Finding the Lowest APR Credit Card

I'm trying to manage my finances as best I can. I don't often splurge on unnecessary purchases, and I make sure I tuck some money away into a savings account every time I receive my paycheck. I'm also trying to live by the rule that if I can't pay for an item in full, I can't buy it. This works for the most part, but there are inevitably some situations where I absolutely need to charge something -- like last month when my car broke down and I had to spend nearly $500 on repairs. So I figure it would be a good idea to have the lowest APR credit card available to use for these emergencies.

When I was just starting out on my own after college, I applied for several cards and simply took whichever ones accepted me. I had no other choice in the matter. But now that I'm financially stable, I can reap the rewards of my good standing by getting the lowest APR credit card out there. I'm not going to worry about other perks and features right now. I just want to make sure that I don't end up paying through the nose in high interest rates on my monthly balance. The type of savings that the lowest APR credit card can yield is worth far more to me than extra frequent flyer miles or whatever.

Finding the lowest APR credit card can be difficult because of all the fine print I have to sift through. Each bank or issuer has their own terms and conditions, and sometimes it's hard to make sense of all the legalese. Plus, many of these issuers offer special introductory rates that make it seem like they have the lowest APR credit card around, but once the grace period ends, the huge fees begin. So I've got my work cut out for me regarding my search.

Fortunately, there are some helpful websites that can help cut through most of the undesirable options, leaving me with far fewer cards to research. These sites often list the "bottom line" features of particular cards, and alert you to any potential rate hikes that you should be aware of. Moreover, they often highlight the lowest APR credit card that each bank or issuer offers, and have an application form right on the site so you can see what the eligibility requirements are. This makes it easy to apply on the spot if you discover something you like.

Despite our best intentions, almost all of us will someday find ourselves in circumstances where we need to charge a purchase because we simply don't have the cash to cover the cost. That's why it's important to be prepared for this circumstance by having the lowest APR credit card in your wallet just in case!