What Does 0% APR Mean,

0 apr credit cards
What does 0% APR mean, First, 0% APR for a year offers are very few and far between. You need very good credit to qualify, if you can find such an offer. They also come with lots of gotchas, including a transfer fee of about 3%. Be sure to read ALL the fine print.

Many of the existing low interest rate special offer credit cards are now increasing the minimum payment to 5%. So while you might save some interest, your minimum will be a larger payment. This could impact your cashflow. This Site Might Help You. What does 0% APR mean, I am having a bit of financial crisis at the moment and i'm thinking of applying for another credit card in order to take advantage of its introductory offers.

Like 0% APR for a year (does it mean , i won't be charge any amount as long as i pay the monthly minimum amount required). It means you will be charged no interest for a year. If you get this credit card to take advantage of the 0% read the fine print. Be careful of that card. It means that you wont pay any interest for 6 months to a year.

In the meantime you will charge things and max out the card. After the intro period the rate can jump to 32% if your balance exceeds 30% of your available credit. You'll find yourself in a hole. 18 months is worthy of reading the very small print, could be as little as 6 months of no interest on what you borrow, or even less.

The new year is a great time to take a fresh look at your finances. Ready for a boost in 2017, Here are seven steps to give you a running start. Your credit rating not only affects whether you can get approved for future credit, but it also may factor into the fees you pay for loans, credit cards and insurance policies, even whether a landlord approves you as a tenant.

Keeping track of your credit score can help you put together a game plan for improving your finances, whether it's paying off debt or finding better rates on your accounts. Scores usually range from 300 to 850 -- the higher, the better. If you have existing loans with high rates, consider consolidating the debt into a single lower-rate loan. More of your monthly payment can then go toward lowering the balance.

12 for even the most basic checking accounts. Is your spare cash sitting around in an average savings account, earning a rate that's barely over half a percent, You can do better. Higher-yield savings accounts can earn twice as much, around 1% APY or more, so it pays to shop around. Your money can grow faster with little effort on your part.

And if interest rates rise this year thanks to the Fed rate hike, the rates on these accounts could rise, too. If one of your money resolutions for 2017 is to do a better job of sticking to your budget, make it easy on yourself by setting up automatic deposits and payments. Arrange for regular transfers to your savings and investments accounts, and automate payments for fixed expenses.

Once you have the big items covered, it'll be easier to deal with smaller expenses. If you need to increase the "income" column in your budget, consider applying for a part-time job, or become one of the 55 million Americans who freelance. Start by identifying an interest or hobby you have that others are willing to pay for, such as photography, marketing or tutoring skills.

Then spread the word that you're looking for work. You could soon have a nice new income stream in the new year. Think way beyond, as in retirement. The earlier you save, the more your money can grow. This is true even if you put away only a small amount each month.

Consider increasing your 401(k) contribution by 1% or opening an IRA if you don't have a retirement account. Take steps now to build a cushion. In the future, when 2017 is a just a distant memory, you'll be glad you did. Margarette Burnette is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: mburnette@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @margarette.

This card was our favorite in our earlier article on 0% APR balance transfer cards and it carries that title over to this second part of the series. Chase Slate offers a 0% rate on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months and no balance transfer fee, as long as you make your transfer within the first 60 days of opening the account.