Visa Vs MasterCard – Which Is The Best?

Summary:
The two leading credit card companies in the world today are the competitors Visa and MasterCard. They both operate along very similar lines.

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The two leading credit card companies in the world today are the competitors Visa and MasterCard. They both operate along very similar lines. While Visa can claim to have almost a billion cards issued, MasterCard has over twenty five thousand banks issuing its cards and it is difficult to find any difference in the number of locations worldwide that accept the cards, which is now estimated at over twenty million.

In fact, as far as most consumers are concerned, there is no real difference between the two. They are both very widely accepted in over one hundred and fifty countries and it is very rare to find a location that will accept one but not the other.

However, neither Visa nor MasterCard actually issue any credit cards themselves. They are both simply methods of payment. They rely on banks in various countries to issue credit cards that utilise these payment methods. Therefore, the interest rates, rewards, annual fees, and all other charges are issued by your bank and when you pay your bill you are paying it to the bank or institution that issued your card and not Visa or MasterCard.

How Visa and MasterCard make their money is by charging the retailer for using their payment method. So the truth of the matter is that a Visa issued by say the Bank of Scotland will have very little to do with a Visa issued by other banks and may in fact by more similar to the Bank of Scotland’s MasterCard.

What this means for the vast majority of customers is that you do not have to overly concern yourself with whether a credit card is MasterCard or Visa. You would be better off concentrating on the interest and other charges on the card, the balance transfer possibilities or their reward scheme. You are very unlikely to ever be effected by the fact that it is one and not the other.

If you prefer, if you are going to have two credit cards, you may decide that you want one of them to be Visa and the other MasterCard, this means that if something drastic were to happen to one company, or if you were in the unlikely position of finding a location that accepts one but not the other, then you would have the option of paying with either.

At the end of the day however, much more depends on the bank that gave you the card, than on the type of card it is.

Visa Card - Things You Should Consider First Before You Apply.

Summary:
If you are interested in applying for a Visa credit card, there are a lot of things you should consider first because there are so many types of cards. For instance, consider whether you fly frequently and would like a card that earns you frequent flyer miles, or if you need a card with a very low interest rate because you plan on keeping a balance, or if you are in need of a visa credit card for your business, child, or if you have bad credit. These are all things to conside...

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If you are interested in applying for a Visa credit card, there are a lot of things you should consider first because there are so many types of cards. For instance, consider whether you fly frequently and would like a card that earns you frequent flyer miles, or if you need a card with a very low interest rate because you plan on keeping a balance, or if you are in need of a visa credit card for your business, child, or if you have bad credit. These are all things to consider first, because you don’t want to apply for credit card after credit card. It is better to decide what is best for you, and then begin applying.

Also, some very important things to evaluate on each card you are considering is introductory APR, introductory APR period, regular APR, annual fee, balance transfer and the type of credit needed for the card.

For instance, many credit cards provide an introductory APR to make the card more appealing and make you want to switch or apply for that particular card. IN some cases, visa credit cards will offer 0% interest for a year or six months, depending on the card. While the introductory APR can be a good thing because interest fees charged are either nothing or considerably lower than other cards, you need to keep in mind how long the introductory APR period lasts and what the APR is regularly.

If the introductory APR period lasts for six months to a year then that is a good period of time in which you can use the credit card to your advantage. However, you should keep in mind the date when the regular APR starts so you do not find yourself with high levels of interest rates and a large balance.

The regular APR for a visa credit card can vary significantly depending on the type of card and the individual’s credit. Everyone wants a credit card with a low regular APR, but the truth is there are not that many credit cards with really low APRs. This is because credit card companies make a lot of money on charging interest from month to month.

Also, you should only apply for Visa credit cards with no annual fee. This is because there are many credit cards that offer the card with no fee, so there is no need for you to pay $50 or more per year simply to carry the card. Make sure the visa credit card you are applying for does not charge an annual fee.

Check and see if the visa card you are applying for accepts balance transfers from other credit cards. If the new visa card you are applying for has a low introductory APR then when you are approved you will want to transfer your balances from high APR cards in order to pay it off more economically.

Finally, check the type of credit needed for the visa card you are interested in. If the card information says you need excellent credit and you have poor credit, do not even waste your time and the affects on your credit report by applying for that card.

Used Car Buying Tips

Summary:

Use these ten used car buying tips when you want a quality car at a great price.

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Some of these used car buying tips won't be new to you. Often the trick is just to apply what you already know. On the other hand, when it comes to expensive areas of life like buying a car, one new thing learned can save you hundreds of dollars. Try some of the following.

