0% Credit Cards

Zero percent rates on credit card balance transfers and purchases.

In these days of high competition for your custom between leading brands, 0% offers are almost become the market norm. However never forget these are almost always all introductory offers, and just like the saying 'there's no such thing as a free lunch', its also true that your 0% credit card at some point is going to start charging interest.

The following credit cards offer rates of 0% on either purchases and/or balance transfers. Please remember that to benefit from 0% purchase offers you would be the type of consumer who doesn't normally settle their outstanding statement balance at the end of each month. If you settle the outstanding amount each month you are not paying any interest on your purchases anyway (when interest is charged not from the day of purchase). After the introductory period has ended you will be paying the full long term standard rate and under these circumstances the right card for you may be the lowest long term standard rate card.

Currently its quite easy to have several cards and go from one introductory offer to another. As long as you have one card with a competitive low standard rate that you can fall back to using then all bases are covered. With balance transfers make sure you add in the handling fee to compare the true cost across the market of so called '0% deals'. Also check the maximum amount you can transfer at that rate.

AVAILABLE ZERO PERCENT DEALS
BRAND	PURCHASES	BALANCE TRANSFERS	TYPICAL LONG TERM RATE
BARCLAYCARD BREATHE	n/a	0% for the first 12 months (must be made with 1st 60 days of account opening) 2.5% handling fee applies. (minimum £2.50)	Typical 14.9% APR (variable)
BARCLAYCARD CHARITY	0% APR for the first 6 months of you opening your account!	0% for the first 6 months of activating your account for up to £5,000. 2.5% handling fee applies. (minimum £2.50)	Typical 14.9% APR (variable)
BARCLAYCARD FLEXI-RATE	0% APR for the first 3 months of you opening your account!	0% for 1st 12 months of opening your account. up to £5,000 2.5% handling fee applies. (minimum £2.50)	Typical 14.9% APR (variable)
BARCLAYCARD FOOTBALL	0% on football season tickets	0% for first 12 months of opening your account 2.5% handling fee applies (min. £2.50)	Typical 14.9% APR (variable)
BARCLAYCARD ONEPULSE	0% APR for 1st 6 months of activating your account	n/a	Typical 14.9% APR (variable)
BARCLAYCARD PLATINUM	0% APR for the first 3 months of you opening your account!	0% for the first 14 months of activating your account for up to £5,000. 2.9% handling fee applies. (minimum £2.50)	Typical 14.9% APR (variable)
BARCLAYCARD PURCHASE	0% APR for the first 10 months of you opening your account!	6.5% p.a. for the life of the transfer for up to £5,000. no handling fee (introductory offer)	Typical 15.9% APR (variable)
CAPITAL ONE PLATINUM	0% p.a. till 1st March 2009	0% p.a. till 1st March 2009	typical 9.9% APR variable
CAPITAL ONE MASTERCARD	0% p.a. till 1st February 2009	0% until 1st February 2009 3% handling fee	typical 19.9% APR variable
EGG	Typical 0% APR (variable) till 1st August 2008	0% p.a. (variable) till 1st August 2009 put on the Account by 1 September 2008. 3% handling fee	Typical 16.9% APR (variable)
GM	n/a	0% for 5 months from first activating your account. 2% handling fee (minimum £5).	Typical 14.9% APR (variable)
JOHN LEWIS	0% for the first 6 months from the date you open your account	0% p.a. for 6 months from the opening of your account 2% handling fee (minimum £5, maximum £50).	Typical 16.9% APR (variable)
MARBLES	N/A	0% p.a. (variable) for the first 12 months of your new account 2% handling fee (minimum £5)	Typical 15.9% APR variable
MBNA PLATINUM	0% till August 2008	0% p.a. till your statement date in June 2009 applies also to transferring cash into your current account 2.9% handling fee (minimum £3)	Typical 15.9% APR variable
MBNA PLATINUM + REWARD POINTS	0% till August 2008	0% till June 2009 2.9% handling fee (minimum £3)	Typical 15.9% APR variable
MORGAN STANLEY BUY AND FLY CARD	n/a	3.9% p.a. (variable) till 1st July 2010 3% handling fee	Typical 17.9% APR (variable)
VIRGIN	0% p.a. on card purchases for 3 months from the date your account is opened.	0% p.a. on balance transfers for 15 months from opening your new account 2.98% handling fee (minimum £3)	typical 15.9% APR variable
VIRGIN ATLANTIC	0% p.a. on balance transfers for 6 months from opening your new account 2% handling fee (minimum £3, max. £50)	n/a	typical 17.9% APR variable