The disadvantage of paying down
high credit card balances before applying for a car loan is that you then have fewer resources to make a significant down payment.
Not exact matches
It may also make more sense to pay off a
high interest rate
credit card balances before worrying about the RRSP deadline.
However, if you are carrying
credit card debt, the best way to save money may be transferring
high interest debts to
balance transfer
credit cards and focus on paying these debts off
before the baby arrives.
Keep that
credit card for emergencies and, when you use it, create a plan to make sure you pay off the
balance before it gets too
high.
It may also make more sense to pay off a
high interest rate
credit card balances before worrying about the RRSP deadline.
So you could use that
card to fill up with a tank of gas, pay it off after you get the statement but
before the due date and your
credit report would likely show a
balance, but not a
high balance — unless you have a gas guzzler!
Many of the people with current financial problems and in need of finance are in trouble precisely because of the casual way in which they used
credit cards before finding they had built up
balances that were incurring
high interest rates at the same time as their available
credit dried up.
If you can pay off a
high interest debt quickly this way, with your eye on retiring your existing
balance before the promotional period is over, then going with a
credit card offering a 0 % rate could be worth it.
However, those
cards usually go to customers with very
high credit scores, charge a 3 % -5 %
balance transfer fee and have an introductory period lasting 12 - 18 months
before regular interest rates apply.
Just make sure you pay off the
balance in full
before the promotional 0 % APR period expires, or you could end up paying the typical
higher interest rates associated with
credit cards.
and i use the
card no more than 10 % of the
credit limit, the
highest balance i had was 20 % and even that i always knocked it down to 10 %
before the bill print out (i did this because i want to get the reward) and i always paid off my
credit card every month too.
Bottom Line: Be sure to consider transfer fees in your calculation
before moving
balances from
high - interest
credit cards to a 0 % APR
credit card.
To give you an example of how a
higher balance on one
card one month can raise the utilization percentage from the prior month — and hurt the score — let's say a
card has a
credit limit of $ 1,000 and the monthly charges typically add up to $ 100
before being paid off the following month.
So, if you've run up a
high balance on a
credit card with a low limit, it's wise to pay it down a little
before the end of the billing period to keep the
credit utilization rate low on the day it's calculated.
Or you can choose to commit to using a
balance transfer
credit card that offers 0 % APR for a limited time — just make sure you pay off your
balance before that intro rate period is up, or you'll be stuck with some expensive
credit card debt at much
higher rates!
There is some debate as to whether or not you should pay off
high interest consumer debt such as
credit card balances before you establish an emergency fund.
Like most rewards
credit cards, the Blue Cash Everyday
card also charges a relatively
high standard APR — especially for cardholders with less - than - excellent
credit — so be sure you can pay off the transferred
balance before the
card's standard interest rate kicks in.
Even if you pay your
card's
balance in full
before the due date, your
credit report could reflect
high utilization — and potentially lower your
credit score — depending on when your issuer reports the account information to the
credit bureaus.
Before the sale is scheduled to close, the lender may check your
credit report for
high credit card balances and your bank accounts to make sure you haven't drained them.