Just as an individual’s personal credit rating is very important, this is also something that is true for a businesses credit rating as well. If you own a new business and you are just starting to get some credit established for your company, you will need to know the important differences there are between personal credit cards and that of business credit cards.

When you decide that you would like to get a credit card for your business it is important that you are receiving a business credit card and not a personal credit card. There are a variety of different companies that will allow you to get a credit card with your business name on it, but they will then use your personal credit history when you are applying for the card. Of course if you are trying to establish credit for your new business, these particular cards will not be of much benefit to you, as it will only affect your personal credit and not the credit history that you are trying to build for the company that you own.

One of the biggest benefits that many business owners enjoy when they have a business credit card for their company is the fact that these cards allow you to keep all of your personal finances and your business finances completely separate. These types of cards also make it very convenient for being able to track specific purchases that are made within the company, and you will have a detailed record of all of the transactions that have been made on the cards. This can also make the bookkeeping within a company quite a bit easier to maintain.

If you have not established any credit for your particular business yet, another type of credit card that you may need to get is a secured business credit card. These types of credit cards require that you pay a specified amount down on the card before you are able to make any transactions with them. After the specified amount has been paid then they can be used just as any other type of credit card. The initial amount that you pay towards the credit card will be kept in the event that you were to default on the credit card payments. When a company is just starting out and has not established a line of credit yet, the secured credit cards are very helpful in being able to do this.

If you are thinking of applying for a business credit card for your company, it can be very helpful if you would use the advantages that are available on the Internet. You can simply go online and research the variety of different web sites that offer business credit cards. It would also be a huge benefit for you to compare the various fees that may pertain to each card, and you will also need to compare the interest rates that are being offered on each specific card that you are checking in to.

A high interest rate is another problem for a large number of people. You should always pay close attention to the interest rate you are receiving on your credit cards. Many individuals take advantage of the benefit to be had in transferring their credit card balance to one that offers a lower interest rate. This can be very helpful as long as you are paying more than the minimum payment each month.

Small businesses can benefit a great deal in using credit cards if they have several employees who will need the freedom to make certain purchases, such as gasoline for company vehicles, or even automobile repairs. Making sure that you continuously pay the balance of the credit cards will also help to build your company’s credit line. If you do not keep a close watch on purchases made however, it can also result in the misuse of the credit cards.

If used properly credit cards can help to build your credit and if they are misused, they can ruin your credit. If you will take the time to follow a few simple guidelines, it can help to keep you on track with your credit card purchases.

• The credit cards that you plan to use are the only ones that you should keep
• Always pay more than the minimum balance, and when possible pay the balance in full each month
• Keep close track on every purchase made on the credit cards and do not use them unless it is necessary
• Make sure that you are paying the lowest interest rates possible

Almost all of us are aware that credit cards can do a lot of harm to people’s credit rating and put you in a financial mess very quickly, but when used properly you can enjoy the freedom of using the credit cards when needed, and be able to build a good credit rating at the same time.

When you decide that you would like to get a credit card for your business it is important that you are receiving a business credit card and not a personal credit card. There are a variety of different companies that will allow you to get a credit card with your business name on it, but they will then use your personal credit history when you are applying for the card. Of course if you are trying to establish credit for your new business, these particular cards will not be of much benefit to you, as it will only affect your personal credit and not the credit history that you are trying to build for the company that you own.

One of the biggest benefits that many business owners enjoy when they have a business credit card for their company is the fact that these cards allow you to keep all of your personal finances and your business finances completely separate. These types of cards also make it very convenient for being able to track specific purchases that are made within the company, and you will have a detailed record of all of the transactions that have been made on the cards. This can also make the bookkeeping within a company quite a bit easier to maintain.

If you have not established any credit for your particular business yet, another type of credit card that you may need to get is a secured business credit card. These types of credit cards require that you pay a specified amount down on the card before you are able to make any transactions with them. After the specified amount has been paid then they can be used just as any other type of credit card. The initial amount that you pay towards the credit card will be kept in the event that you were to default on the credit card payments. When a company is just starting out and has not established a line of credit yet, the secured credit cards are very helpful in being able to do this.

