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Balance Transfers With Credit Cards?

I'm thinking about doing a balance transfer with two of my credit cards. What's the catch? Has anybody ever done this? What are the pros and cons?

5 Answers

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  • 8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    You lucked out getting me :) here's the deal......

    You are most likely to get approved for the best rate doing a balance transfer. Every bank gives a ton of points added to the calculator just for including a balance transfer on the application. Pro you usually get 3 months to a year on an amazing interest rate. Con they usually put the rates up drastically. Check the fine print on the rates. However if you think you can pay it in 6 months look for a place that has a 3% or lower rate and balance transfer at 5th month elsewhere if not paid.

    Source(s): Ran credit apps
  • 8 years ago

    Read the fine print on your credit card terms. Sometimes you will get a special offer for a low interest rate for balance transfers, but usually the normal terms on a card ARE the catch.

    Typically there is a 3% to 5% balance transfer fee, depending on your card terms. Interest begins to accrue immediately at the higher cash advance/balance transfer rate. The available limit for cash advances/balance transfers is about half of the purchase limit. Of course, there are now reward points for a balance transfer.

    Shifting debt form one card to another isn't a good idea, unless you work on paying off the balance as quickly as you can. You can't just look for new low interest offers to shift your balance to. Eventually, you run out of offers.

    Source(s): BD
  • 8 years ago

    Suggestion: Do not play these games.

    They are lowering your credit scores.

    Carrying balances is a fast way to destroy your credit.

    People that do these balance transfers, always rack up more debt. Always.

    How about a different goal:

    Hunker down and pay your highest interest credit cards off first.

    Have them all paid to $0.

    Then use one for gas and one for food and pay them in full each month.

    This develops fantastic credit scores.

    Stop playing games that will just make you get into more debt.

    And destroy your credit scores even more.

    Employers check credit, so do landlords, lenders, even car insurance companies.

  • 8 years ago

    I am torn by this question and answers. Balance transfers only work if you stop spending and pay the debt. Even though you often take a CS hit doing this it can be long term financially smart and finance smart always beats credit smart. Just do not be one of the majority who do this and are worse off in 5 months

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  • Anonymous
    4 years ago

    It relies upon on the placement, yet standard it would desire to have a constrained result on your score whilst in comparison with the size and high quality of your cost historical past. 2 of the relevent factors blanketed interior the score are the steadiness whilst in comparison with the credit decrease, and the completed volume of credit obtainable. the 1st is all in favour of whether you have maxed out or close to maxed out playing cards, you will desire to no longer. the 2d watches the completed volume of credit obtainable, and it often should not be better than you want. do no longer sign up for a card at each and every save you save at only by way of fact it gets you 10% off your purchase. yet in addition do no longer panic and cancel playing cards or decrease limits, it helps to have those old money owed (longer historical past), and it would desire to impression your stunning stability to decrease (the 1st element reported). the standard obtainable credit has a constrained result on your score, whether it extremely is important remember and a good reason to no longer open promotional playing cards. i'm undecided if this rapidly replied your question, yet my suggestion is to pay off the cardboard as you're. you will no longer pay pointless pastime or expenses, and it retains you from moving into credit problem (it extremely is superb how ordinary it could happen). you haven't any longer something significant to benefit via preserving a stability on the cardboard. so a great way as different the thank you to develop your score, the main mandatory element is staying modern-day and save your money owed open long term. in view that it extremely is your first card, i anticipate you're youngerish, get greater of your money owed on your call if obtainable, utilities, cellular telephone, motor vehicle own loan. i'm undecided what different credit you have, yet having only gotten your first card you're nicely on your way. proceed to exist superb of it for a pair of years and you're turning out to be a first rate credit (say 720 - 750), then you definately may well be finding to characteristic a motor vehicle own loan, loan, etc. and would have the possibility to get an superb score top away.

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