Tag: Personal Finance

Credit cards can charge steep interest rates if you don’t pay off your balance in full each billing cycle. The amount of interest you’re charged is listed on your cardholder agreement as your annual percentage rate (APR), and it’s often a variable rate that changes with the prime rate.

Luckily, there are options for those that can’t afford to pay their bill in full. Some of the best credit cards offer no interest on new purchases, balance transfers or both — for up to 21 months.

If you have lingering debt on an existing card or plan on making a large purchase, it’s financially smart to open an intro 0% APR credit card, if you use it responsibly. Below, CNBC Select rounds up some of the best credit cards that offer no interest, so you can maximize your savings. (Read more about our methodology below.)

Who’s this card for? The Citi Simplicity® Card is a great option for someone looking to consolidate existing credit card debt from other cards. New cardholders have four months to complete balance transfers (longer than the typical 60 to 90 days).

The only drawback is that it does not offer cash back or any other type of rewards.

Wells Fargo Reflect® Card

Who’s this card for? The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card is ideal for someone looking to either pay off large purchases over time or consolidate existing debt.

This card doesn’t offer any sort of spending rewards, but it does offer cell phone protection.

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Who’s this card for? The Citi® Double Cash Card is a generous cash-back credit card to use on daily expenses that also comes with a great balance transfer offer.

As you spend on the card, you will earn 2% cash back — 1% when you make a purchase and an additional 1% when you pay your credit card bill.

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

Who’s this card for? The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card is useful for those looking to transfer existing credit card debt or finance new purchases at a great rate.

The card doesn’t come with any spending rewards, but it has a solid cell phone coverage benefit and no annual fee.

Who’s this card for? The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card is for someone interested in earning transferrable travel rewards, as well as having an interest-free financing option.

As you spend on the card, you’ll earn 2X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1X) and 1X Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on all other purchases. Terms apply.

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Who’s this card for? The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great pick for tiered cashback rewards and interest-free purchases.

The rewards rates are as follows:

• 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats
• 5% on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 3% on dining and entertainment
• 3% on eligible streaming services
• 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
• 1% on all other purchases

Perks include access to presale and VIP tickets for concerts, sports games and exclusive events through Capital One Entertainment.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

Who’s this card for? The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a terrific option for someone looking for a card with rotating spending categories, as well as interest-free financing.

You can earn solid cash back with the card, including up to 5% cash back on travel purchases through the Chase travel portal and 3% on drugstore purchases and on dining. However, the real value of this card is spending within Chase’s quarterly 5% cash-back categories, so if you regularly spend in different categories, this card may be a good fit.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Who’s this card for? The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is another great cashback card with interest-free features and is similar to the Freedom Flex card above.

The main difference is that this card doesn’t offer the rotating cash-back categories. Instead, you’ll earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on drugstore purchases and on dining and a flat 1.5% on all other purchases.

American Express Cash Magnet® Card

Who’s this card for? The American Express Cash Magnet® Card is a solid cashback card for someone looking for simplicity, as well as a 0% intro APR period.

As you spend on the card, you’ll earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Terms apply.

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Who’s this card for? Depending on your spending habits, it might make more sense to get the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. The Blue Cash Everyday Card is similar to the Cash Magnet Card above, but the main difference is the earning rates.

As you spend on the card, you’ll earn as follows:

• 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
• 3% at U.S. gas stations (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
• 3% on U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%)
• 1% on all other purchases
• Terms apply

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Who’s this card for? The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a great choice for earning cash rewards on your everyday purchases, as well as interest-free financing.

As you spend on the card, you will earn 2% cash rewards on all eligible purchases.

Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card

Who’s this card for? The Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card is another solid option for someone looking for simple cash-back options as well as favorable financing options.

As you spend on the card, you will earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

You’ll need to come up with a plan to pay off credit card debt. The amount you need to pay each month in order to have a zero balance at the end of the intro period depends on the length of the intro period.

For example, if you have a $4,500 balance on the Chase Freedom Flex, which offers an intro APR period of no interest for the first 15 months on balance transfers and purchases (after, 19.24% – 27.99% variable APR), you’ll need to pay $300 each month to pay off your old balance before the intro period ends.

But if you have the Citi® Double Cash Card, with 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers (then 18.49% – 28.49% variable APR), the monthly payment decreases to $250. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.

Pay off your balance in full

It’s very important to pay off any transferred debt or lingering new purchase balances before the intro 0% APR period ends. If you don’t, expect to be hit with the regular purchase APR. And if you have a store card, you could be hit with a bill for all the interest you accrued since the date you made your purchase or transfer (known as deferred interest). None of the cards on this list charge cardholders deferred interest.

• Are you carrying debt from a high interest credit card? Then you should consider a balance transfer credit card with up to 20 months of no interest.
• Do you plan on making a large purchase? A 0% APR card can provide you with a lengthy intro period that allows you to pay off debt for over a year with no interest.
• Do you carry a balance month to month? A low interest credit card offers a relatively consistent APR every month, compared to 0% APR cards that typically charge high-interest rates after the intro period ends.