1. Make a low offer. Okay, you knew this one. A trick you may not have used, though, is to make a low offer, and then leave your phone number with the seller. Time has a way of making sellers desperate, especially after you just helped convince them that they are asking too much.

2. Be careful with car price guides. Use the "blue book" etc, but try not to pay more than wholesale. I can't think of many times when people I know have paid more than "bluebook," so these "average" sales prices are doubtful.

3. Talk to people. This is one of the simplest and effective used car buying tips. Just let friends, family and others know you're looking for a car. Quite often people would be happy to avoid the whole process of advertising and showing their car if they could just get rid of it by giving a good deal to a friend.

4. Check out the engine. Have a mechanic look at the car, and tell you what it's likely to need in the next year or so. Then make a list, so the seller can see in writing why you are offering less than he wants.

5. Auctions. See if there is a public auction in your area. If not, maybe you can go with a dealer friend and give him a $100 to buy a car for you.

6. www.carfax.com. It's around $25 to run vehicle background checks for a month - long enough to find your next car. They'll show the chain of title, accident reports for the car, and even safety and reliability scores for that model.

7. "Ugly" cars. Watch for cars that sit on the lot for months. Dealers will often sell these "ugly ducklings" at a loss just to move them. Again, you may want to leave your phone number with a low offer.

8. Rental company cars. They are sold fairly cheap when they get the new ones in. Buy at bluebook wholesale or less, because they have had many different drivers, so they've more wear than normal.

9. Repos. Credit unions and some small banks do their own selling of repossessed cars. You usually bid on paper, maybe with a $50 deposit, and then get your $50 back if you're not the winning bidder. If they don't sell their own repossessions, ask where they are sold.

10. Consider gas mileage. High mileage may be better, but maybe a car that costs $500 less will use only $400 more gas in the two years you expect to own it. Do the math.

Use the tips here the next time you are shopping for a used car. Meanwhile, why not learn a few negotiating strategies. This helps in many areas of life, and is the most important of these used car buying tips.

U.S. Account For Non US Residents

Summary:
In early days Gold was considered the standard currency for exchange between the people of various nations. Gold used to act as a standard and everything was seen with respect to it. Over the years and with the emergence of US as a global power, both politically and economically, the US dollar has gained unprecedented importance in world trade. Though officially gold is still a standard, the US dollar is now accepted almost all over the world as a standard.

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In early days Gold was considered the standard currency for exchange between the people of various nations. Gold used to act as a standard and everything was seen with respect to it. Over the years and with the emergence of US as a global power, both politically and economically, the US dollar has gained unprecedented importance in world trade. Though officially gold is still a standard, the US dollar is now accepted almost all over the world as a standard. For people who are in the business of where trade is across borders, the US dollar is the global standard. All freelancers and Web Developers and even exporters and importers who operate from various countries over the internet also need to keep a standard as far as the currency is considered and US dollar is the apt currency. A bank account with a US bank thus gains a lot of importance.

The US banking structure broadly classifies its customers into three categories:

1. The US citizens
2. Resident Aliens
3. Non Resident Aliens

As the names suggest the meanings of each of them is implied. The resident aliens are the non-US people who are residing in the US. These also sometimes include the people who have the Green Card. Non Resident Aliens, as the name suggests, are people who are neither citizens of the U.S nor are they residing in the U.S. The rules and regulations that govern the banking systems in US make it very difficult for the NRA’s. Well, the NRA’s are the most trouncing class, as they are treated most callously by the US banking laws. The laws put an austere procedure for NRA’s willing to own a US account; though definitely it’s not impossible for them as well.

So the question is what exactly are the benefits of a US account? Well here are a few:

1. First of all if you are in any sort of business that has even some amount of global appeal then you will probably, in the course of your trade, need to carry out transactions in the US dollars or any international currency. It’s great to go for a US account rather than in some other country because of the global acceptance of the US dollar.

2. And when I say global touch it includes all the deals that are carried out via the internet. So it includes all the web developer, content writers, freelancers etc. Even if your business is local, you can’t possibly deny the power of the internet and it would just be a matter of time after you actually go on the internet. So it’s actually to have a US account and take your business and ideas global.

3. Also if you are on the internet, there is a lot of possibility that you are dealing with US clients or people who are comfortable in dealing with US dollars. You having a US account would be a great advantage for you as it would make the entire process easier for you.

