 TITLE: How to Negotiate a Lower Interest Rate on Your Credit Card CONTENT: How to Avoid Paying Interest on a Credit Card\n---------------------------------------------\nYour cards' interest rates won't affect you if you pay off each card's balance in full every single month. That may be easier to do when you take advantage of your card's grace period, which most issuers offer. The grace period is the time between the end of your billing cycle and your payment due date, and it's typically 15 to 21 days.\nPaying off your total balance before the grace period ends means paying no interest on your charges. But if you carry a balance for even one month, your issuer may suspend or eliminate your grace period—meaning you'll pay interest on the outstanding balance and on any new purchases starting from the day you make them.\nCheck your credit card's terms and conditions to understand how your issuer treats the grace period. You may regain grace period privileges if you pay off your total balance for a few months in a row. As a general rule, though, always bring your balance to zero by the due date, and you won't have to worry about access to the grace period or fast-rising interest charges. END