Zero percent APR cards generally offer promotional periods between 12 and 21 months, during which no interest is charged on your qualifying balance. Many consumers use 0 percent APR cards to save on interest, pay off debt more quickly or catch up on their savings.
0% offers make it possible to use a credit card, without paying interest on qualifying transactions for a period of time. For example, a credit card might offer 0% interest for up to 12 months on purchases.
When your intro APR ends, your credit card's regular APR will kick in on any remaining and new balances. Knowing when your promotional period ends helps you pay off your balance beforehand and keeps you from being surprised by mounting interest on a residual balance.
A 0% APR credit card is a credit card that charges no interest on qualifying purchases, balance transfers or both for a fixed amount of time. This no-interest period is called a promotional period. If the promotional period is based on opening a new account, it may be referred to as an introductory period.
A credit card with an introductory 0 percent APR can help you manage new debt or pay off old balances. However, a 0 percent intro APR card can hurt your credit if it causes you to carry a higher balance than usual or if you carry your balance beyond the introductory offer period.
How much is 26.99 APR on $3,000? An APR of 26.99% on a $3,000 balance would cost $67.26 in monthly interest charges.
A 0% APR credit card can work better for you if you plan on making a large purchase and don't anticipate paying the balance anytime soon. However, if you plan on paying the balance in full after each billing cycle and want to minimize costs, then a no annual fee card would be recommended.
Costs of an interest-free deal
If you still have money owing after the interest-free period ends, you'll be charged interest. Interest rates can be as high as 26%. Retailers also charge fees on interest-free deals, which may be added to the amount borrowed.
Even with a 0% APR card, you'll still have to make monthly minimum payments — usually a small percentage of your balance. And if your payment is late, even by a single day, your card issuer could cancel the 0% offer and reset your card's interest rate to the ongoing APR.
With a 0% interest rate offer, you use your credit card without paying interest on your balance for a set period of time. This usually relies on you using your card for its intended purpose (e.g. card purchases or balance transfers) and paying off your balance before your offer ends.
You may be able to secure a 0% APR offer by requesting one from your credit card issuer. Offers are generally for balance transfers, but some issuers also offer pay-over-time plans or credit line loans. Using your card responsibly and negotiating a retention offer can increase your chances of getting a 0% offer.
Zero-interest financing and credit cards could be a good deal, but make sure you carefully read the contract, know all the hidden terms, and can promptly pay off the loan. Otherwise, you may end up paying much more than you think for zero-interest financing.
Alternatively, you can use the simple interest formula I=Prn if you have the interest rate per month. If you had a monthly rate of 5% and you'd like to calculate the interest for one year, your total interest would be $10,000 × 0.05 × 12 = $6,000.
For someone with a good or very good credit score, an APR of 20% could be good, while a 12% APR may be good for someone with an excellent score. If your score is lower, an APR of 25% could be considered good. No matter your score, the lower the APR, the better.
Credit cards with 0% interest on purchases can be a good way to spread cost and build up your credit score. For example, you could use one to book flights, pay for a holiday or cover the cost of home improvements and then pay it back in monthly repayments.
You'd save money on interest
If you paid $200 per month on such a card, you could become debt-free in 20 months with $0 in interest paid.
You must be careful to avoid getting wrapped up in the thrill of 0% deals. Although the interest costs are listed as zero, the true numbers are built into the price of the loan. Unless you're aware of this before signing on the dotted line, you may be signing into a less than stellar deal.
For instance, if you charge $2,000 to a credit card with a 0 percent intro APR for the first 12 months and manage to pay $1,000 during this period, credit card interest will begin accruing only on the remaining $1,000 balance after the introductory period ends.
Use the debt snowball method
In order to use this method, list all of your credit card debts from lowest balance to highest balance. Now start concentrating on wiping out the credit card with the lowest balance while still making the minimum payments on the other cards. The point of this strategy is to build momentum.
It's generally recommended that you have two to three credit card accounts at a time, in addition to other types of credit. Remember that your total available credit and your debt to credit ratio can impact your credit scores. If you have more than three credit cards, it may be hard to keep track of monthly payments.
When you have a good credit score, you're more likely to meet lending approval guidelines and borrow money when you need it most, explains McClary. This can help if you're ever in a pinch and need to open a credit card. You're more likely to qualify for a 0% APR card like the Citi Simplicity® Card (see rates and fees).