- What Are 0% Purchases Credit Cards?
Most Credit Card providers offer low or 0% introductory interest rates to attract new customers. These introductory periods last from anything up to around 12 months, and provide consumers with method for spreading payment for their purchases over a longer period of time, without having to pay high interest rates charged by some credit & store cards.
Although these credit cards advertise 0%, you have to remember that you must still pay at least the minimum payment due each month, on or before your billing date. Ideally you would ensure you have paid the balance off in full before the introductory period expires, as it will become subject to the standard APR rate after this time.
- What to look out for
Most credit cards that come with the 0% purchases feature, also provide 0% on balance transfers, but there can be a catch to using both features on a single card. If you transfer a balance over to a credit card, this balance will take priority over anything you pay off the bill. If you start using the card for purchases after the transfer, the money you pay off on your bill can't be deducted from your purchases until the balance transferred has been cleared. This means that if, for example, you have a card offering 0% for 12 months on balance transfers, and 0% for 3 months on purchases and you plan to use both features, if you don't clear the entire amount owed on the card within 3 months, you will have to pay interest on the amount built up from purchases until the balance is paid.
- What to remember
Always ensure you know how long the 0% offer lasts for, and check what the standard APR will rise to after the introductory period expires. If you find you still have an outstanding balance after this period has ended it may be a good idea to switch to another provider with low introductory interest rates on balance transfers to take off some of the pressure, allowing you to keep your charges down and pay off what you owe over a period that suits you. Balance transfer cards tend to come with a transfer fee of around 3% of the total balance transferred, but this can be far more appealing than the alternative.
See our range of 0% on Purchases Credit Cards above

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