Earlier the laws very too strict, but now there are ways which make it possible for you to open a US account. These ways are still not a walk in the cake. One wrong move and you shall no longer be eligible for the account. But that’s not a big worry. There are guides which can help you with this. In fact I recently tried a guide myself http://www.non-us-bank-account.com and it really provided me a step-by-step formula for getting a US account opened. It was really nice and easy.

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead get yourself a US account and make your global presence more prominent.

Top Mistakes with Equipment Leasing

Summary:
When negotiating on equipment leasing contracts, small business and corporate accounts should review all the legal terms in order to avoid the top mistakes associated with leasing equipment.  These rules are applicable in multiple areas of equipment leasing from educational, computer and engineering equipment leases.

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When negotiating on equipment leasing contracts, small business and corporate accounts should review all the legal terms in order to avoid the top mistakes associated with leasing equipment.  These rules are applicable in multiple areas of equipment leasing from educational, computer and engineering equipment leases.

Mistakes to Be Avoided in Contracts

One of the primary mistakes made when negotiating their lease is the use of a very short contract. The short contract text may not address issues involving problems with software in computer leases or litigation issues such as employee piracy.  Other issues that are not addressed in many short contracts include:

• Software transaction agreements
• Troubleshooting Support Issues
• Clauses handling provider’s going out of business

It’s important to make sure that all parties have their expectations clearly outlined in the contract. The contract helps avoid mistakes in leasing equipment by detailing the obligations of both parties. Contracts that possess clarity and completeness are important and the shorter the contract, the more likely there will be legal risks and ramifications for the company leasing the equipment.

Performance Details

The contract should detail the performance of the equipment. If someone is leasing a computer system, a server or a backhoe, they need to know that it will handle the load they are preparing to deliver to it. The performance details are an area where equipment can fail in leasing if they are not clearly stated. It’s important to make sure that both parties have those issues clarified before closing on any contracts or deals regarding performance issues.

Structure Defects

Structuring agreements is key to understanding where responsibility lies. An equipment leasing agreement needs to stipulate the structure of the deal. In other words, the salesman is unlikely be the primary contact for system defects. The primary contact may be the manager in charge of that account, but they will likely only handle negotiation issues. Customer support issues may be directed elsewhere. That structure and allocation of responsibility must be clearly spelled out in the contract.

Equipment Hardware Leasing Specialties

When leasing computer equipment, there are often software leases that are required. It’s important to coordinate the duration of the software leases to be comparable with the duration of the equipment lease. It’s important to ensure the compatibility of all leased equipment with other equipment from different vendors. It’s also important to make sure that a project’s start and completion dates are commiserate with the equipment lease. Balancing the needs of the developers with the equipment support is a difficult thing to assess, but it’s important to make sure that the leases support the needs of the company small or large.

Solicitors Not Welcome

Solicitors (lawyers) are often not consulted during the initial drafting of equipment leasing. This is a mistake, especially for small businesses that do not possess an in house legal team. Lawyers can help smooth the transaction and avoid loopholes that might cause legal problems for both parties during an equipment lease. However, when utilizing a lawyer, it’s important to find one experienced in lease transactions.

The Results versus The Resources

Be sure to clearly define the need for the equipment lease. Most leasing companies see themselves as providing resources. Companies large and small are not looking for a resource as much as they are looking for a result. It’s the end of the line result they are seeking most of all.

Communication

Clear communication is important from the get go. When negotiating for an equipment lease, be sure to have all questions answered prior to agreeing. Companies make a mistake in leasing equipment from a vendor if they have trouble getting them on the phone or returning calls. Those issues can lead to service problems in the future.

Be Realistic In Expectations

Client companies must be realistic about what they are expecting. Vendors will usually negotiate and do their best to fill customer requirements, however the client company must also keep in mind industry standards and limitations. While technology continues to grow, it’s important to realize that not every goal has been achieved as yet.

Short Term Versus Long Term

The final and most important mistake made in equipment leasing is considering a contract as something that needs to be closed immediately in order to make a deadline that occurs in the next few weeks. Realistically speaking, avoiding looking at the long-term effects of an equipment lease may leave the client with a piece of equipment they do not need or a bad contract altogether. If their short-term goal is to launch a new product or get the foundation of a new project started, but the equipment will not help in the long-term goal, that should be addressed.

Equipment leasing provides numerous benefits to businesses large and small. It’s important to recognize the benefits, but to also avoid the pitfalls of mistakes that can be made when negotiating an equipment lease.