If you are thinking of applying for a business credit card for your company, it can be very helpful if you would use the advantages that are available on the Internet. You can simply go online and research the variety of different web sites that offer business credit cards. It would also be a huge benefit for you to compare the various fees that may pertain to each card, and you will also need to compare the interest rates that are being offered on each specific card that you are checking in to.

Have you come to the point in your life where you are comfortable with your lifestyle, and you feel like you have plenty of extra money coming in each month that you think you should be able to afford a new car payment? Or, perhaps you are thinking about buying that new dream home for your family that you have dreamed about being able to buy for so many years. Then, all of the sudden you come to find out, that there is something that is standing in the way of being able to do either of these things.

Having no credit at all is normally just as frustrating as having bad credit can be. The reason for this is, a bank or a lending institution, a credit card company, automobile dealership, mortgage company, or any other type of business that you are trying to borrow money from will want to be able to see a past credit history of some type. If these companies are able to see a good credit history on your credit report, then they are able to use your credit information to determine the bill paying practices that you have kept, and are keeping.

If you have bad credit, they can look at your credit report and determine what has caused your credit to be bad. Sometimes a person might have had a good credit history, then all of the sudden, an unexpected accident of some sort might have occurred. If lenders are able to see that you had good bill paying practices up until this point, then sometimes your loan can get approved under these circumstances.

If you have no credit at all, there is absolutely no way that any type of lending institution or company will have any type of information that they can base a determination on previous bill paying practices. It is important for them to be able to determine what level of risk a client will, or will not be.

The way various companies can determine someone’s past credit history and bill-paying practices is by looking at your FICO score. The FICO score is simply a means of being able to condense the credit information that is supplied on the credit report into a more easily understood three-digit number. These numbers can range anywhere between the numbers of 300 and 850. A score that is above 750 is considered to be excellent, and a score that is less than 620 is considered to be risky.

There are several different factors that are used in the formula to calculate a persons FICO score.
• 35% – determined by your past payment history
• 30% – determined by the current amount of money you still owe lenders
• 15% – determined by how long your credit history is
• 10% – determined by the amount of credit accounts that are new, that you have either opened, or applied for
• 10% – determined by a mix of the credit accounts that you currently have, such as credit cards, mortgages, etc.

To ensure that you are able to enjoy the benefits from having good credit, instead of having no credit at all, pay careful attention to the management of your finances and your bill paying practices.

When the credit card company uses your personal liability as a basis for approving the business credit card, it helps to protect them in the event that the business was unable to re-pay the balance on the card. This would allow them to then be able to invoke the agreement that was made using the personal liability so that they are able to collect the funds that are owed.

Using personal liability can be very helpful, but it can also be very harmful. It can be advantageous as far as being able to receive a business credit card you’re your business when it is lacking a sufficient amount of credit that is needed to receive a business credit card. However, it can also be harmful to your personal credit line. If for whatever reason your business was unable to make the proper payments on the card, not only will it harm the credit line of your business, but it will also harm your personal credit line. It is very important to stay on top of any funds owed when taking out a business credit card using personal liability.

One advantage that many credit card companies will offer is that you are generally able to remove your personal liability from the agreement after a certain amount of time. After your business has shown that it was sufficiently able to stay in good standing, make the necessary payments on time and hold up to the agreement made, you can then remove your personal liability from the business credit card agreement.

The use of a business credit card can be very helpful when you want to keep your business and your personal finances completely separated. You can find yourself in a big mess very quickly if your business and your personal expenditures were not kept separated. Detailed billing summaries that you will receive from the business credit card company will be extremely helpful to you for the purposes of bookkeeping. You will quickly and easily be able to see each individual purchase that is made from the card. If you have more than one card that you have issued to different employees, you will also be able to determine different purchases that were made on each individual card.

The use of a business credit card can be very helpful to any business, but it will be to your advantage to do the necessary research that is available before applying for your business credit card.

There is a wide range of different business credit cards that will offer the business owner many great discounts to shop at other businesses. Many times you will be able to save as much as 10% when you take advantage of these special discounted offers and shop at the various stores that offer you a discount. This can be very beneficial on items you need for your business.

Having a business credit card can be a great way to earn a large amount of rewards for your company. There are many card companies that are offering a reward system on air flight points that you can receive with each purchase. With the high prices of gasoline today, this can be a great way to be able to continue enjoying your traveling excursions and be able to save money all at the same time. Generally you will earn a specific number of points for each purchase that you make using your card. When enough air flight points have been accumulated, you will be able to redeem them on the flight of your choice. Earning free flight points can be very exciting and useful!

