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I just got an email from Chase offering a 0% BT. I wasn't considering it but this language caught my eye:
Once you take advantage of this balance transfer offer, you will have a new balance on your account. This means interest will be charged on new purchases you make with your credit card, unless you pay the entire balance (including any transferred balances) in full each month.
I take that to mean that if I transfer say $1000 and then charge $1, I'll pay interest on that dollar until $1001 is paid off. I thought the credit card act required higher interest balances to paid off first. Any thoughts ?
You would pay interest on any NEW purchases on that card. I tend to SD my BT cards alone for the duration of the promo period as I pay it off.
The way these show up on statements is "<High number> APR, Promo 0% APR Until <Some date>." Your normal APR will be lower than the <High number> APR. They say they are not violating the Credit Card Act since they are paying off the highest longterm APR (even though the balance is temporarily at 0%).
Yep - I learned that the hard way (granted it was for a small purchase, but still). Now anytime I do a balance transfer on a card, it is sock drawered until I PIF. I want to use my Freedom card now but I BT onto it :\
This isn't unique to Chase, very common among lenders. If you have a BT promo, don't use the card. My Freedom card is currently froze due to a BT offer on it.
@boomhower wrote:This isn't unique to Chase, very common among lenders. If you have a BT promo, don't use the card. My Freedom card is currently froze due to a BT offer on it.
+1
They are in compliance with the Card Act guidance and not violating any rules. So, if you are unfamiliar with the promotional language disclosure, or would not like to get hit with an unexpected "surprise" then just use the card for the BT promo exclusively until paid off.
@flapjack wrote:I just got an email from Chase offering a 0% BT. I wasn't considering it but this language caught my eye:
Once you take advantage of this balance transfer offer, you will have a new balance on your account. This means interest will be charged on new purchases you make with your credit card, unless you pay the entire balance (including any transferred balances) in full each month.
I take that to mean that if I transfer say $1000 and then charge $1, I'll pay interest on that dollar until $1001 is paid off. I thought the credit card act required higher interest balances to paid off first. Any thoughts ?
Best to take the offer and S the card until the BT is PIF if you really need to do the BT.
Thankfully NFCU does not do this. I BTed some cards and still use the card and only pay interest on regular purchases. Once I paid off those regular purchases (gas and dinner. some groceries) now I get no interest.
I like that not all cards/banks are greedy.