How to find the best credit card deals online: one can search for the credit card with the features that are most important to you, such as: Best rate, Best overall card, Consolidate debts, Frequent flier points, High limit/good rate, Lowest introductory rate, Lowest rate after introductory rate expires, Poor or no credit, No fee/high limit, Grace period Rebates/rewards.

The search results will include, the geographical area, the card is available in and a link to their Web site if they have one, the name and location of the issuer, an 800 number, the interest rate, annual fee, and number of days before interest begins to accrue.

Applying for Credit Online

Not only can you thoroughly and quickly search through thousands of credit cards to find the one that best suits your needs, but some issuers allow you to apply for credit online. Some offer instant online credit approval and allows you to transfer existing balances from other cards with just a click of the mouse. The interest rate varies depending on your credit history, with the best rates being reserved for those with very clean credit. Be sure to check the rate being offered you before finalizing your application online.

Ordering Your Credit Report Online

If you're considering buying a home or car, or applying for a new credit card, it's a good idea to check your credit history first. Now you can order your credit history online from any of the three major credit-reporting companies: Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian (TRW), for $9 plus tax.

Using Online Credit Tools

There are several online tools to help you manage your debt, such as how interest rate changes will affect your balance, whether the lower rate is worth the annual fee, whether you should consolidate debts, and more. Other helpful online tools include the Credit Card Payoff Calculator, which calculates what it will take to pay off your balance at your current interest rate, and Money.com's Debt Calculator, which tells you if you're in over your head by calculating the percentage of your take home pay that goes towards paying off debt.

Managing Your Credit Card Debt

Ideally, we would all pay off our credit card debt each month, but not all of us do. Here are some tips for managing your credit card debt: if you carry a balance, make sure it's on the lowest rate card you qualify for. If you have more than one credit card, pay the minimum amount on the cards with the lowest rates and apply as much of your monthly payments as possible to the card with the highest rate. Once the higher rate card is paid off, cancel it and start paying as much as you can on the remaining card with the highest rate. It's best to carry no more than one or two bank credit cards, a department store card, and a gasoline credit card. Having many credit cards may result in being turned down for credit when you really need it (when buying a new car or home, for instance), and will place credit inquiries and refusals in your credit history, which lenders frown on.

Source: Express Newsline