With choosing a business credit card you will be able to enjoy a lower interest rate than those offered with a personal credit card. Normally the interest rates you are offered will fall somewhere between 9% and 15%. There is a lot lower risk involved for the credit card companies with businesses, so they are able to offer substantially lower rates to their customers.

If you run a large business, a business credit card can also offer great advantages to your employees. Depending on what specific employees needs may be, you have the advantage of being able to set each individual limit on the amount they have available on their card.

You normally have the benefit of being offered a much higher credit line with a business credit card, than that of a personal credit card. This can be extremely beneficial to businesses that will need a large amount of funds available to them from day to day transactions.

If you are looking into the many advantages that can be offered to your business by using business credit cards, it would be to your advantage to find out all the information you can on each particular credit card company and the rates and fees they have to offer. With so many different companies that are available today, there is a wide range of different rates, fees, discounts, rewards, and savings you will be able to benefit from. Be sure to compare each of these with each company before you apply for your business credit card.

In making sure that you know exactly what you should compare on each of the different credit cards that are available is a big step in getting closer to receiving the right business credit card for your company.

Almost all cards, and even those that are business credit cards seem to be offering some type of rewards or rebates to customers who make purchases with their cards.  This is one advantage you might want to compare between each card that is available and see which one offers the bonus flight miles, gift cards, or cash back rewards.

Because of the significant difference between the two, one important thing you need to compare would be whether the business credit card you choose will be earning a variable APR or if it will be on a fixed APR.  The difference you will end up paying back can be a large amount in funds.

As you are probably already aware, the business credit card that you choose will more than likely come different types of fees, such as the fee per card and the company fee.  You will want to make a comparison between each company and find out if you will also be charged an annual fee, as some companies do not charge this fee to their customers.

There are many individuals who are learning the art and enjoying the advantages of making balance transfers.  Doing so can mean a significant amount in savings on the amount of money you will be responsible for paying back.  When you are considering doing a balance transfer, it is important to question if you will be charged any fees for this type of transaction on your business credit card.

In almost every transaction we make, whether it is in our checkbook or on that is made on our business credit card, there will be finance charges that are applied.  One important question you will want to learn is if whether or not a daily balance will be used to determine the finance charge.

When any company makes the decision of allowing employees to hold a business credit card, there is always a percentage of liability that is involved.  It is too easy for employees to misuse the cards inappropriately, to not make sure that you have some type of protection that will be covering your business.  If you are a business owner and you plan to allow employees to use a business credit card, it is important for you to find out if your business will be protected by any unauthorized charges made on the card.

As you can see, there are several different factors that you need to take into consideration before you make the final decision on which business credit card is the right one for you and your particular needs.

One of the most important steps you should consider before you even fill out an application to receive a business credit card would be to carefully compare the interest rates and the fees that each individual card company will be applying to the card. Depending on which company you decide to choose, some of these figures can differ a great deal. With the help of the World Wide Web, this very important step has been made a whole lot easier than it was in times past. It is now made easy by simply going online and searching through the various credit card companies that are available and doing research on each of these. You can easily compare each of their rates and fees they will be applying. This will give you the advantage of making a more informed decision. The ability of being able to do research on various companies at your leisure, while in the comfort of your own home or office can be extremely beneficial. Many of the sites you visit will have information answering any question you may have regarding the business credit card they offer.

Normally the rates on a business credit card can be found to be considerably lower than those of a personal credit card. You will notice this difference because the many of the credit card companies know that when a business is for some reason unable to make their business credit card payments, the credit card company then has the ability to seize that company’s assets to cover the unpaid debt.

Obtaining a business credit card can be very beneficial to any business. One important factor is they can be very helpful in obtaining a credit history for your particular business. Most credit card companies do report to credit agencies, but it would be to your advantage to make sure of this when you are applying for your card.

You will also need to decide on which type of business credit card you would like to get. You can choose from a range of different terms and conditions, and you can also choose from either a secured card, or an unsecured card. Also, many of these cards will be offered without having any type of early repayment penalties, and some will have an early repayment penalty.

With so many business credit cards being offered today with different terms and conditions, you will want to find out all of this important information before making your final choice on which card will best suit you and your company.

