- What are balance transfers?
Credit card companies offer a range of features designed to attract new customers. Many provide low interest periods on balance transfers allowing money owed on other credit or store cards to be transferred over to a new card with a lower rate of interest.
- What deals can I expect to find?
Many of todays providers offer 0% interest on balance transfers from 3 – 16 months allowing debts to be transferred over with no interest paid for the period specified. Some people follow the 0% cards, transferring their debt from card to card when each period expires. If you are not planning on 'chasing' the 0% rates then you must always be aware of the standard APR offered after the introductory period.
- What to look out for
It is important to be conscious of any fees applied by the provider, for example a 2 to 3 percent charge is usually imposed on the amount transferred. There are usually time limits in which transfers must be completed in order to qualify for the specified interest rate. Providers will always supply clear instructions of the rules that apply to each card on application. Make sure you read the documentation when applying for a card to ensure you fully understand everything.
If you plan to transfer debt to another card to pay it off, avoid using the new card to make purchases as these are generally charged at the providers standard APR rate, which may be higher than some of the providers competitors. If you do wish to spend more then why not get another card with low introductory interest rates.
Credit card companies require a minimum payment that is to be paid each month. This is only a suggested amount, but failure to make this payment will lead to charges applied to your account.
It is always advisable to pay off more than your minimum repayment. For example, if you owed £2,000 on a card with an interest rate of 15.9%, it would take you over 29 years to clear your debt if you only repaid 2%, with a £5 minimum payment. However, if you increased your monthly payment to £100, your debt would be paid after 2 years.
- Is this bonus for me?
Balance transfer credit cards are most suited to those that want to pay back their debts. A good way to ensure the debt is cleared within the specified period is by dividing the amount owed by the number of interest free months. For example if you owe £1,600 and you have signed up to a card that offers 16 months 0% on balance transfers you will pay approx. 3% in transfers fees (£48) which is added to the total, divide that by 16 months then set up a direct debit to pay £103 per month.
See our range of Balance Transfer Credit Cards above


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