All posts by Leonard Kreicas

Best Balance Transfer Offers April 2021

March 31, 2021NewsIntro APRLeonard Kreicas

balance transfer credit cards

No interest on balance transfers until 2022 with special introductory rates for new accounts

When you transfer your high-interest balance to a credit card offering an introductory 0% APR (Annual Percentage Rate) you could reduce your monthly credit card bills by a significant amount.

A fixed interest rate of zero financing for a year or more allows you to make affordable payment on only the balance you owe. Note that minimum monthly payments are still due until the intro period ends. Once the special 0% rate expires regular rates will apply to the remaining balances.

CHECKLIST

Most major banks charge upfront balance transfer fees that are added to the balance. Usually the fees are less than interest you’re currently paying, but check with a professional financial advisor before proceeding with a balance transfer. Fees such as balance transfer, annual, late payment, etc. could swallow up any savings on interest.

See if credit line with the new card covers the amounts you want to transfer. For instance if you have a $10,000 balance to transfer and only get a $2,500 credit line with the new card, that may not be enough to save a meaningful amount. You’ll also be complicating life by having more credit card payments to keep track of.

Never charge anything on the card since purchases often are mixed in with transfers. When that happens the entire balance may be due way before the expiration of the introductory period. If not paid in full you might even pay regular interest rates on the amounts transferred.

Normally you cannot transfer balances between cards from the same bank or issuer. Inquire whether funds from the new card can be sent to the original card. Otherwise an excess of “hard” inquiries could damage your credit score.

Allow a lag time between transfer request and its posting to the old card. A month might pass before balance is erased from the high-interest account. That delay might result in an unexpectedly large amount due for the first card.

THE CARDS

The credit cards below feature longer 0% APR periods so you can pay bills in a planned manner under the guidance of trusted financial mentor.

20 MONTH INTRO 0% APR

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

20 month 0% intro APR
No annual fee
Balance transfer fee: 3%
Regular APR is 14.49% to 24.49% once intro period expires

18 MONTH INTRO 0% APR

Citi Double Cash Mastercard®

18 month zero-interest intro APR
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 13.99% to 23.99% after intro period expires

Citi Diamond Preferred Mastercard®

18 month zero-interest intro APR
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 14.74% to 24.74% once intro period expires

Citi Simplicity

No interest intro APR for 18 first months
Transfers must be completed during initial 120 days
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 14.74% to 24.74% once intro period expires

Wells Fargo Platinum Visa®

0% APR for 18 months on balance transfers
Introductory rate applies only on transfers made within first 120 days
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 16.49% to 24.49% once intro period expires

HSBC Gold Mastercard®

0% APR for 18 months on transfers
Introductory period on transfers lasts only 60 days
Balance transfer fee: 4%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 13.99% to 23.99% after intro offer expires

Citizens Bank Clear Value Mastercard®

No interest APR for first 18 months on balance transfers
No cut-off date during balance transfer introductory period
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 13.99% to 21.99% after intro offer expires

15 MONTH INTRO 0% APR

KeyBank Latitude Credit Card

15 month introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers
Balance transfers must be completed within first 60 days of account opening
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 9.99% to 19.99% after intro offer expires

PNC Core Visa®

15 month introductory no interest APR
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 9.99% to 19.99% after intro offer expires

SunTrust Cash Rewards World Mastercard®
SunTrust Travel Rewards Mastercard®
BB&T Bright Visa® credit card

While currently issued as separate products, SunTrust and BB&T have merged to form Truist, so the credit cards will eventually become Truist ones
15 month introductory no interest APR
No cut-off date for special introductory rate
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 11.24% to 21.24% after intro offer expires

Citi Rewards+ Mastercard®

15 month introductory 0% APR on balance transfers
They must be completed within first 120 days
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 13.49% to 23.49% after intro offer expires

Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa®
Wells Fargo Rewards® Card
Wells Fargo Visa Signature® Card

15 month introductory 0% APR on balance transfers
Balance transfer request must be made within first 120 days
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR after intro offer expires varies on which card you apply for and credit history

Diamond Resorts World Mastercard® from Barclays Bank

15 month introductory 0% APR on balance transfers
Balance transfer request must be made within first 45 days
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 15.74 to 24.99% after intro offer expires