The majority of credit bureau scores in the United States are produced by Fair Isaac and Company, or FICO®. The three major credit reporting agencies, or bureaus, are TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. They all provide FICO® Scores to lenders, and they all three use a slightly different formula to make their determination on what score will be given for your credit rating. All three could have identical information and the scoring system would be different.

However, most of the time they do not always end up having the same information in being able to determine your credit score. This is simply because not all businesses such as credit card companies, auto lenders, home mortgage companies, and various others will use the same agency to report any type of activity on your account.

There are specific factors that will influence the overall credit score. Issues such as your personal payment history on your accounts, any outstanding debts that you may have, the amount of credit you have versus what you have available, how long you have had each line of credit and very importantly, any derogatory or negative information that may be on your accounts. The frequency of late payments, any charge-offs or collections and a big factor is bankruptcies or credit repair companies you may have used.

There are also other factors that are weighed in determining your credit risk that do not have anything to do with your credit or any open accounts at all. Those factors are issues such as how long have you lived in your current home, how often do you move, or the length of time you have been at your job. It is never a good idea to change jobs right before applying for any type of credit, but especially so if it is a home or automobile loan. Lenders like stability.

Following a few simple steps can optimize your credit rating: be sure to always pay your bills on time or even before they are due, try to always ensure that you use 30% or less of the credit that is available to you, take the necessary precautions to always ensure that your good name is protected from the chances of identity theft. Protect your credit rating.

Yes, you truly can get a credit card even if you do have bad credit, but you will have to pay higher interest rates and fees. You can also qualify for a home loan, but you will end up paying hundreds more per month than an individual with good credit. The reason is because lenders are able to charge different interest rates to different individuals. Though they cannot discriminate because of race, color, or sex, they are allowed to discriminate because of your personal past credit history. This is why a large number of people are very interested in repairing their bad credit.

There are even some businesses that target a person with bad credit. They think that on occasion, a person who has a negative credit history, and who has not tried to repair their bad credit, might work harder to make their payments on time as to not worsen their situation. They know that these people are in need of credit and this might make them unaware of interest rates. If you have ever filed for bankruptcy and shortly afterwards you received an offer in the mail for an unsecured credit card, this is why. Taking offers like these more than likely will not help you in your process to fixing your bad credit. If you have already had a credit card, and charged it up to the limit and are unable to make even the smallest payment on time, getting another credit card, along with its payments is not a very good idea.

Repairing your credit history includes many different aspects; correcting the information on your report, removing any negative items from your credit report, bargaining with creditors to remove these negative items, having excessive inquiries removed, and then building good credit. One good way to repair your bad credit is to get a secured credit card that reports your payments to the credit bureaus.

There are a number of issues to look at when you decide which credit cards to obtain and which ones to pass by. Consider the pros and cons of each before you make a decision. For a person who travels a great deal, the frequent flyer miles will probably rank fairly
high in the pros column. However, for someone who is a homebody and prefers to not fly or travel far from home, getting cash back on qualified purchases would probably ranker higher on the pros side of that list.

That brings up another question, what exactly is a qualified purchase? Does that mean that certain purchases do not qualify for cash back? How do you know the difference? Make sure that the term “qualified purchase” is clearly defined.

What other types of rewards are available? Can you switch back and forth between the various rewards that are offered and if so, at what expense?

In addition to these questions, prior to filling out that credit card application you may want to consider items such as; the annual fee, cash withdrawal fees, late fees, credit limit and the always important interest rate. In other words, will this particular credit card meet all of your personal needs or is another card better suited for your lifestyle?

Be sure you consider each item individually as well as collectively.

► Annual Fees: These can range from $35.00 up into the $200.00 plus range.
Do you mind potentially paying $200.00 or more per year for the privilege of obtaining credit from this particular company?

► Cash Withdrawal Fees: To discourage customers from doing this, the fees are usually rather high as is the interest rate on the amount withdrawn.

► Late Fees: There are always late fees if your payment is late.
Not all credit card providers have the same length of time prior to charging this fee. Some do not charge the late fee until the payment is ten days late, others charge after just three days. Exactly how much is the late fee? Late fees can start as low as $28.00 or more frequently $36.00, others charge a percentage of your current balance. Make sure you know exactly how and when the late fee is calculated.

