Do you have the credit card that best suited for you? This is the type of question that usually comes up after the “Do you have a credit card, sir (ms)?” question. I sometimes find this question very irritating. The salesperson never stops querying you if you do not supply the answer immediately.

However, on the other hand, no one can deny that owning a credit card in today’s culture is like the trend that need to be followed. I saw friends applied more than two cards just to show that they are better than the others. This is the real scenario and it is affecting everyone even to yours truly. Whatever it is, one has to know which credit card is best suited for them in regards of the interest rate and returns that they can get. My advice is to check cooperativebank.co.uk for the various credit cards on offer.

Take for example, if you are applying for the Clear Credit Card, the standard interest rate is at 11.9% APR typical/variable for purchases, balance transfers and the cash withdrawals. Bear in mind, the balance transfer is excluded from credit cards that been issued by the Co-operative Bank. If you pay in full the balance by the due date, you will get up to 59 days of interest free credit. That is very generous indeed. Now when you are traveling and you pay the travel tickets with this clear credit card, you are entitled up to £25,000 free Travel Accident Insurance – subject to terms and conditions, of course. You will be covered 24-hour medical and legal assistance overseas and there will be no charge for using cheques. However, you need to be a UK resident and at least at the age of 21 years old or above. You also need to have a gross annual income of £10,000 or more to be qualified.

For the Advantage Credit Card, you have two options. Either the basic Advantage Credit Card that can reverts to a variable rate of 18.9% APR typical/variable and up to 46 days interest free credit if the due balance you pay in full by the due date or the Platinum Advantage Credit Card that reverts to a variable rate of 15.9% APR typical/variable with 59 days interest free credit if you pay the balance in full by the due date. Both gives 0% on purchases and balance transfers fixed for six months.

For the Advantage Credit card you need to be aged 18 years or over. You must be a UK resident and have a gross annual income of £10,000 or more. While the Platinum Credit Card must be at the age of 25 years or over, be a UK resident, have a gross annual income of £25,000 or more and lastly you must already hold a credit card.

If you go for the Flat Rate Platinum Credit Card, you entitled to get the standard interest rate of 11.9% APR typical/variable (variable after 5 years) for purchases and balance transfers. However, the balance transfers excluded from other credit cards issued by the Bank. As the card name implies, this rate will remain fixed for 5 years. If the due balance paid in full by the due date, you will get up to 46 days interest free credit.

The best thing again about this Flat Rate Platinum, you will enjoy free 90 day Purchase Protection Insurance (terms and conditions apply), emergency cash and card replacement service, 24-hour medical and legal assistance overseas. You will also be able to grab the benefits from the exclusive Platinum Travelclub along with the £100,000 free Travel Accident Insurance (terms and conditions apply) when you use your card to pay for your travel tickets. To apply this card, as usual, you need to be a UK resident, be aged 25 years or over and have a gross annual income of £25,000 or more be an existing credit card holder.

There is another card if you want to try, the Platinum Base Rate Tracker. It gives you the introductory rate of 5.75% fixed for 6 months on purchases and balance transfers (terms and conditions apply) and thereafter an attractive rate of 4% above Bank of England base rate. This is currently equivalent to 13.4% APR typical/variable. However, you will be charge a monthly fee of £2 calculated into the APR.

Other than the above same benefits as the Flat Rate Platinum like listed below:

• up to 46 days interest free credit if balance is paid in full by the due date
• free 90 day Purchase Protection Insurance (terms and conditions apply)
• emergency cash and card replacement service
• 24 hour medical and legal assistance overseas
• up to £100,000 free Travel Accident Insurance (terms and conditions apply) when you use your card to pay for your travel tickets
• exclusive Platinum Travelclub benefits (terms and conditions apply)

You will also gain 5% discount on all brochure priced holidays with The Co-operative Bank Travelclub, discounts on flights worldwide, 7% on parking, lounges and hotels at UK airports, low cost holiday insurance and last but not lease, the Emergency overseas legal and medical assistance.

Another interesting credit card is the Travel Credit Card. It rewards you while you spending. The introductory rate of 0% fixed for 6 months from the date your account is opened, on purchases and balance transfers (terms and conditions apply) and thereafter an attractive standard rate of 16.9% APR typical/variable.

When you use your Co-operative Bank Travel credit card, you will get to enjoy free Travel Insurance (terms and conditions apply) or a 5% discount on 1000s of holidays booked with Travelcare and plus your credit card fee waived just by doing that. Moreover, up to 59 days interest free credit if due balance is paid in full by the due date. You will get travel reward points that worth £0.01 for every pound spent on the card. It can also be redeemable against all transactions (The monetary value of the points redeemed will appear as a credit on a future statement. Points cannot be redeemed against foreign currency/exchange. Points will not be earned from balance transfers) with Travelcare.

The Travel card is easy to apply as long as you are a UK resident, age at 18 years or over and have a gross annual income of £10,000 or more.

For info, all the above information where the interest rates, time period or offer information are concerned is based solely on “Details accurate at date of publishing.”. Please visit The Co-Operative Bank at http://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/ for elaborate explanation.

*Sponsored by Co-operative Bank*

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