Choosing a Great Charity Credit Card
Charity credit cards are a fairly new product on the market that allows consumers to support their favourite charity every single time the card is used. The best thing about a charity credit card is that it takes no extra effort to make donations, and doesn't even cost you personally as the cost of donating is included in your everyday spending. Money is donated to your chosen charitable organisation when you sign up, and then a percentage of every transaction your make, too.
There are hundreds of great charity credit cards available on the market, and many donate up to 1.25% on spending to help fight disease and poverty in third-world countries. One such example of a card associated with a well-known charity is the RSPCA card, which donates 0.25% of a transaction's value to charity.
There are some great benefits of having a charity credit card. Firstly, you can give to charity for free, and the more you spend, the more you'll be giving. Some cards also offer discounts at partner stores. Although there is normally a higher APR rate on charity credit cards than when compared to other credit cards, you won't need to worry if you plan to pay off the balance in full every month. It's important to note, though, that the tax on any money donated through a charity credit card cannot be reclaimed through the government's gift aid scheme.
When it comes to choosing the right charity card for your values and ethics, you need to do some research and find out what charity means the most to you personally. There are cancer research, AIDS, wildlife and sporting charities that you can choose from. The main advantage of charity credit cards is that you are unconsciously donating money every time you spend money. Instead of having to put aside time every week to make individual donations or set up a direct debit, these cards donate without you even thinking about it. There are still late payments, introductory offers and interest, too - just like any other credit card. The advantages and disadvantages of every card are determined by the individual issuer.
To pick the very best charity credit card for you, it all depends on what your favourite charity is. You still need to ask yourself the usual questions about whether this card suits yours needs, too. If you're unsure, looking online for more information or contacting a lender's customer advice line will be useful.