Credit Card Solution

Every year on January 1, millions of people make a mental commitment to better their lives, be it lose weight, eat healthier, get more exercise, make more money, be more responsible, and a multitude of other would-be-nice promises. Financial resolutions can be just as important for consumers who are facing debt, working through a shopping problem, or desperately needing to save large sums of money for something important like a house, car, or college.

Responsible financial behavior – not to mention irresponsible financial behavior – directly impacts your future and the experiences you may enjoy due to your financial situation. Your home or apartment, your car, and the types of vacations you take are just a few of the ways your saving and spending habits can impact your life.

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I’m assuming most people don’t even know State Farm issues credit cards.

After all, the company is better known for its insurance products than anything else.

But it does indeed issue credit cards, mortgages, and other types of loans, while also offering checking and savings accounts via State Farm Bank.

The way State Farm sees it, why should they stop at insurance when they can provide/cross-promote related financial instruments to their customers – and make a killing doing so?

So how do State Farm credit cards stack up?

Well, there are five State Farm credit cards currently offered by the company, including a couple rewards cards, a low rate credit card, a student credit card and a business credit card.

The rewards cards offer between 1-1.5% back in State Farm Dollars, which can be used for State Farm products, such as insurance, bank products and services, and so on.

Some of their credit cards also have a FixPay option, where you get to choose the number of payments and corresponding Annual Percentage Rate (APR) you’d like to pay related to a large purchase or unexpected expense.

Nothing groundbreaking really, just a payment plan to help people tackle their credit card debt if they can’t do so on their own.

State Farm credit cards don’t have any 0% APR promotional periods on purchases or balance transfers, but some come with promo APR as low as 2.9%.

Again, nothing to get too excited about, given many credit card issuers offer 0% on both for as long as 24 months these days.

And none of their offers are fixed-rate credit cards, another negative if you’re after low APR.

The Verdict

In closing, a State Farm credit card isn’t really something I would seek out, as there are much better deals in basically every class of credit card.

And who really wants their rewards to be stuck within the company when there are cash back credit cards out there that put money back in your wallet?

State Farm is smart to offer credit cards alongside their other financial instruments, but you’re probably better off shopping elsewhere for your credit needs.

Applebee’s now lets you personalize their gift cards with everything from a photo to a personally recorded message. The restaurant has introduced its Digital Gift Cards to allow you to buy and send personalized electronic gift cards 24/7 online via Applebees.com and Applebee’s Facebook Fan Page. What’s more is you can buy and send them instantly to your friend’s mobile device or email any time of day! This is because the cards features 24/7 365 purchase availability. It can also be set up for timed/future delivery; lets the recipient know right away or when you want them to through text messaging; charges you no fees, have no expiration, no shipping, handling, and works same as a plastic card.

Credit scores are used in nearly every industry to determine the financial stability of a person or business. There are two main types of credit scores – PLUS and FICO – with the latter being the most commonly used. Credit reports are issued once every three months by the three major credit reporting agencies, although the credit score itself is updated on a monthly basis. Maintaining a good credit score is the key to gaining approval for credit cards, mortgages, vehicle loans, and any other form of financial assistance.

How is the FICO Credit Score Calculated?

The FICO credit score is calculated based on five main factors – payment history (affects 35% of the credit score), amount owed (affects 30%), credit history length (affects 15%), new credit (affects 10%), and types of credit used (affects 10%). Each

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