TD Cash Visa® Card

15 month introductory no interest APR
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 12.99% to 22.99% after intro offer expires

Mastercard® Black Card (Barclays Bank)
Mastercard® Gold Card (Barclays Bank)
Mastercard® Titanium Card (Barclays Bank)

15 month introductory 0% APR on balance transfers
Balance transfer request must be made within first 120 days
Balance transfer fee: 3%
Annual fees are $195 (Titanium), $495 (Black), $995 (Gold)
Regular APR after intro offer expires varies on which card you apply for and credit history

Bank of America® Cash Back Rewards Credit Card
Nature Conservancy Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card (Bank of America)
Natural Trust for Historic Preservation Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card (Bank of America)
Rotary International Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card (Bank of America)
AMSA Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card (Bank of America)
UPS Capital Cash Rewards Visa Signature® card (Bank of America)

15 month introductory no interest APR on transfers within first 60 days of account opening
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 13.99% to 23.99% after intro offer expires
$200 bonus reward after $1,000 spend (don’t mix with balance transfer)
3-2-1 rewards useful after balance transfer offer period expires

Fifth Third Bank Truly Simple Mastercard®

15 month introductory no interest APR
Balance transfer fee: 4%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 11.99% to 22.99% after intro offer expires

Citizens Bank Cash+ World Mastercard®

15 month introductory no interest APR
Balance transfer fee: 4%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 15.99% to 23.99% after intro offer expires

Regions [Bank] Life Visa® Card

15 month introductory 0% APR on balance transfers
Balance transfers must be completed within first 60 days of account opening
Balance transfer fee: 4%
No annual fee

BMO Harris Bank Platinum Mastercard®

15 month introductory 0% APR on balance transfers
Balance transfers must be completed within first 90 days of account opening
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Available only in Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin

Elan Financial Services

Elan Financial Services issues 15-month introductory 0% APR credit cards on behalf of several banks, which normally have the following terms:

0% APR financing for first 15 months after opening account
Balance transfer fee: 3%
No annual fee
Regular APR of 13.49% to 23.49% once intro period expires (changes depending on prime interest rates)

A small sampling of those banks are:

BOK Financial Platinum Visa® Card
Community Banks of Colorado Platinum Visa® Card
Exchange Bank Platinum Visa® Card
Fulton Bank Platinum Visa® Card
People’s United Bank Mastercard® Platinum Card
Sterling National Bank Platinum Visa® Card
Suncrest Bank Platinum Visa® Card
The Bank of Missouri Platinum Visa® Card

NO BALANCE TRANSFER FEE & INTRO 0% APR

Union Bank Platinum Visa Credit Card

15 month introductory no interest APR
No balance transfer fee on transfers made within 60 days; 3% after that (terms)
No annual fee
Regular APR is 8.49% to 19.99% after intro offer expires

Navy Federal Credit Union®Credit Card (members only)

12 month introductory 0% APR
No balance transfer fee
No annual fee
Regular APR is 5.99% to 18.00% after intro offer expires

Purdue Federal Visa Signature (members only)

12 month introductory 0% APR on purchases, balance transfers and cash advances
Balance transfer fee: 0%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 11.50% to 17.50% after intro offer expires
General membership via one-time $50 fee to join Purdue University Alumni Association as a Friend of the University

First Tech FCU Platinum Mastercard (members only)

12 month introductory 0% APR
Balance transfer fee: 0%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 6.99% to 18.00% after intro offer expires
General membership via one-time fee to join Computer History Museum or the Financial Fitness Association

Wings Visa® Platinum Credit Card (credit union members only)

12 month introductory 0% APR
Balance transfer fee: 0%
No annual fee
Regular APR is 8.15% to 18.00% after intro offer expires
General membership via one-time fee to join Wings Financial Foundation

Best Credit Card Sign-Up Offers April 2021

March 29, 2021NewsSign-up offersLeonard Kreicas

When making a purchase or payment $500 or larger, consider opening a new credit card account with a cash back sign-up offer of $200 or more.

You could earn hundreds of tax-free dollars a year by planning your credit card applications the smart way.

Since the sign-up offers usually require spending a certain minimum amount on the card, plan your larger purchases by getting a new credit card account.

