The story of the credit card is one of the most important success stories in world history. While today’s consumer-driven economy has led to what some may call an over-abundance of credit card usage, the invention of the credit card stems all the way back to the nineteenth century. The concept of a credit card was first espoused by Edward Bellamy in 1887, in his utopian novel “Looking Backward” and its sequel “Equality”. This idea rapidly developed into a tangible phenomenon: in 1914, Western Union began issuing its most regular customers with charge cards, and the industry grew even further during the American boom economy of the 1920s, for the specific purposes of selling more fuel to car owners. In 1938, companies began to accept each others credit cards, expanding the industry even further.

In 1950, Ralph Schneider and Frank X. McNamara began using the credit card to pay merchants, in order to consolidate multiple purchases. Originally founded as simply Diners Club, their company is now known as Diners Club International and was the first independent credit card company in the world, closely followed by American Express. In 1958, the Bank of America created the “BankAmericard”, a product which eventually became, together with “Chargex”, the modern Visa card. Mastercard was first issued in 1966, when a small group of credit-issuing banks established “MasterCharge”. 1966 also marked the advent of the credit card in Britain, and APACS, the UK Payments Association, has recently issued a guide celebrating the 40th anniversary of the credit card.

It is important to note the differing trends in the take-up of credit cards around the world. In the US, the highly consumer driven economy of the early twentieth century meant that the use of charge cards quickly became common practice, and they were soon to be an institutional part of everyday life. In Britain though, while the take-up of the credit card was in general slower, the same pattern has emerged. APACS estimates that there are currently 31.6 million credit cardholders in the UK; that’s an average of 2.4 credit cards per person, with major credit card companies like Barclaycard credit cards continuing to bring out newer, more flexible offers for customers. Indeed, the abundance of credit card companies in the market has inspired a whole set of credit comparison sites, such as Moneynet’s credit card comparisons, so consumers can make more informed decisions on which credit cards to use.

Yet in many European countries, such as Germany, France and Switzerland, the take-up of credit cards has historically been much slower. It was only in the 1990s that credit card usage statistics reached anywhere near the levels achieved in the USA, Canada or Britain. In many of these countries, the acceptance of credit cards is still strongly tied to the perception of the banking system, whether or not they are generally trusted. But in a strange change of trend, new chip-based credit cards were introduced much faster in places like France, partly due to the nature of the legislative framework surrounding banking system overdrafts. These chip-based cards are now seen to be important devices to guard against fraud, and will prove crucial in the future development of the credit card worldwide.

Washington Mutual is one of the largest banks of America and it offers an amazing variety of cards. The first and the foremost is the Washington Mutual Platinum Card which comes with instant approval so now you don’t have to wait for days to know the status of your application, you get to know instantly whether your application for a Washington Mutual Platinum Card is approved or not. As a measure of protection against the unauthorized services which are on a rise, the Washington Mutual Platinum Card comes with $0 fraud liability on unauthorized purchases so you don’t have to spend sleepless nights in case that happens.

Without any annual fee and discounts from popular retailers available online this card is hard to resist. The promotional balance transfer APR is as low as 0% for the first 12 billing cycles as it is the introductory period and after that the APR for purchases varies from 9.99% to 19.99%. The Washington Mutual Platinum Card also gives you a grace period of 25 days if the new balance is paid fully by the due date of the payment and the balance is calculated according to the method of the two-cycle average daily balance which includes new purchases too. With the Washington Mutual Platinum Card you are charged a minimum of $1 as a finance charge and 1% of each purchase as the transaction fee for the purchases that you make outside the U.S. and its territories. The Washington Mutual Platinum Card charges 3% for each balance transfer ranging from a minimum of $5 to a maximum of $75 and 3% of the advance i.e. a minimum of $10 is charged from you as your cash advance fee. If you are late in paying the bill, a late fee varying from $19 to $39 is charged depending on your balance and if you exceed your set credit line during any billing cycle an overlimit fee of $35 is charged from you.

The Washington Mutual Platinum Card also provides you with the unique and interactive Washington Mutual Credit online account management providing you an offer card whenever you visit the visit the site thereby increasing customer base and saving you from the trouble of searching and applying for a credit card.

