| The average American mailbox gets sales pitches | | | | side-by-side comparison of different credit card |
| from credit card companies at about two a day. | | | | products, but usually its a marketing tool of only |
| With this overload of information, choosing the | | | | one credit card company. If youre interested in |
| best product that fits your needs can get pretty | | | | comparing products from one company to |
| overwhelming. The sheer number of brochures | | | | another, youll still have to go to each companys |
| and application forms not only make it | | | | website. This still beats having to deal with all that |
| inconvenient to make an intelligent choice, but also | | | | paper, though. |
| adds to unnecessary clutter. | | | | 3. Read the fine print. |
| This is where the advantages of applying online | | | | This is as good a time as any to do your |
| for a credit card comes in. Its easier to make | | | | homework. Often times when we read from a |
| head-to-head comparisons, because of the | | | | brochure the company sent us, they conveniently |
| relative simplicity you can retrieve the latest | | | | leave off a lot of vital information about the |
| information about your prospect credit card | | | | product. Calling their helpdesk may help, but thats |
| product. And once youve made your choice, its | | | | just another hassle. And anyway, if you still have |
| just a matter of pounding at your keyboard and | | | | specific questions, theres usually an email link you |
| clicking those checkboxes. No manual, long-hand | | | | can use to field them. |
| writing each letter of your name in those | | | | 4. Make sure youre secure. This is a sophisticated |
| annoying boxes. What a great, great consumerist | | | | techno-world we live in. If you have to, invest in |
| world we live in. | | | | security software that will protect you and how |
| So, what to remember when hunting for a good | | | | you surf the internet. This also applies to when |
| deal on a credit card online? Here are a few tips: | | | | youre already going through the application |
| 1. Know thyself. | | | | process itself. |
| What do you need the card for? Is this your first | | | | The credit card industry is a multi-billion dollar |
| time to get one? Where would you most likely | | | | business. Competition for market share has kept |
| use it? All these are basic questions, and ones | | | | up with the times, and that means using the |
| that cannot be stressed enough. You dont want | | | | internet to lure more clients. You as a consumer |
| to end up like more than half of Americans who | | | | can use this tool to your advantage, and it wont |
| end up buying things theyre not sure they need | | | | be that easy. But it will certainly be worth it, if |
| with money theyre not sure they have. | | | | you get the hang of it. Just remember your goals |
| 2. Be internet-savvy. | | | | why youre getting that plastic money in the first |
| There are a few websites that facilitate a simple | | | | place, and try to do your homework. |