Many of card’s bonus can only be redeemed for travel or store purchases. The offers below give the cardholder account holder actual cash in the form of a tax-free rebate, i.e. statement credit.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

$800 cash back (80,000 points) after you spend $4,000 on purchases on your new card within the first 3 months.
Bonus points on travel and dining, includes delivery and takeout
1% other eligible purchases
Cash back is received in the form of Ultimate Rewards points (100 points = $1) redeemable as a statement credit.
$95 annual fee (waived for first year)

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card

$600 cash back (60,000 points) after you spend $4,000 on purchases on your new card within the first 3 months.
Double bonus points on travel and dining, includes delivery and takeout
1% other eligible purchases
Cash back is received in the form of Ultimate Rewards points (100 points = $1) redeemable as a statement credit.
Points worth 50% extra if redeemed for travel and other select categories
$300 annual travel credit
$550 annual fee (waived for first year)

Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card

$500 cash back (50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new card within the first 3 months.
2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining
1.5 points on other eligible purchases
Preferred Rewards members earn 25% to 75% more points per purchase
Get cash back when you redeem the points you earned (100 points = $1).
$95 annual fee

BBVA Premium Select Credit Card (limited availability)

$500 cash back (50,000 points) after you spend $4,000 on purchases on your new card within the first 3 months.
4x points on entertainment purchases
3x points on dining purchases
2x points on travel purchases
1 point on all other eligible purchases
Get cash back when you redeem your points (100 points = $1).
$99 annual fee (waived the first year)

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

$300 cash back after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months.
Everyday Cash Back: 6% at U.S supermarkets (superstores like Walmart or Target don’t qualify) on up to $6,000 per year in purchases
6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
3% at U.S gas stations and on transit (includes rideshares, parking, tolls, buses, trains, and more)
1% other eligible purchases
Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars redeemable as statement credit.
$95 annual fee (waived for first year)

Capital One® Savor® Rewards Credit Card

$300 cash back after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 3 months.
4% cash back on dining and entertainment
2% cash back at grocery stores
1% other eligible purchases
$95 annual fee

Star Trek Credit Card from NASA FCU

$300 cash back after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 3 months.
2X rewards at gas stations
1X reward for other eligible purchases on card
$39 annual fee
Credit union membership required

Disney® Premier Visa® Card From Chase

Get $250 statement credit with minimum spend $500 on purchases with new card within first 3 months
2% in Disney Reward Dollars on select purchases
1% in Disney Reward Dollars on all other eligible charges
$49 annual fee

U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card

Get $200 back (20,000 bonus points) with minimum spend $1,000 on purchases with new card within first 3 months
0% intro APR on purchases for first 12 months
4x points on dining, takeout, food delivery
2x points at grocery stores (including delivery)
2x points at gas stations
2x points on streaming service subscriptions
1 point on all other eligible charges
Rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
No annual fee

BMO Harris Bank Cash Back Mastercard®

Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $2,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
0% intro APR on balance transfers (made within first 90 days) for first 12 months (3% fee)
2% on eligible gas and grocery purchases (maximum $2,500 combined, then 1%)
1% cash back on all other purchases
No annual fee

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
0% Intro APR on purchases for first 15 months after account opening
Earn 5% cash back for travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Get 3% cash back at restaurants (includes takeout and delivery)
Get 3% cash back on drug store purchases
1.5% cash back on all other eligible purchases
No minimum amount when redeeming for cash back
No annual fee

Wells Fargo Propel American Express Card

Earn 20,000 bonus rewards points (redeemable for $200 cash back) after you spend $1,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
0% Intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers. Balance transfer fee is 3% of the amount transferred, $5 minimum
3% cash back on dining purchases, such as delis, fast food, coffee shops, casual restaurants and fine dining
3% cash back at gas stations, rideshares, and transit
3% cash back on popular streaming service subscriptions
3% cash back on airlines, hotels, homestays, car rentals
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
Rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
No annual fee

American Express Blue Cash Everyday® Card

Get $200 back after you spend $1,000 on purchases with new card within first 3 months
0% intro APR on purchases for first 15 months
3% cash back on groceries at supermarkets ($6,000 limit)
2% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations
2% cash back at select department stores
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
Cash back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
No annual fee

