Travel Rewards Cards
If you’re heading abroad and charging your travel expenses, be sure to check out whether your card charges foreign transaction fees on purchases made in a foreign currency.
With rates of 2% to 4% of the total purchase amount, foreign transaction fees can add a lot of cost to your travels.
You can eliminate that cost by choosing a card that doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees at all. In particular, many travel credit cards, including the ones above, will waive foreign transaction fees.
Best Business Cards with 0% Intro APR Offers
Similar to a living creature, businesses continually grow and change — and so do their financial needs. Major expenses can come when you least expect them, and revenue ups and downs can make paying for them a challenge at times.
A good business credit card can be a vital tool for any business, but one with a 0% intro-APR offer can be even more lucrative when you need a little time to pay down your balance. Happily, several of our favorite business cards also come with sweet interest offers.
- Earn $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Named "Best Rewards Card for Small Business Owners" by Kiplinger's Personal Finance, July 2017
- Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
- Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
- Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months | 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 12 months | 14.99% - 20.99% Variable | $0 | Excellent Credit |
- Earning unlimited 1.5% cash back could mean thousands of dollars each year going back into your business
- Plus, a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Save on interest with 0% intro APR on purchases for 9 months; 14.74% - 22.74% variable APR after that
- No annual fee
- Use Spark Cash Select across all your business spend, with no categories to limit your purchasing
- Rewards won't expire for the life of the account, and you can redeem your cash back for any amount
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 9 months | N/A | 14.74% - 22.74% (Variable) | $0 | Excellent, Good |
- Earn 1.5 miles per $1 on every purchase, every day
- Plus, a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account, and there are no categories to limit where or what you buy
- Save on interest with 0% intro APR on purchases for 9 months; 14.74% - 22.74% variable APR after that
- Pay no annual fee or foreign transaction fees
- Get online Quarterly and Year-End Summaries
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 9 months | N/A | 14.74% - 22.74% (Variable) | $0 | Excellent, Good |
Always remember that intro-APR offers tend to expire, and you’ll be stuck paying the default purchase APR on any remaining balance. Pay off your card before your promotion expires to avoid interest fees.
As with consumer cards, choosing the best business credit card for your company will often come down to maximizing rewards where you spend the most.
If your business goes through a lot of office supplies, for example, select a card that offers bonus rewards for purchases made at office supply stores. You can also find business credit cards that offer bonus rewards for digital advertising, communications services, and even shipping costs.
Best Credit Cards with Low Ongoing APRs
Despite the value introductory interest rates offer, they do have one major downfall: they expire. Even the best 0% APR offers will end eventually and you’ll start accruing interest at the default rate after that.
If your balance-carrying needs are likely to be a regular concern, then a card with a low ongoing APR can be a good investment. Some of our low-rate cards even include rewards and low or no annual fees.
- Earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com, or wholesale clubs up to the quarterly maximum each time you activate.
- Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- INTRO OFFER: Discover will match ALL the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically. There's no signing up. And no limit to how much is matched.
- Redeem cash back any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
- Use your rewards at Amazon.com checkout.
- Receive FREE Social Security number alerts-Discover will monitor thousands of risky websites when you sign up.
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 14 months | 0% for 14 months | 13.74% - 24.74% Variable | $0 | Good/Excellent |
- INTRO OFFER: Discover will match ALL the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically. There's no signing up. And no limit to how much is matched.
- Earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Redeem your cash back for any amount, any time. Cash rewards never expire.
- 100% U.S. based customer service.
- Get your free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score, number of recent inquiries and more.
- Receive FREE Social Security number alerts-Discover will monitor thousands of risky websites when you sign up.
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 14 months | 0% for 14 months | 13.74% - 24.74% Variable | $0 | Good/Excellent |
- INTRO OFFER: Discover will match ALL the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically. There's no signing up. And no limit to how much is matched.
- Earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com, or wholesale clubs up to the quarterly maximum each time you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Redeem cash back any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
- 100% U.S. based customer service.
- Get your free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score, number of recent inquiries and more.
- Receive FREE Social Security number alerts-Discover will monitor thousands of risky websites when you sign up.
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 6 months | 0% for 18 months | 13.74% - 24.74% Variable | $0 | Good/Excellent |
+See More Cards with Low Ongoing APRs
Most credit cards come with a range of potential APRs, with the exact APR you are offered dependent upon your credit risk. Choosing a card with a low APR range can be a good way of ensuring you are offered a low rate (if approved).
The only guaranteed way to obtain lower interest rates, however, is to improve your credit profile. Paying down debt, limiting new inquiries and new accounts, and always paying your debts on time and as agreed can all help improve your credit score and, thus, your interest rates.
Keep Interest Fees at Bay with the Right Card
Like taxes, fees seem to be an inevitable facet of consumer life. But they don’t have to have the upper hand in every battle.
By choosing the right credit card (and using it responsibly) you can avoid adding interest fees to the long list of extras inflating the cost of your purchases. What’s more, with a good rewards card, you may even gain a little ground of your own.
Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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