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Interest rates on credit cards are one of the most important features to consider when searching for the right credit card. There is much competition in the finance industry, which has led many card companies to offer features such as a 0% card deals to entice consumers.

A zero percent offer sounds like a wonderful thing and it can be helpful and a good financial decision. However, there are some things you need to look for in a 0% credit card to insure that it is indeed a good decision.

- Annual Fees: These are fees that some banks charge for the use of the credit line. These are yearly fees, though they can sometimes be paid in monthly installments.

- Maintenance Fees: This is really just another word for an annual fee. A maintenance fee though is usually a monthly fee and there are some credit card companies that require both an annual fee and a maintenance fee.

- Balance Transfer Fees: This is a fee that is charged if you transfer a balance from another card. You usually transfer these balances because of a lower interest rate, but you should take a look at the balance transfer fee to make sure the transfer will really save you money.

- Introductory Period Length: How long does the 0% interest rate last? Most last 6 months, though some will last as long as a year.

- Interest Rate on Balance Transfers: Balance transfers are often given a good introductory rate as well, though there are some companies that offer 0% interest over the life of a balance transfer if done during the application period. Make sure you know if and when the introductory period is over, and then be sure you know what the new interest rate will be.

- Interest Charges on Cash Advances: Cash advances are normally not a good idea with a credit card, as they generally carry higher APR rates than purchases and balance transfers. Still, you should be aware of the cash advance APR on a zero percent credit card.

- Interest Level after Introductory Period: What is the interest paid on purchases after the introductory period is over? This is the biggest concern you will have. A 0% card will only last for a short time and the rest of the time you own that card, you will have to deal with its standard interest rate.

There may be any number of reasons why you might dispute a credit card charge or credit card transaction. Fraudulent purchases made in your name, charges to you for services or items you never received, and services that you were not happy with and later decided to cancel payment on, are just a few of the types of credit card charges that you should be able to eliminate or reverse.

In actuality these are common occurrences that most people have encountered at one time or another. Knowing your rights and what to do can help you to resolve these situations and make life easier. Needless to say, the first thing you must do is carefully check your statements each month to make sure there are no irregularities or suspect charges. Then you must be aware of what to do.
If you dispute a charge for a service or item that you were not satisfied with, but already paid for by credit card, believe it or not you may be able to eliminate the charge. If you can have it reversed by the merchant fine, but if they refuse you can report it immediately to your credit card company and possibly have the charge reversed to the merchant you had complained to without results.

For charges you did not authorize or make, there are laws protecting you. The Fair Credit Billing Act limits your responsibility to only $50. You need to call your credit card company to report the charges and they will instruct you on what to do next. You may be asked to sign a form, and be sure not to use your card while the charge is being disputed. Also check with the three credit bureaus to make sure your credit has not been impacted. These things apply of course unless it is just a small charge or minor item, however you must follow up and check all your subsequent statements to eliminate the chance of identity theft. For more information you can contact the Fair Trade Commission.

Credit cards can be wonderful tools when you really need them. If your car breaks down or you need to see the doctor, having those lines of credit can save your job, your health, or both.

However, you might be tempted to use your plastic irresponsibly. You might charge items that you can’t really afford right now, from several trips a month to the movie theater to a new, high-dollar gadget. When these things happen too often, you rack up debt that you can’t immediately repay; this sucks you into the pit of high interest rates. What was a twelve-dollar pizza ends up costing you twenty bucks or more by the time you pay off that credit-card charge.

Responsible credit-card use will ease your stress, preserve your credit, and ensure that you have lines of credit in emergencies. These tips will help you work toward the financial responsibility that you’ll need for your future.

Read the fine print. You’re responsible for knowing the charges that your card’s issuer can add to your account. By knowing about these fees, you can avoid most, if not all, of them. Saving even a few dollars a month will add up over time.

Pay attention to the monthly statement. When you get the statement, go over every purchase to be sure that they’re really yours. You should also keep track of your balance throughout the month so that you don’t inadvertently charge more than you can really afford.

Pay the full balance every month. Granted, this isn’t always possible; if you already have credit-card debt, paying off the bill could take more than a few weeks. If that’s the case, apply as much of your money as possible to that bill. The sooner you pay off those charges, the sooner you escape the interest.

Don’t use your plastic unless you have an emergency - or know that you’ll be paying off the balance when the bill shows up. Carrying a balance for purchases that you didn’t really need to make only costs you more money. Instead, save up and pay cash for those unnecessary, but fun, items.

Ask the credit-card issuer to lower your interest rate. This might happen; it might not. There is nothing wrong with asking, though, because there is a chance that you’ll get a break on interest if you inquire about the possibility.

Also: make your payments on time - even if you’re making only the minimum payment every month. If you’re late, or skip out on the bill entirely, you become a bad investment. The card issuer is not likely to lower your interest rates, or give you other breaks, if you prove to be an unreliable customer.

Don’t be suckered by points programs. Take advantage of the points that you earn through responsible credit-card use, but don’t go out of your way to charge things to your card just to get the rewards. Irresponsible spending ends up costing you more than the points, and the rewards attached to them, are really worth.

Being responsible with credit cards can be tough, because this requires you to say “No” to impulse buys and many of your “fun” purchases. However, when you need the line of credit for something important, it will be there - and so will the fun things that you’ll buy, outright, with cash that you can really afford to spend.

Building assets should be an important and ongoing component of your long term financial plan. Whether you are buying a house, condominium, gold or diamonds, having these assets can help improve your credit score by allowing you take out secured loans. This means you can use your assets as collateral when applying for loans.

With these assets, you will get approved quite easily when applying for secured loans such as mortgage. Secured loans tend to have much lower interest rates than their unsecured counterpart.

As you repay your secured debt, you will build up a good credit history, which can help you improve your credit score. Furthermore, lenders like to see what types of credit you have. If you have a good mix of secured and unsecured credit, you will likely be viewed as low risk and be able to enjoy better interest rate.

Building assets and capital is also a way of establishing financial stability which can help protect your credit score. If you have assets such as savings or investments, then you have the means to deal with a financial emergency, such as unexpected medical bills.

There are many ways to build assets and capitals. This includes opening fixed deposit accounts, buying and renting out real estates and so forth. You should also include a saving account dedicated as emergency fund. In addition, you should also invest in insurance products that provide protection and long term yield.

You should also constantly look out for ways to build alternative source of incomes. These provide more liquidity in your portfolio. Simply put, it increases the amount of cash you have so you can deal with short-term cash flow emergency without hurting the long-term yield of your assets.

Having secondary sources of income can also keep your credit safe. If you lose your job, you can use the money you make from a secondary source to repay your bills until you find a new job.

Some ways to establish secondary sources of income includes renting out a section of your house, starting a part time business or selling stuffs on auction sites.

Ultimately, what you want to do is to create a portfolio of assets and not putting all your eggs in one basket. The economic conditions are forever changing and having a wide range of assets and income sources will reduce your exposure to the effect of economy downturn.