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comment by _refugee_
_refugee_  ·  3428 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Amazon starts offering loans to customers with pay monthly option

No fees whatsoever including interest? Do you have to pay it off in full each month or can you keep a balance?





user-inactivated  ·  3374 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Hey ref - one cost I just found out about, they ding you for a credit check, which slightly impacts your score. If you're right on the edge of good to great or w/e, might not want this. Just an fyi.

_refugee_  ·  3374 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I'm actually holding off on opening a Charles Schwab bank account because they require a link brokerage account which makes a hard credit pull. Mine's not bad, but if I'm going to make another hard pull I'm going to get my balances down a little more first. Pity, cuz PNC is sucking out $15/month right now, those vampires.

It's good to know, though I have to be annoying and point out that whenever a company makes a hard pull on your credit score they're required to disclose this and obtain your consent for the pull prior to doing so, it's a part of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) - I've done my fair share of FCRA compliance reviews, though, so I'm biased. I know way too much about banking.

user-inactivated  ·  3374 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Oh I'm aware. I'm buying a damn house. FCRA is on my radar. What amazon did was dress the "store card" up as closer to a gift card than a credit card (it's absolutely closer to a limited debit card...) and bury the check in the fine print.

Ah well. My cred's fine.

_refugee_  ·  3374 days ago  ·  link  ·  

One of my "store cards" has 0.00% apr... On store purchases. Reading my statement today I see all other purchases are racking in at nearly 27%

user-inactivated  ·  3374 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Yeah. Amazon's isn't even valid off-site as far as I can tell. Never used it.

user-inactivated  ·  3428 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Mine is a standard credit card that rewards me with Amazon points. I use it for everything and pay it off in full every month. I paid no fees or interest on this card in 2015, but made very close to $800 in cash back. My CC has a rate of 12% (started about 20%) and I look at this as a way to pay for my literature addiction.

user-inactivated  ·  3428 days ago  ·  link  ·  

No idea, sorry. I meant no annual fees. I fear debt so I would never not pay off my balance.

Essentially it's a $40 dollar gift card to Amazon that requires you to fill out a form. And then from there you can do whatever you want.

user-inactivated  ·  3428 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Debt is a tool, and like any tool, when misused it can destroy your life. Learning to manage debt is about as critical a life skill as any.

Use a no-fee or low-fee card that gives the rewards that will best help you in your goals and use that card, pay it off in full every month, etc.

Easy to say, hard to do.