Posts Tagged ‘product review’

Total Visa - Review

Monday, January 19th, 2009
by Daniel Moskel

The Total Visa was designed for individuals with a low credit score. It is an unsecured card.

It reports monthly to all three major credit bureaus. By making your monthly payments on time it will help you build a positive payment history.

This is very important when your score is calculated. Your utilization ratio will determine another large part of your score.

This ratio compares the amount of available credit you have versus the amount of debt you have. It is how the bureaus determine if some one can afford more credit.

It is estimated that these two factors alone determine 80% of your score. It can help if you can show available credit.

However it is still a priority to remove any negative marks from your report. This will help to show a positive payment history.

There is an initial limit of $250 and an annual fee of $48. It has a 19.92% APR, and is issued by the Plains Commerce Bank.

There is a 19.92% APR for a cash advance, should you have a financial emergency. Also you will be eligible for a limit increase four times a year.

As of late, we have seen a rise in interest rates. This has been happening to customers that have never paid late, their rates have jumped to 20% and higher.

Congress has responded and made new laws to prevent this in the future. However these laws will not go into effect until 2010. Additionally we have seen lower limits and much more stringent approval requirements.

Your card will have fraud protection and free online account access. Your card is accepted everywhere Visa is.

With responsible use a new credit line can help a damaged score. However with irresponsible use it can damage your score even more.

You should really look at your current expenses and income and decide if you really should take on a new line of credit.

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Centennial MasterCard Review

Saturday, January 10th, 2009
by Daniel Moskel

The Centennial card is issued by The First Premier Bank a member of the FDIC. This is an unsecured card created for individuals looking for a second chance.

It offers easy approval and thus has some fees. These include a one time account set up fee of $29, $48 annual fee, and a one time $95 fee.

These charges are assessed to your available credit limit. When you receive your card you will have these charges shown on the balance.

You will have an initial $250 credit limit. Additionally you have a 9.9% APR.

It is issued as a Visa or MasterCard your choice. If you apply online you will have an application response in less than 60 seconds.

When making your monthly on time payments you will create a positive payment history on your credit report.

Additionally your utilization ratio is very important. This is the amount of debt you have compared to your available credit. If you can keep your monthly balance at roughly 30% of you limit it will help the most.

If your card has a limit of $250 then you want to keep the monthly balance around $75. After you have paid on time for 6 months you will be eligible for a limit increase.

The First Premier Bank is in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They are a member of the Better Business Bureau and have served over 3 million people.

Your card is accepted worldwide and everywhere you see the Visa or MasterCard logo. You can qualify for approval if you are over 18 and have a valid social security number.

As of late, we have seen a jump in interest rates even on prime credit cards. These rates are increasing to close to 30%, and without fault. This means even with on time payments the good credit cards are raising their interest rates to 30%.

In sum we suggest you explore all your options for credit if you have made some mistakes. It may be more cost effective to get a secured or prepaid card, and take other steps to repair your damaged score.

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Green Dot Visa

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008
by Dan Moskel

The Green Dot Visa is a pre paid debit card. Often this is used by individuals that do not have a bank account.

This is a result of card holders having free direct deposit, which can save hundreds of dollars a year on check cashing fees. It is accepted world wide and is a real debit card.

There is no bank account required or credit check. It does have a monthly maintenance fee of $4.95 but this fee is waived if you deposit $750 or more monthly.

You can access cash at over 900,000 ATM’s in 120 countries and it is accepted online and over the phone.

It does have a reload fee of $4.95 when you use a MoneyPak. Common criticisms are; the amount of fees and poor customer service.

These are purchased at retailer locations such as Walgreens, Wal-mart, Kroger, CVS and more. There is also a $2.50 ATM Withdrawal fee and a $9.95 activation fee.

This card is issued by Columbus Bank and Trust Company and comes as a Visa or MasterCard.

You can upgrade your account to Premier Membership; the benefit is priority customer service. The fee for this is a one time payment of $20.

You can purchase this card at retail locations or you can fill out an application online and have a card sent to you within 7-10 business days.

Frequently parents will use this card to teach a child how to manage money. It also gives parents an easy way sending financial help to students that are away at school.

Your money will be protected if your card is ever lost or stolen. It is a much safer alternative than carrying cash.

You use it to pay your bills. Additionally it will give you a convenient way to track your spending and stay within a budget.

In sum this card can help individuals without a bank account and parents. However we are alarmed that there are additional fees for priority service. We feel that when it comes to your money you are entitled to priority service.

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