Not very long ago the Washington Mutual took over the Provident Credit Card which was the erstwhile credit card giant and has grabbed up the ninth position in the credit card ranking in America since then and now it offers you three more cards to choose from one of them being the Providian Real Rewards Card. The Providian Real Rewards Card is different from others because it rewards you with points every time you use it and the rewards come in different forms thereby giving you freedom of choice. So with Providian Real Rewards Card you can use your rewards for purchasing flight tickets or as restaurant coupons.

Another card offered by the Washington Mutual is the Providian Cash Back Card which gives you cash back on any purchase you make thereby giving you ample opportunity to get your money back with each purchase made by you.

The third card offered under this head is the Providian Rewards Card enabling you to earn a point for every dollar you spend through it and that too in different forms ranging from merchandise and gift cards to travel benefits.

In spite of seemingly great offers Providian is constantly in the midst of lawsuits with customers constantly accusing Providian of charging them more than their due payment. To add insult to injury, customer service is poor and lacking in quality.

With the Business Card offered by the Washington Mutual Credit Card you can keep the expenses your business separate and it also gives you employee cards whose spending limits are set by them. What’s more, you can also track down the individual expenditure of the employees from the itemized statements which are provided along with other benefits including the online service which is available 24/7.

There are many different credit cards and many different banks offering them. There are easy to get credit cards and then those credit cards that can be so hard you don’t know why you would even apply. The thing about credit cards is that they can help or hinder your life. So when you are trying to obtain a credit card there are some things you should consider, especially regarding the easy to get credit cards. Some of the easy to get credit cards are for bad credit, no credit, or just easy to get because the card company feels they need more customers.

There are fees, interest rates, policies, terms and conditions, and other things you should think about. When you try for an easy to get credit card you are usually approved within twenty minutes. This is what makes them extremely easy to get. They will take the application you have just submitted and review your income to debt ratio. They will also access your credit history to determine the type of customer you will be. Once the risk is assessed they send an email or tell you on that same page that you have been approved and at what rate. This rate however may differ from the offer that enticed you in the first place. Since the card company doesn’t know everyone’s risk until they actually have an application they advertise to entice you to try for their card. This is not a bad thing. If you see a card offering 15% you are usually going to get near that APR. The rest of the advertisement will remain the same, such as 0% APR and Balance transfers for the first two months, or whatever the deal is.

You should note that most easy to get credit cards have lax risk standards and therefore the interest rate is going to be a little higher than some that are easy to get. For example they assess your risk based on whether you will be responsible or whether you will default. So if they think you are a higher risk you are going to have a higher interest rate, but they still give you the card. For those that are harder to get they will flatly refuse because of the risk you pose and not offer a better interest rate.

Many of us think the easy to get credit cards are the best, and in truth they really are. The easy to get credit cards offer a card to almost anyone. Their standards are better as well. For instance you have posed a bit of a risk in the past, but you have had a good clean record with the easy to get credit card for the last year. In this case you could ask the card to lower your interest rate, and they usually will. With harder to get cards you are likely at that interest rate or going to have an increased rate over time that they are unwilling to work with for you.

Pulaski Bank & Trust entered the credit card market towards the end of 1994. Since then, they have been offering the lowest interest rates on credit cards. In fact, the Pulaski Bank Visa/MasterCard is catered for consumers with a good credit score seeking for a low cost card and minimal perks.

Currently, the interest rate for the Pulaski Credit Card is fixed at 7.99% for new purchases, balances transfers and cash advances. This makes the card an attractive option for individuals who plan to bring forward a revolving balance. Although the annual fee of $35 is a significant cost, but upon closer inspection, you will realize that this is indeed a low and reasonable rate for credit cards with low interest rates.

In addition to the low interest rates on all transactions, this card also does not impose fees for balance transfers or cash advances. What’s more, there is also a six-month 0% introductory rate. The credit limit is set to a maximum of $15,000, with which the exact credit limit is dependent on an individual’s income amount.

Due to the overwhelming response to this card’s low interest rates, the application process can take quite a while, with 30 days being the average high. Also, more detail in personal information is requested by the Pulaski & Trust Bank for applications processing as they exercise greater diligence in their credit approval process.