After you determined which credit card you want to apply for, compare cards by these key factors:

• Length of intro APR period: Cards can have intro periods anywhere from three months to 20 months. Many popular rewards cards offer no interest for 15 months, and non-rewards cards can have 18- and 21-month intro 0% APR periods. For new purchases or lingering debt, the longer the better, but if you’re completing a balance transfer, consider the cost of any balance transfer fees before applying.
• Regular APR: Credit cards offering intro 0% APRs tend to have higher regular APRs than low-interest cards. Consider the regular APR before settling on a card if you think you may carry a balance once the intro 0% APR period ends.
• Balance transfer fee: Many balance transfer cards charge a fee per transfer. This fee can be outweighed by the amount you save in interest, but make sure to do the math. If you want to avoid fees, check out the best no-fee balance transfer credit cards.
• Annual fee: Most 0% APR cards and low interest cards have no annual fee, but some may. Make sure to review the annual fees associated with the cards.
• Rewards and added perks: The best 0% APR cards also offer cash back, points and miles, in addition to added perks, such as purchase protection and exclusive entertainment access. While these are nice benefits, paying off debt should be your primary goal.

A 0% APR credit card offers no interest for a set amount of time, usually 12 to 20 months. During the intro 0% APR period, you won’t be charged interest on new purchases or balance transfers. These cards can help you consolidate credit card debt with a balance transfer, pay for new purchases over time without incurring interest charges or both.

Balance transfer credit cards may set a limit on the amount of debt you can transfer, which is often less than your overall credit limit. Plus you may be charged a balance transfer fee, typically 3% per transfer.

Most 0% APR credit cards are reserved for consumers with good (670-739) or excellent (740 and greater) credit. If your credit score is fair (580 to 669) or poor (below 580) you may have trouble qualifying for a 0% APR card.

In general, the lower your credit score, the higher your interest rate will be. It’s important to have a good credit score for a variety of reasons: It affects your ability to get certain types of loans and/or credit cards, the size of those loans and the interest rate on your card and/or loan.

A 0% APR credit card can help you avoid interest charges for a certain period. Using the extra cash you save not paying interest can help you pay down your debt faster, lower your credit utilization and increase your credit score.

1. If you plan on making large purchases, such as a new iPhone or workout equipment, and need more time to pay them off, a 0% APR card can help you pay over time with no interest charges.
2. If you have debt on a high-interest card, completing a balance transfer to a card with no interest for up to 20 months can help you pay it off faster and cheaper.
3. If you fall into both categories, a card with no interest on new purchases and balance transfers can help you pay off large expenses and old debt at the same time.

Remember that you’ll need to make minimum payments on your balance and pay it off in full before the intro period ends to avoid interest.

The simplest way to avoid interest charges on a credit card is to pay your balance in full by the due date. However, there’s an exception with 0% APR cards. During the length of the intro period, you are only required to make the minimum payments on your balance, and you won’t be charged interest on new purchases and/or balance transfers. Once the intro period ends, any lingering balances or new purchases and transfers will incur the regular APR.

However, if you use a large amount of your credit line on your card for either purchases or a balance transfer, your credit utilization ratio could rise and cause a more significant drop in your credit score. Experts generally recommend keeping your credit utilization ratio below 30% of your total credit line. For example, if you had a $10,000 credit limit you’d want to keep your monthly spending under $3,000 to keep your credit utilization low.

• The Citi Simplicity® Card offers 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers from the date of first transfer and 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening (after, 18.49% – 29.24% variable APR; an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies; after that, a balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies. Balance transfers must be completed within four months of account opening).
• The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card offers 0% intro APR for 18 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. You can receive an intro APR extension from three months with on-time minimum payments during the intro. After the introductory period, the interest rate will increase to 17.49% to 29.49% variable APR thereafter. There’s a introductory fee of 3% for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5% ($5 minimum). Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee.
• The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card offers 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers and 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases (variable APR is 17.49% – 28.24% after; balance transfers must be completed within four months of account opening). There’s a balance transfer fee that’s 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.

And if you’re considering a 0% intro APR card, be sure to also consider one that earns cash-back or travel rewards so you can get something back on your purchases.

Select teamed up with location intelligence firm Esri. The company’s data development team provided the most up-to-date and comprehensive consumer spending data based on the 2019 Consumer Expenditure Surveys from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can read more about their methodology here.

Esri’s data team created a sample annual budget of approximately $22,126 in retail spending. The budget includes six main categories: groceries ($5,174), gas ($2,218), dining out ($3,675), travel ($2,244), utilities ($4,862) and general purchases ($3,953). General purchases include items such as housekeeping supplies, clothing, personal care products, prescription drugs and vitamins, and other vehicle expenses.

Select used this budget to estimate how much the average consumer would save over the course of a year, two years and five years, assuming they would attempt to maximize their rewards potential by earning all welcome bonuses offered and using the card for all applicable purchases. All rewards total estimations are net of the annual fee.

While the five-year estimates we’ve included are derived from a budget similar to the average American’s spending, you may earn a higher or lower return depending on your shopping habits.

Information about the Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Card, Amex EveryDay® Credit Card, American Express Cash Magnet® Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuers of the cards prior to publication.

For rates and fees of the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express Cash Magnet® Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, click here.