Elite Rewards Platinum Plus MasterCard

No Annual Fee. No Program Fee.
Earn one point for every purchase dollar
Earn Bonus Points for every dollar you spend at participating merchants

2.9% Annual Percentage Rate (APR)† for Cash Advance Checks and Balance Transfers.*

CREDIT LINE UP TO $100,000 WITH PLATINUM PLUS® CARD.

You spoke, and we listened. We designed the new Elite Rewards® Platinum Plus® MasterCard® credit card to feature one of the most comprehensive rewards programs on the market. There has never been a better opportunity for you to go anywhere you want or get virtually anything you want with a credit card rewards program.

Here are the facts:

• No Annual Fee. No Program Fee.
  
• Earn one point for every purchase dollar in net retail purchases you spend with your new Elite Rewards® Platinum Plus® MasterCard® credit card.§
  
• Receive 500 Bonus Points after first retail purchase.§§
  
• Earn Bonus Points for every dollar you spend at participating merchants.§§§§
  
• Check your Elite Rewards points balance, view rewards, and redeem points online at www.eliterewards.com.
  

• Fly on major U.S. based airlines, no blackout dates.
  
• Enjoy hotel stays and AVIS® car rentals.
  
• Receive gift certificates/cards redeemable at top retailers and restaurants.
  

DID YOU KNOW?

	Having bad credit certainly whittles down a borrowers options when it comes time to buy a car, a home or another big ticket item. While those home and car buyers with spotless credit can benefit from today’s record low interest rates, those with less than perfect credit are typically required to pay more, often much more. It is important therefore, for every consumer to get a handle on his or her credit situation before the time comes to make that big ticket purchase. That is because even a one or two percentage rate difference can make a huge difference when it comes to something like a $20,000 car, or a $200,000 home. The best strategy is to take the steps to repair your credit, and keep it repaired, before that big ticket purchase looms on the horizon. It may seem strange, but the hard money lender can often help consumers to rebuild their damaged credit. If the credit damage in the consumer’s past is severe enough, the hard money lender may be the only option on the table. While those hard money and bad credit loans typically come with very high interest rates and very restrictive repayment terms attached, they can be used to rebuild credit for the future. When using this strategy, however, it is important for the consumer to start out small. Taking out a small hard money or bad credit loan is a good idea, since this will help to keep the payments low and affordable. The goal of this strategy, of course, is to build up a history of on-time payments. A missed payment or late payment will only make an already bad situation even more untenable, so care must be used to make all payments on time. It is also important to keep scrupulous records of all payments, and to keep copies of all cancelled checks or money orders. This documentation is very important, as it will be your defense with both the lender and the credit-reporting agency should a dispute arise at a later date. It is also important to review a copy of your credit report at least once a year. Reviewing your credit report and credit score on an annual basis is the best way to track your progress as you move from bad credit to good credit. A new law offers each consumer a free copy of their credit report from all three major credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, once a year, and all three agencies offer consumers a look a their credit score for a nominal fee. It is very important to take advantage of this great new perk as you rebuild your damaged credit.

You may be thinking of refinancing your current mortgage for one of several reasons. If you currently have an adjustable-rate mortgage, you may be looking for a fixed-rate mortgage with more competitive terms, or interest rates on your adjustable-rate mortgage may be rising so it makes sense to shift to a fixed-rate mortgage. If you bought your home some years ago, interest rates may have decreased significantly since then. Refinancing may also be part of a debt consolidation strategy.

Some individuals use refinancing as a means to free up some of their financial resources for major expenses, such as a child’s college tuition. If you already have a first and second mortgage, you can combine these into a single mortgage by refinancing.

When does it make sense to refinance? If you stand to save two or more percentage points on the interest rate by refinancing, it probably makes sense to go ahead. If you have made enough repayments on your current mortgage to build equity of twenty percent or more, refinancing means you no longer have to pay private mortgage insurance. Keep in mind that it may take several years to recoup the costs of refinancing. This is why you should ask the lender about all fees involved in the transaction, and consider how long you intend to stay in your home. Check with your current lender whether there is any prepayment penalty for your current mortgage, and calculate whether the monthly payments on your new mortgage will help you pay off the mortgage completely by the end of the term.

There are a number of mortgage refinance calculators online, and you can even get instant and competitive quotes on the Internet. As with other mortgage options, you can go through a mortgage broker or approach a lender directly.