On the flip side, this card does not provide much in terms of extra perks. But in view of the really low interest rates and charges, who would need all these perks when you can already save on finance costs?

To sum it up, this card would really be applicable for credit card users who plan to bring forward a large portion of their outstanding balances to the following month, or even to utilize a revolving balance. In fact, with the really low costs, the Pulaski Credit Card would also be ideal for those who are seeking for a credit card to transfer their balances to. Yes, in these cases, consumers need not look any further once they have found the Pulaski Credit Card.

Learning how to consolidate credit card debt is one of the best things cardholders can do. Consolidation is perfect for those who are looking to better their credit for the future. There are many advantages for cardholders that take advantage of credit card debt consolidation. If you are thinking about consolidation, then there are a few things you should consider before doing so. Use these tips as a guide while you consolidate your debt.

Why Consolidate?

There are several great reasons to consolidate credit card debt. One of the best reasons is to get better rates. If you can get a better rate on a consolidation than you currently have, then there is no reason not to consolidate. Consolidating credit card debt can add up to substantial savings.

Look up all of your interest rates from each card and write them on a list. Then note the new rate you would be given. If the new rate is lower than the average of the old rate, then to consolidating your credit card debts would make financial sense for you. If there are cards that have a lower rate, then you don’t have to include them in your consolidation.

Another reason people love to consolidate credit card debt is to make their lives simple. By paying one bill, they can cut out a lot of stress and bill paying time. You should probably not consolidate your debt for this reason alone however. You don’t want to pay more in the long run just to cut out a few pieces of mail monthly. Consolidation also gives those in a credit card mess a chance to get out of it. By consolidating, they may be making lower monthly payments than they would be if they did nothing. By closing out the other accounts, their credit may also be improved.

Who To Turn To?

When considering credit card debt consolidation, you should turn to professionals for a consultation. There are many credit card companies and banks that would like to help you with your request. Make sure you do your research so that when you consolidate credit card debt, you are certain you are making a decision that is profitable to you. Make sure there are no hidden fees that come with different consolidation plans. Doing your research can help you save money for the future.

Making The Choice

If you want to consolidate credit card debt, you should first look at all of your debt in detail. Once you know what you have, it will be easier to contact professionals to help you with your consolidation. Don’t be afraid to tell them you are shopping for the best deal. You should do yourself the honor of getting the best deal out there to making your consolidation as worthwhile as possible.

The Capital One Credit Card Company started back in 1995 and over the past ten years, it has become one of the top credit card companies. They offer their services to Canada, the United Kingdom as well as the United States.

The Capital One credit cards offer a variety of cards; enough to suit anyone’s credit history and credit needs. They have their premium credit offerings for people who have excellent credit and these cards offer some of the most usable rewards in the credit card business.

The Premium Credit Cards

Capitol One credit cards are for people with excellent credit; Excellent credit meaning a person has had credit for least five years and that the credit card has a limit of at least ten thousand dollars. This person has an excellent track record of making their payments on time.

The Capital One credit cards are available from both MasterCard and Visa, which means the customer can choose their credit company along with their benefit package. Some of the benefits including travel reward miles, cash back rewards and a special annual percentage rate.

For People With A Good Start

For people who have good credit, but not excellent, Capital One also have cards for these people too. These cards also have great reward programs and are available from both MasterCard and Visa. These are known as platinum cards, which mean they will have a credit limit of over $5000 and a low annual percentage rate plus no annual fees in most cases. The platinum cards are perfect for people who already own a credit card with a limit of over $5000 and have held good credit for least five years. These cards are a little more forgiving and will allow their holders to have made a late payment or two in their credit history; as long as it wasn’t over two months late.

For Customers Who Need Help Building Credit

Capitol One credit cards will offer cards with smaller spending limits and credit requirements which are easier for people with no credit or who have had problems managing their credit in the past; these cards will often have credit limits under 5,000 dollars.

Because of their limited credit history these cards will charge an annual membership fee, however the customer will still be able to take advantage of rewards programs and build their credit with by making on time payments and gradually getting their credit limit raised as they show their credit worthiness.