► Credit Limit: Does the card offer you a credit limit that makes having the card an asset to you?

► Interest Rate: Watch out for the introductory rates which are typically much lower than the actual interest rate once a short time period ends.

► Frequent Flyer Miles: How are they earned, when are they paid and what types of blackout dates apply? It does no good to get great airline ticket prices if you cannot use them when you need them.

► Cash Rewards vs. Points: What is the difference and can you switch between them at will, only once or not at all?

Ensure that you have asked yourself all of these questions, and determine which credit card company is going to best suit your needs. Remember, they are soliciting your business! Ask yourself if this company is worthy of receiving your business or if you should take it some place else.

Taking a few, easy, security precautions, you can significantly reduce your chances of becoming the next victim. Think about how you handle your junk mail. Many people do not consider it to be anything more than just that – junk – and quickly toss it into the trash. However, if that particular piece of mail is offering you any form of credit, throwing it into the trash is like handing a thief an open invitation. Some people feel comfortable simply tearing it in half before throwing it away. To reduce the risk of someone stealing the information and fraudulently obtaining credit in your name, shred the mail instead. It only takes a moment.

Never, never, ever throw away bank statements, credit card statements, medical statements of any other financial document into the trash without first shredding it. Shredders can be purchased for as little as $20.00, and should be your first defense against possible identity theft. Cross paper shredders run a little higher, but offer a higher degree of security. The difference between a regular shredder and cross shredding is the size and shape of the paper particles left in the shredding bin. The smaller the pieces, the less likely they are to be put back together. The idea after all is to make life difficult for a potential thief.

Another critical component to keeping your identity yours, is to turn your computer off when it is not in use. Some people leave their computers on all the time. From a security stand point that equates to leaving your house unlocked with all of your valuables plainly visible to every passer-by. This is especially true if you have wireless or cable internet, pay your bills on line or keep personal or business account numbers listed on your computer.

Many people pay their bills via the internet. The programs available for tracking home and business expenses make it much easier to keep up with budgeting and such. However, leaving this information unsecured is akin to posting it on the local bulletin board. No one would do such a thing, it is simply too dangerous. If you chose to pay bills online, simply ensure you have proper firewalls; intrusion alerts and use only secured internet sites for doing any online accounting or banking. It is never a good idea to leave account numbers or access codes on any computer.

In addition to shredding documents and basic internet safety the one thing that is probably the most important of all, is to keep track of your credit history. There are multiple companies that, for a small fee, will track your credit for you and notify you if there are any changes. Those changes include anyone, including yourself, applying for any type of credit in your name, or accessing your social security number for any reason.

Many of these types of services are available through your credit card companies. Read the fine print. See what is available and which services will best suit your needs.

Your good to excellent credit rating makes you a target. Taking these few simple steps to protect it could very well be the wisest investment you ever make.

One of those lessons is when to do it our selves and when not to bother trying. There are some projects that are simply best left to the professionals. Installing various types of stone countertops and floors definitely falls into the category of hiring a professional.

While attempting to install a beautiful island top made of granite, we cracked it. Although we were meticulous in the choosing, preparing for shipping, moving it and placing it perfectly on the awaiting kitchen island, we missed a step. We had not properly reinforced the cabinetry and frame that would be holding up the heavy piece of granite.

Our error was an expensive one. Apparently, it was also not an uncommon one. We had installed countertops and kitchen islands before; therefore, we truly did not understand where we had gone wrong on that particular project.

We were fortunate in finding a local contractor who dealt with such mistakes as the one we had made. His team came in, lifted the granite and made the appropriate changes necessary for the cabinets and frame to hold such a heavy piece of stone. He even managed to save that piece of granite for us.

When the granite cracked, it did not break through completely. He transported the island top back to his workshop and worked his magic. By the time it was reinstalled, this time correctly, the crack was imperceptible.

It was a hard learned, expensive lesson. However, we have since learned that there are some projects that even the most proficient do-it-yourselfers should not attempt on their own.

Laying travertine tile is another one of those “leave it to the professionals” jobs. We have laid tile many times. It is an arduous job but one that we actually enjoy. The pleasure derived when one sees his/her hard work beautifully completely is indescribable. Nevertheless, there are some projects that are less expensive in the long run when you call the professionals in the first place.

