Credit cards, as part of the financial industry, use a massive array of jargon. You can't be expected to recognise all these technical terms, and some of them are quite important ? so here's a quick guide, in alphabetical order.

If you've had credit problems, then you've probably received offers for credit cards aimed at people with bad credit. These offers range from legitimate, to questionable, to outright scams.

Once you pay off a credit card, cut it up but DO NOT CANCEL IT! Canceling a credit card sends a message to the credit reporting agencies that you can't handle your debt and is a negative mark on your credit score. You can have a hundred accounts open with zero balances and it looks better for your credit than if you cancel three credit cards.

Improving your credit is not a quick and easy task. There are many other things that factor into your credit score, but this is one action that you can take on your own. A secured credit card may not fix severely damaged credit, but for many people it's a step in the right direction.

Most credit cards would make it a prerequisite for applicants to have a credit history before their application can be approved. With this, students may find their choices of credit cards rather limited. However, the Citi Platinum Select Card for College Students is designed specially to meet the needs of students.

Credit cards with no balance transfer fees are probably not the first option people consider when they are in a financial jam, but they should be.

Free balance transfer credit cards are one of the most under utilized resources for financial management. When we are financially stressed, paying far too much every month on debt, we are often unable to see a way out of our problem.

To emerge from bankruptcy requires diligence and discipline. In order to get back on your financial feet, you must rebuild your credit.

Individuals with a poor or bad credit score looking but who are planning to re-establish their line of credit can find salvation in the form of USA Credit's USA Gold Card.

It is interesting to note that what started off as a marketing gimmick has now become an almost permanent part of the credit card industry in America and today 0% APR credit cards can in fact play a significant role in helping a person reduce or get out of debt.