Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Four Things You Need To Know About Secured Business Credit Cards

by Max Anderson

If you own a business that has not yet had the chance to establish a solid credit history, you may want to consider secured business credit cards. While consumers with less-than-perfect credit often know to turn to secured credit cards to re-establish their credit history, business owners oftentimes overlook these valuable business tools.

If you are one of the business owners who hasn't considered what secured business credit cards can do for your business, you're not alone. Many entrepreneurs overlook the benefits of secured business credit cards. If your business's creditworthiness isn't as appealing to lenders as you would like it to be, you should consider these five facts.

1. Secured Business Credit Cards Aren't a Stigma

Some people think that applying for a secured card means lowering themselves to a lesser financial standard. What many people fail to realize is that secured cards aren't just for people with damaged credit, these cards are also for people who have not yet been able to build a credit history at all. This applies to secured business credit cards too.

Applying for secured business credit cards doesn't mean that your business has failed in any way whatsoever. What it means is that your business is in the infancy stages of building a solid financial history. Secured business credit cards can play an important role in this stage of your business.

2. Secured Business Credit Cards Aren't a Rip-Off

Yes, it's true that some secured credit cards abuse their card holders and charge ridiculous interest rates and unwarranted fees. However, not all secured cards are alike. There are many secured business credit cards that charge nominal annual fees and reasonable interest rates. It's just a matter of shopping around and finding the one that's right for you.

3. It's Your Little Secret

If you're afraid that you'll be embarrassed when you pay for business purchases with a secured card, you'll be relieved to know that secured business credit cards aren't really decipherable from unsecured cards. It's not like the credit card companies put "Secured" in big bold type across the front of the card.

Secured business credit cards are actually quite discreet. The only people who will know your business credit card is a secured card are you and your credit card company.

4. It's Not The End

While secured business credit cards may not be your idea of an ideal financial tool for your business, you have to understand that they are a means to an end, not the end itself.

When considering secured business credit cards, it is important to remember that they are the beginning of the road, not the end of it. Your business will only need a secured card until your credit history is established. Depending on the growth of your business and the industry it is in, it may only be six to twelve months before your business qualifies for an unsecured credit card.

1 Comments:

Blogger senseibasil said...

A much appreciative information!

Just an additional though.

This is an important difference between an unsecured and secured credit card.

With a secured credit card, the card holder deposits a designated amount of money into their account with card holding company.

They will then draw off this deposit when purchases are made. The credit card company is not required, by contract, to supply any of the funds for any transaction that is made, so they are not at risk of loosing the costs of purchases.

As your account runs down, periodical deposits allow you to have more funds available.

May 18, 2007 at 1:30 PM  

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