Vanquis Bank and Credit Card

Advantages: Gives credit to those who wouldn't otherwise get it.
Disadvantages: Very high interest, terrible customer service.

...A couple of months ago we made the mistake of getting a credit card "for emergencies", it was meant to be...but as always happens, it was used when it wasn't necessary (mainly by my husband!!!!). Vanquis Bank are a company who offers credit to people with a bad credit history (i.e. CCJs, missed payments etc and just no credit history). Anybody who has ever tried to get credit for the first time will know its sometimes very difficult, if you have never had any kind of credit given to you, companies won't take you on, as they don't know if your a risk or not...and so Vanquis offer a "credit score boosting card"...basically they give a credit card with £300 limit on it to people who have never before had a credit card and probably don't know how to use them correctly. (Before you start...I'm not calling everyone with no credit history...

stephbond89 14.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Vanquis Credit Card

Vanquis Credit Card

Advantages: Convenient, Accessible to those with poor credit rating
Disadvantages: High interest rate and heavy debt collecting if you default

...only where necessary and for such things as ordering from the internet, where it is near impossible to do this without a form of plastic payment. However, based on my past credit history, which I am keen to change, I had resigned myself to believing that I would not get approval, even fromo Vanquis, so shelced the idea. A couple of months lateer my friend enquired as to whether I had been able to obtain a credit card from them. I told him that I had not even applied and he rung their number straight away and passed me the phone! I went through a very short application over the phone, and to my surprise, once this had been completed I was told I had been approved for a credit card with an initial credit limit of £500! Yippee! My card and pin number arrived soon after and I have been enjoying the pleasure of internet shopping...

TheHairyGodmother 15.04.2006 (17.03.2007) · Read review
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Review of Vanquis Credit Card

A Great 'DEAL' On A Credit Card

Advantages: Clubcard points
Disadvantages: Interest rate which kicks in if you don't pay the full balance monthly

...to 69p to spend in store or £2.76 to spend on deals. Over a year this would be over £30 of 'free' money. Add on things like breakdown cover, travel insurance, holidays, gifts and anything else I stick on my card, and over a year I probably make about £50 of 'Deals' credit just for using this card. I like this because it is truly free money - remember, if you are not paying off your card in full each month then the interest you pay would soon cancel this out, and you would be MUCH better off looking for a card with a lower interest rate. If, however, you are like me and use a credit card just as you would a debit card, then it's quite a nifty loyalty scheme. They have recently changed the system and now when you received a Clubcard statement your points from Tesco and your points from the Clubcard are calculated separately. While this...

zoe_page 06.01.2007 · Read review
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Review of Tesco Credit Card

Tesco Credit Card - Every Little Helps

Advantages: Earn extra Tesco clubcard points.
Disadvantages: Only earns Tesco clubcard points

...About 18 months ago I was looking to change my credit card to one which offers cash back as a way of getting a little bit extra. After looking at several different cards I decided on the Tesco Clubcard Credit Card. Where I live the only supermarket in town is Tesco and the closest petrol station is at the Tesco supermarket. This means that I do all of my grocery shopping and get my fuel from Tesco's. The Tesco Clubcard Credit Card does not offer cashback but awards Tesco Clubcard Points; you get 5 points for every £4 spent with Tesco, in addition to your points for your purchase and 1 point for every £4 none Tesco Purchase. The credit card is a mastercard and comes in 2 design choices, a predominantly silver card or a blue card, I choose the silver card so not to get this mixed up with my clubcard. I decided to get this card to...

dotjay19 07.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of Tesco Credit Card

Some advice on the usage of credit cards.

Advantages: Can be worth while...
Disadvantages: ...but usually isn't

...I've just recently started working as part of a collections team for a bank, making collections on missing credit card payments and other payments to do with credit cards (over-limit charges, late fees, arrears). Previous to start the job I didn't know all that much about credit cards, I knew my mother had one, or two store based ones with some reward schemes that she paid off the whole balance at the end of every month, only spending 30 or so on. To me that seemed really simple, she had a limit, she knew what she spent she paid it off at the end of every month in case she wanted to use it again and as far as I was concerned this was how credit cards worked. Turns out not everyone uses them like this, to protect my job I won't mention the bank I currently work for, though they are a big British bank. It would seem the bank in question...