Travertine tile is one of the more frequently used materials for flooring in the southwestern portion of the United States. It is beautiful, sturdy, and blends perfectly into the desert living lifestyle. Travertine can be found indoors and in the outdoor rooms as well.

Travertine, prior to installation, is as exacting and unforgiving as it is beautiful. Cutting it requires a skill level as well as stone cutting tools that the average do-it-yourselfer simply does not possess. After years of settling, it is not uncommon for a floor to no longer be true or completely leveled. A flaw in the leveling will cause a travertine tile installation to become a nightmare for the non-professional. Travertine cannot be “propped” as some other tile types can be to level it out. Without a firm, solid, level surface beneath it, it will break.

When deciding which projects you will tackle yourself and which ones to call in the professionals for, try to remember there is a reason they are called professionals.

Whether you are wanting to purchase an automobile, a home for you and your family, furniture for your home, items for a business you just opened, or anything else in between, your credit score can either be something that will be helpful or it can be something that can be harmful to you in being able to achieve these important goals. Having bad credit can even stop you from being able to get approved for a credit card, as well as opening up a checking account.

We can try to ignore our credit and pretend it isn’t there, but the fact remains, it is something that will hang over each of us for our entire life.

Wouldn’t it be much more simple to put the effort forth in keeping our credit free from black marks and bad ratings? The first step in doing this would be to make sure you do not commit to any obligations or contracts that you aren’t able to handle making the payments for. You should never overextend your line of credit. This means you should never have more money going out, than you have coming in.

This can sound simpler than it actually is. More often than not, people will only commit to certain obligations that they know they are able to handle financially, then out of nowhere an unexpected sickness or tragedy will occur. Before they even realize what is happening, they find themselves overextended financially, and then they are unable to pay some of their bills, or make payments that they’re obligated under.

It is best to always try to plan ahead as much as possible, and leave room for those unexpected events that seem to always sneak up on us when we least expect it.

Your financial trail will follow you around everywhere you go in life. Always taking care to be sure and manage it wisely is something you will benefit from for a long time to come. It will also be well worth the time and effort to always stick to good planning and good budgeting.

MasterCard offers a business card that offers 5% cash back rewards on office supplies, and gas. This is great for businesses that offer company cars for their employees that have to travel to the customer. This card offers no interest for the introductory months on balance transfers. There is no annual fee and no fee for additional employee cards. There is also no limit on income. This is helpful for those companies that are just beginning and need a little extra support for their business ventures.

American Express offers some of the same features that most of credit card companies have. This particular company has several different cards that are available for many different business levels. This card can support more established businesses as well as the beginning small businesses. The Jet Blue card has 5% saving on Jet Blue flights purchased with your card. You will also save any where from 3-25% on FedEx and Hertz and more. This particular card has many award offers such as double award dollars when you use the card for wireless phone charges or gas. The Starwood Preferred Guest Business Card by American express offers 10,000 starpoints that is enough for 3 business flights on your first purchase. There is no annual fee for the first year. There are over 825 participating hotels including the Sheraton. This card offers 2 starpoints for staying at participating hotels.

Chase has a business credit card that offers many different rewards. Currently there is 0% on purchases and balance transfers for up to a year. Visa Business offers a saving of up to 20% on participating retail stores and office supplies and computer equipment. There is no annual fee. They also offer travel and emergency assistance. Chase has online reporting that allows the business to keep an eye on every transaction immediately.

These are only a few of the offers that are available to the business world. These cards can be essential to maintaining your business. These offers are from some of the most respected credit card companies. It is important to research any offer that you receive to ensure that you receive the best offer. Many of these companies have several different card plans to ensure that they can offer something to every business no matter the size or income level.

Below are the rates for up to nine credit card categories, of which three had higher rates, five were unchanged and one declined.

Average APR Last Week

6 Month Balance Transfer 10.19% 10.19% 11.52%

Business 10.82% 10.85% 13.74%

Low Interest 10.90% 10.90% 11.51%

Bad Credit 11.09% 11.09% 13.96%

Cash Back 11.41% 11.41% 12.58%

Instant Approval 11.51% 11.22% 13.40%

Reward 11.97% 11.89% 13.41%

Airline 13.55% 13.34% 14.99%

Student 14.86% 14.86% 16.72%

You probably wonder how it could be anything but a good idea when a gallon of regular gasoline is reaching and in some places topping the $4.00 per gallon mark. However, there are other factors you should consider before making the decision to sell or trade your SUV or Truck now.