American Express Cash Magnet® Card

Get $200 back after you spend $1,000 on purchases with new card within first 3 months
0% intro APR on purchases for first 15 months
1.5% cash back on eligible purchases
Cash back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
No annual fee

Bank of America® Cash Rewards Visa® Card
MLB™ World Mastercard® from Bank of America

Get $200 online cash rewards after a spend of $1,000 with first 90 days
Introductory 0% APR on purchases or balance transfers for first 12 billing cycles
3% cash back on category of your choice
2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs
1% rewards on all other eligible purchased items
Get the logo of your favorite Major League Baseball team on the card
No annual fee

Capital One® Quicksilver Rewards Card

Get $200 back after you spend $500 on purchases with new card within first 3 months
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for first 15 months
1.5% cash back on all eligible purchases
Cash back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
No annual fee

Capital One® SavorOne® Rewards Credit Card

$200 cash back after you spend $500 in purchases on your new card within the first 3 months
0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
3% cash back on dining and entertainment
2% cash back at grocery stores
1% other eligible purchases
no annual fee

Elements Financial CU Signature Rewards Visa® Card

Get $200 cash bonus after you spend $1,000 on 10 or more purchases with new card within first 3 months
Introductory 0% APR offer on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months
1.5% cash back and rewards on eligible everyday purchases
No balance transfer or foreign transaction fees
No annual fee
Credit union membership required

Rotary International Cash Rewards Visa Signature® credit card from Bank of America

Get $200 cash back after you spend $1,000 on purchases with new card within first 3 months
Introductory 0% APR for 12 months for purchases and balance transfers
3% cash back on category of choice, such as gas, online shopping, drug stores, home improvement & furnishings, dining or travel
2% cash back at eligible grocery stores and wholesale clubs
1% rewards on all other eligible purchased items
No annual fee

Use Credit Card Bonuses Wisely

Apply these common sense rules before applying for too many credit cards at once.

Use the signup bonuses with a definite purpose.
Before you pick a program, explore each one in depth.

Apply for a maximum of two cards per year.
You may earn more rewards by signing up for more, but that could limit your ability to earn bonuses in the future.

Pay your balance in full every billing period.
Banks rely on the fact that they earn more in interest and fees than what they give back in bonuses or rewards.

Avoid cards with annual fees.
They cost more than the services they provide and closing an account limits your buying power.

Kroger Rewards Credit Card

January 19, 2021RewardsGroceries, No annual fee, US BankLeonard Kreicas

Koger shopping cart

Limited time offer: save up to $.55 per gallon of fuel with new Kroger Rewards credit card

Great savings, but these conditions apply:

Good for new account holders only
Redeemable only at Kroger Family of Companies Fuel Centers
Minimum of 100 existing fuel points earned in a single month
Not valid with any other fuel offer

Save money with Kroger World Mastercard®

1 point per net $1 spent anywhere Mastercard is accepted
2 points per net $1 spent in the Kroger family of stores (see below)
3 points per net $1 spent on the Kroger family of quality brands
Additional 25¢ fuel discount at participating Kroger family of stores*

Free benefits and services

No annual fee
No foreign transaction fee
No penalty on over-limit purchases
24-day, interest-free grace period on purchases
Balance transfer fee: 4%
Free Gold Checking account from US Bank
Automatic bill payment
Account alerts for peace of mind
Travel & emergency assistance services
Mastercard Global Service at no charge
Auto rental collision damage waiver
Free online account access – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Mobile banking on smartphones
Warranty manager service
Zero fraud liability
Annual account summary

The 1-2-3 Kroger Rewards Card is issued by USBank.

Kroger family of companies includes these grocery stores

Baker’s
City Market
Dillons
Food 4 Less
Foods Co
Fred Meyer
Fry’s
Gerbes
Harris Teeter
King Soopers
Jay C Food Store
Kroger
Owens Market
Pay-Less Super Markets
QFC
Ralphs
Smith’s Food and Drug

Offer applies to new cardholders only. Discount is available at Kroger Family of Stores Fuel Centers when you redeem at least 100 existing fuel points earned in a single month. You must scan, redeem fuel points and pay with your 1-2-3 REWARDS Visa Card in order to receive this fuel discount. Upon expiration, cardholder will receive additional 5¢ fuel discount at Kroger Family of Stores Fuel Centers, when they scan, redeem fuel points and pay with their 1-2-3 REWARDS Visa Card.