iamasadlittleboy 29.04.2009 · Read review
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Review of Member Advice on Credit Cards & Loans

Handy Card! (Abbey Zero Credit Card)

Advantages: Zero fees
Disadvantages: High interest, only 3 months free on purchases

...I have had the Abbey Zero credit card for about 2 months now, and have found it to be an absolute necessity. With the massive selling point of having zero charges on transactions abroad, I have been able to save a relatively large amount, useful especially with pound at such lows. How to Apply I found out about the card on a visit to my local branch, and the application process took about a half an hour. Most of this time was taken up by the banking advisor trying to sell me their payment care and insurances, but I found them to be very expensive, so would avoid the questions if you do ever go down! From what I understand you can apply over the internet or on the phone, which may be a bit speedier. I received the pin number within a week, and the card a few days later, which I found to be very efficient. Benefits As I...

bobinder 04.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Abbey Zero Credit Card

The best credit card around!

Advantages: points
Disadvantages: if you dont pay it off

...Overview ------------ I have had this credit card for around 4 years now. It has always worked perfectly for me. As an avid Tesco fan i trade my points in for deals tokens and enjoy a treat every year. Incentives ------------- 1 point for every £1 spent in Tesco. 1 point for every £4 spent elsewhere. But dont forget with deals tokens you can get 4x the value of your points. These tokens can be used for restaurants, trips, hotels, days out ect. Theres hundreds of activities to choose from and they change some every 3 months. Looks -------- I have a Platinum card which looks great - I think they have stopped doing these cards now which is a shame as my partner wanted one. The normal cards arnt as cool and i wouldnt be as keen to use them i dont think. Paying them back ---------------------- I pay the balance on my card in...

johanna18 21.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Tesco Credit Card

Vanquis Credit Card - Only if you must!!

Advantages: easy application, good customer service
Disadvantages: no internet banking, high interest rates and long awaited decision

...I applied for this card online when i realised that my credit score wasnt looking too good and was advised to open a credit card account and make all payments on time. This was to increase my credit score when lenders see a good clean payment history. I applied on the vanquis credit card application on their website. The application is simple enough and took about 10 minutes. Once i had submitted i was told online that all checks were done and i would be advised via email the decision. I waited a few days and still i had not received anything from them. I then received an email from vanquis with a credit agreement, It also advised that receiving a credit agreement did not mean i had been accepted for the card. After 2 weeks and giving up on it i received my card in the post and my pin arrived shortly after. I was given a credit...

ashansell 19.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Vanquis Credit Card

A Credit Card that Rewards You

Advantages: Cheap, quick, helpful, most people are eligible
Disadvantages: I missed the new deals

...of Tesco credit cards arrived in the post a few days later. The Card The card arrived about ten days after my confirmation letter with a whopping limit of £2,500. I thought this was rather a lot considering it was my first card and my income wasn't that great. The card was purple with a raindrop affect on it, as I had chosen on my original application. It had a large mastercard symbol on the front, as well as the Tesco Finance logo. Interest My standard rate of interest is 15.9%, however I pay 0% interest on any purchases I make within the first year. The standard rate for balance transfers is 10.9% but for the first year its only 6.9% There is a percentage charge for withdrawing cash and writing cheques is very expensive. With all credit cards they can change their interest rates at any time. Use I decided I wasn't going to use...

Jennet1987 17.05.2006 · Read review
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Review of Tesco Credit Card

Cashback Credit Card!

Advantages: Accepted almost everywhere! Cash back scheme, 0% balance transfers
Disadvantages: 15.9% per annum interest charged (if balance carried over)

...I was a loyal Barclaycard customer for years, however as soon as they stopped rewarding Nectar points and abolished any kind of customer loyalty scheme I knew it was time to find myself a better deal! I have to admit I used to play the whole balance transfer game when I'd run up a bit of debt - changing to 0% interest cards and moving my balance about every few months so the debt never cost me anything extra in interest. This was not a fun game to play, but it was worth doing to save myself any interest charges. I managed to clear all of that debt a couple of years back and ever since I've been playing the credit card companies by using their cards to pay for all my monthly expenditure where possible and paying the balance off in full each month. This way my money has been sat in my bank earning me interest whilst I've been using...

longlegz 20.05.2006 · Read review
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Review of Conran Credit Card