A few major factors to consider are: the length of the loan, how long you have had it, was it purchased new or used, and what terms did you get when you purchased it.

If you are lucky enough to have no note on the vehicle, you are still going to look at a drop in the value. Resale values on large vehicles is lessoning by the day as gas prices rise.

Most people finance a purchase as large as an SUV or Truck. Assuming a five-year loan on the vehicle as new, with only two and a half to three years left to pay, there is a high probability that the principal balance still has not been paid on yet.

For you, that translates to little or no equity in the vehicle. When you stop to consider the equity level, the reduced value (due to high volume of trades on similar vehicles) and the bloated cost of smaller vehicles right now, making the trade just might cost you more in the long run than the price of gas is costing you right now.

Prior to making a decision based on short term or immediate need, take all of the factors into consideration and weigh your options carefully.

Besides the aforementioned issues, consider the reasons you purchased the SUV or Truck in the first place. Will a smaller vehicle meet your family or business needs? A small car may be less painful at the pump, but will your entire family fit comfortably inside? Will the children’s or grandchildren’s car seats fit and can you get to them easily?

If there are carpool or business clients to consider, will the smaller vehicle meet those needs for the long term? If your family spends time camping, boating or pulling a horse trailer, a car simply does not have enough torque or engine power to do so.

It is extremely difficult to swallow spending one hundred plus dollars to fill the tank of your SUV or Truck a couple of times per week, especially if the purpose is simply going back and forth to work. However, many issues need to be considered before you make an emotional decision based on fuel cost rage.

There are some things you can do to assist you in your decision. Check with your finance company and learn what the actual payoff amount is on your current vehicle. Research on the computer, or with a friend who sells cars, what the true trade in value is of the vehicle you currently own. Look carefully into viable options for another vehicle that will serve all of your family or business needs. Weigh all of these factors carefully and then determine what you are willing to pay for a new or used smaller vehicle. Do you really want to take on another five to seven year loan to pay off a vehicle?

Has your credit or debt situation changed since your last purchase? Is it better or worse? If it is better, you may have a lower interest rate and possibly get a better deal than on your last vehicle purchase. However, if you had great credit then, and you have great credit now, is the current rate going to be better than what you previously had?

This decision will impact your personal or family finances for quite some time. Consider all the facts, weigh each carefully and make an educated rather than emotional choice.

* With no end in sight for elevated gas prices, General Motors Corp (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) announced drastic cuts in production of sport utility vehicles and pickups on Tuesday and stepped up plans for smaller cars and engines.

* General Motors Corp (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research), Ford Motor Co (F.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Chrysler combined for a record low market share of 44.4 percent, compared with 48.1 percent for 10 Asian brands, according to the Autodata Corporation, the industry statistics firm.

* Under fire for the high ratings they awarded to subprime mortgage securities, three large credit rating firms are close to announcing a broad deal with the New York attorney general to reform some of their core business practices, according to people briefed on the investigation.

* Resolving the global food crisis could cost as much as $30 billion a year and wealthier nations are doing little to help the developing world, United Nations officials said.

* The Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke, signaled on Tuesday that further interest rate cuts were unlikely because of concerns about inflation.

* The billionaire investor Carl Icahn stepped up the pressure on Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday, vowing to remove Jerry Yang, its chief executive, if he succeeds in replacing the company’s board with his own slate of directors.

* MSN said that it had signed an agreement with BermanBraun, a Los Angeles production company, to develop and maintain an entertainment-focused Web site.

* Toll Brothers Inc (TOL.N: Quote, Profile, Research), the builder of luxury homes, reported a second-quarter loss on Tuesday, still hurt by plunging home prices and a weakened economy.

* Orders for manufactured goods posted a surprisingly strong increase in April as demand rose across a number of industries. The Commerce Department report on Tuesday said that orders were up 1.1 percent in April after a 1.5 percent increase in March.

Citi said that this pilot program offers cash-back rewards, 24-hour access to accounts, additional cards at no cost and introductory annual percentage rate (APR) on purchases or balance transfers for 12 months, depending on the type of credit card selected by individuals with established credit history.

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