PenFed Credit Union Credit Cards

December 21, 2020Credit UnionIntro APR, No annual fee, Rewards, Sign-up offersLeonard Kreicas

PenFed Credit Union office building — Photo credit: PenFed Credit Union

PenFed Credit Union offers members four great credit card choices to fit their budgets.

PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card features

50,000 bonus points credit after charging $3,000 on your new card within 90 days of account opening
4 times the points on all travel categories for members of the PenFed Honors Advantage program
Earn 3 points on all travel category purchases
All other eligible purchases earn 1.5 points per dollar spent
$95 annual fee

Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card features

Generous 2% cash back on all eligible purchases for PenFed Honors Advantage Members
1.5% cash back on all eligible purchases for non-members
$100 bonus statement credit when you spend $1,500 with new card within first 90 days
No Annual Fee

Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card features

5 times the points on gas purchases paid at the pump
3 times the points on supermarket purchases
1 point per dollar charged on all other eligible purchases
$100 bonus statement credit when you spend $1,500 with new card within first 90 days
No Annual Fee

Gold Visa® Card features

0% introductory APR on balance transfers for the first 12 months
APR as low as 7.49% for qualified applicants
$100 bonus statement credit when you spend $1,500 with new card within first 90 days
No Annual Fee

Credit card users had numerous benefits cash purchases did not provide, such as:

Careful tracking of dates and prices paid
Zero liability on fraudulent charges
Identity theft protection
EMV Chip Technology
Contactless tap to pay on enabled terminals
Online banking from the convenience of your residence
Click to pay online (where available) with Visa’s smart and secure online checkout
Mobile banking from wherever you’re located
No need to worry about carrying or losing cash
Instant alerts on suspicious transactions
Paperless statements which cannot be lost
Secure Apple Pay feature

Credit Union membership is required.

A little-known additional feature is available to active duty members of the United States Military. They may be eligible for SCRA benefits, such as a 6% APR cap on credit cards. Note though, SCRA does NOT relieve cardholders from making credit card payments on time!

For more information on qualifying and features of SCRA visit saveandinvest.org

CREDIT CARDS

Choose the right credit card for you

All posts by Leonard Kreicas

Best Balance Transfer Offers April 2021

No interest on balance transfers until 2022 with special introductory rates for new accounts

CHECKLIST

THE CARDS

20 MONTH INTRO 0% APR

18 MONTH INTRO 0% APR

15 MONTH INTRO 0% APR

NO BALANCE TRANSFER FEE & INTRO 0% APR

Kroger Rewards Credit Card

Limited time offer: save up to $.55 per gallon of fuel with new Kroger Rewards credit card

Save money with Kroger World Mastercard®

Free benefits and services

Kroger family of companies includes these grocery stores

No interest on balance transfers until 2022 with special introductory rates for new accounts

CHECKLIST

THE CARDS

20 MONTH INTRO 0% APR

18 MONTH INTRO 0% APR

15 MONTH INTRO 0% APR

NO BALANCE TRANSFER FEE & INTRO 0% APR

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card

Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card

BBVA Premium Select Credit Card (limited availability)

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Capital One® Savor® Rewards Credit Card

Star Trek Credit Card from NASA FCU

Disney® Premier Visa® Card From Chase

U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card

BMO Harris Bank Cash Back Mastercard®

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Wells Fargo Propel American Express Card

American Express Blue Cash Everyday® Card

American Express Cash Magnet® Card

Bank of America® Cash Rewards Visa® Card MLB™ World Mastercard® from Bank of America

Capital One® Quicksilver Rewards Card

Capital One® SavorOne® Rewards Credit Card

Elements Financial CU Signature Rewards Visa® Card

Rotary International Cash Rewards Visa Signature® credit card from Bank of America

Use Credit Card Bonuses Wisely

Limited time offer: save up to $.55 per gallon of fuel with new Kroger Rewards credit card

Save money with Kroger World Mastercard®

Free benefits and services

Kroger family of companies includes these grocery stores

PenFed Credit Union offers members four great credit card choices to fit their budgets.

Bank of America® Cash Rewards Visa® Card
MLB™ World Mastercard® from Bank of America