It's wise to choose credit cards by how you plan to use them

Monday, November 5, 2007

By SANDRA BLOCK
Gannett News Service

Americans have got a complicated human relationship with recognition cards. Most of us won't go forth place without them. But inquire the norm consumer how he or she experiences about recognition card companies and you're likely to hear the sorts of words you can't state on prime-time television without getting into problem with the FCC.

A recent study by J.D. Power and Associates establish that recognition card game have got the last client satisfaction degree of all fiscal services. On a 1,000-point scale, card companies received an norm satisfaction evaluation of 658.

No surprise

Those consequences will come up as no surprise to anyone who ever have been smacked with an unexpected late fee or interest-rate hike.

Still, choosing the card that best lawsuits your adoption wonts can better your recognition card experience, states Jeff Taylor, senior manager of banking pattern for J.D. Power.

The J.D. Power survey splits recognition card users into two categories:

Transactors -- These are people who usually pay off their balance each month. These folks be given to be more than satisfied with their recognition card game than are card holders who transport a balance.

Because transactors don't have got to worry about involvement rates, they be given to look for card game that supply the best rewards, Deems Taylor says. That make sense: If you don't pay involvement on your recognition card, any wages you have are gravy.

But some wages are more than appreciated than others. Airline statute miles are still the most common recognition card award, with about 40 percentage of card holders receiving this incentive, the study found. Still, clients who received cash-back awards, which are available to 22 percentage of card- holders, expressed higher degrees of overall satisfaction, the study found. Those who received hotel wages points -- available to only 9 percentage of card holders -- also expressed higher satisfaction. That may reflect troubles consumers have got faced in trying to utilize their air hose miles, Deems Taylor says.

The study also establish that most card holders aren't aware of all the benefits their card game offer. Many cards, for example, offering traveling insurance, exigency aid and concierge service. Card holders who take advantage of all their card's benefits be given to be more than satisfied.

Revolvers -- These are folks who typically transport a balance on their recognition cards. If you fall into this category, bury about wages programs. You can't afford them.

Card Game with generous wages typically complaint higher involvement rates, states Greg Daugherty, executive director editor of Consumer Reports. If you transport a balance, he says, the amount you'll pay in involvement probably will transcend the value of the reward.

Your best stake is to pay off your balance each month. But if that's not possible, expression for a card with a low involvement charge per unit and no yearly fee. High-mark cards

American Express ranked highest among the 10 recognition card issuers analyzed in the J.D. Power survey, followed by Discover. American Express received high Marks for benefits, characteristics and job solving; Discover earned good classes for rewards, charge and payments.

American Express and Discover also received high evaluations in a recent reader study conducted by Consumer Reports.

Card holders who transport a balance also should see card game issued by little Banks and recognition unions, Daugherty says. These loaners don't have got got large advertisement budgets, so you have to make some research to happen them. But the final payment is often less fees and involvement rates, he says.

In the Consumer Reports survey, USAA Federal Soldier Savings, which is limited to members of the military, retired military force and their families, received a reader mark of 95 of 100 for its American Express and MasterCard-branded cards. Respective recognition unions, including the Navy Federal Soldier Recognition Union, also received high Marks for their cards. Rates on card game from these loaners ranged from 9 percentage to 11 percent.

The norm charge per unit on a variable-rate credit card is 14.5 percent, according to Bankrate.com.

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