 TITLE: How to Choose a Credit Card CONTENT: Choosing a Credit Card to Finance a Purchase\n--------------------------------------------\nCredit cards charge interest, so it's best to pay your bill in full each month to avoid accruing interest. Thanks to promotional offers for new cardholders, however, it can be wise to make a large purchase using a credit card with an introductory 0% annual percentage rate (APR) offer and pay it off over several months.\nThe best 0% APR cards will give you a promotional period of around 12 to 21 months from the time you open the account. Interest won't accrue on your purchases during this time, and if you pay off your balance by the end of the promotional period, you won't wind up paying any interest. Coupled with smart budgeting, a good 0% APR intro offer could save you lots of money over a loan.\nOn the other hand, if you currently have credit card debt that's accruing interest, look into balance transfer credit cards. These cards offer similar 0% APR introductory offers, but the 0% rate applies to balances that you transfer to the card rather than purchases. You may need to pay a fee based on the amount of debt you transfer, but some of the best balance transfer cards don't charge the fee to new cardholders.\nWith either type of card, read the terms of the card and offer carefully. For example, if a card's 0% APR offer only applies purchases, your balance transfers will still accrue interest. Or, if you have only a 0% APR balance transfer offer, your purchases could accrue interest. Also, make sure you have a plan to pay off the balance before the introductory period ends and the standard interest rate kicks in. END