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Because most major credit card companies are based in states with liberal or no usury laws, the sky is pretty much the limit with interest rates and late fees.

Agreement. Your card issuer will send you a cardholder agreement that describes the terms that apply to your card, including the interest rate charged, method of calculating interest and any transaction fees.

What type of credit card? There are various types of credit card, other than standard cards, that you may want to choose between.

have made the purchase in your home state or within 100 miles of your current billing address. The charge must be for more than $50. (These limitations don’t apply if the seller also is the card issuer or if a special business relationship exists between the seller and the card issuer.) and, first make a good faith effort to resolve the dispute with the seller. No special procedures are required to do so. If these conditions don’t apply, you may want to consider filing an action in small claims court.

Car Rentals: The potential problem here is similar to the case above with hotel reservations. Car rental companies will place a hold on your account for an amount over and above the actual cost of the rental to insure them against possible damage to the vehicle you rent. But the advantages of using a credit card for car rentals can be many. The perks include free road service, discounts at particular rental agencies, cash rebates and car-rental insurance.

Free Period. Also called a grace period, a free period lets you avoid finance charges by paying your balance in full before the due date. Knowing whether a card gives you a free period is especially important if you plan to pay your account in full each month. Without a free period, the card issuer may impose a finance charge from the date you use your card or from the date each transaction is posted to your account. If your card includes a free period, the issuer must mail your bill at least 14 days before the due date so you’ll have enough time to pay.

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Interest starts mounting the second you make the transaction and you will be required to pay off lower-interest balances first. Merger madness -- In the last couple of years, more than 20 million Americans held credit cards that were taken over by new issuers. Customers have to be on guard for changes in terms, usually less favorable to them, if their card company is bought. Each company prices accounts differently. Most issuers take six months to a year to evaluate their new customer base after a merger, but watch out: With federal regulations requiring only 15 days notice on term changes, you may get the rug pulled out from under you in a hurry.

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Think twice about any offer to get easy credit. Be skeptical of promises to erase bad credit or to secure major credit cards regardless of your past credit problems. There are no easy solutions to a poor credit rating that’s based on accurate information. Only time and good credit habits will restore your credit worthiness.

How do I transfer a balance?

Read that tiny type in your credit card agreement Folks who casually toss away those apparently extraneous papers that come with their credit card bill are probably throwing away money, too.

Average Daily Balance. This is the most common calculation method. It credits your account from the day payment is received by the issuer. To figure the balance due, the issuer totals the beginning balance for each day in the billing period and subtracts any credits made to your account that day. While new purchases may or may not be added to the balance, depending on your plan, cash advances typically are included. The resulting daily balances are added for the billing cycle. The total is then divided by the number of days in the billing period to get the average daily balance.

Comparing Interest rates If you do not intend to pay off your credit card bill in full each month you will need to consider the interest rates the various credit cards charge. Below are some important points to consider:

Additional benefits Travel and emergency assistance $5,000 minimum credit line Automatic travel accident insurance up to $500,0003 Automatic auto rental insurance3 Extended warranty protection3 Worldwide acceptance and cash access at more than 24 million locations Convenience checks at no extra charge to access your account where credit cards are not accepted Additional cards at no extra charge

The only person who can insure that you get a good card rate is you. The best advice is to build a strong payment history and keep your credit as clean as possible.

The above rules do not apply in so-called community property states. These are Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Washington .

Minimum monthly payment Q. How do credit card companies figure the minimum monthly payment?