Card Lot

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Choosing a business card is a very intuitive endeavor. As the situation calls, you could choose one of the thousands of templates available today all around internet or go to a professional designer. A lot of people choose the first choice over the other because of the less money it requires and for saving times it affords them. They would only use a professional designer if they would like their business cards to be unique.

Even though hiring a professional might also be a great choice, if you really want something unique I would advise you to make the design yourselves. There are hundreds printing places that would take your design and print it for a reasonable price, however having the satisfaction of designing your own card is priceless. If you don't think you're good at that, you can go to a designer, but it would still be a good idea to go there with a certain idea of direction to what is it that you want.

You want unique? That's up to you. Here's a little breakdown of the most important elements of the game. Cards are partially an ad and therefore the usual rules of making an ad apply here. Remember that game you use to play where you would say a word and then the next person have to say a word starting with the last letter of your word? That's what basically goes with cards. If you can make a card that catches the eye and you can clearly connect it with the idea of your business, than you have a winning combination. Your card is a statement about your business. Use it right!

This is a list of things in regards of that I have noticed on business cards:

1. Unconventional shapes catch the eye! Circle cards, square cards, cards with round edges...Anything different basically. However consider who you're aiming at. Sometimes a very subtle little difference can make a whole lot of difference. For example there was a card of a restaurant, completely black with a punched shape that formed knife, fork and a spoon. Right off that's a statement your business has something to do with food!

2. Colors are still better option as a lot of cards have white background. Use contrast - make one side white and the other black for example; Or black and candy pink- or any color that pops.

If you are doing something in the ecological business, you can make cards of recycled materials; or make the card green, or probably both. But green right away connects with the ecological concept. Printable business card making can be like playing associations.

3. Texture - quality of paper definitely gets clear once you touch a card. But there is a whole lot more to it. Do you like to work with wood? Use letter pressed paper and colors that resemble wood. If you are in sports, there was a card of a personal trainer that you have to stretch to see the words- it literally makes you work to read it! Letter pressed paper is also quite new, but it looks great. It is pricey, but there are more and more places that give good deals on it. Plus however great a silk and smooth surface of a card feels anything different catches attention.

That's about all there is to cards! Playing with associations! If you have an interesting name of your company you can make part of it stand out by putting it in different color. There was a company whose name included the word "yes". The card was black, the name of the company was also black, but glossy, and the part "yes" of it was in white. That subconsciously implies " say yes! to our company". There also was a card with a letter pressed shape of teeth on it. If you are thinking dentist office, then you are correct. All you need to know when designing your business card is to what you can associate it or it's name.

For more information about free printable business cards, check out this blog post: Free Printable Business Cards

Balance Transfer Credit Cards Getting Those Department Store Credit Cards in Check

If you have a department store credit card, or a lot of department store credit cards, you may be noticing you seem to pay a lot more for purchases on those cards than you do on other cards.

Department stores are smart when it comes to credit cards. They will offer you something you can't resist, like 10 or 20% off of your purchase, if you sign up for their cards. You'll jump at a great savings and not even read the fine print. That fine print often lets you know that you will be paying a lot more interest on that card than you do your other credit cards.

Soon all the money you had saved by initially signing up has been eaten up, and then some, in interest payments. If you have a lot of department store credit cards, this can be compounded.

For many people it is not until it is too late that they realize what they have gotten into. They now have a stack of department store credit cards with outstanding balances and are trying to 'stop the bleeding' of interest, but having a tough time paying down the principal because of those high interest payments.

It may be time for a new credit card.

While many people think at this point you should run from credit cards, the truth is that it is more about the kinds of credit cards you are using than anything else.

Those department store credit cards are going to keep making the problem worse. But, if you can consolidate the debt on those department store cards on a new, lower or no interest, card, you will be able to get out of your financial problem much more quickly.

Start shopping around. Look for a balance transfer credit card that will work out the best for you to pay off your debt. There are some 0% interest credit cards out there that will let you move all those department store balances over to them and give you 6,9, 12 months or more without having to pay any interest. That is a lot of time to pay down the principal and finally get yourself out of debt once and for all.

The main thing to remember is that once you get a balance transfer credit card that is not a free pass to use those department store credit cards again. Always remember how you got into this situation in the first place and spend more carefully and on a credit card that is more in line with your best interests.

About the Author

Stephen Sikes is the owner of the credit card comparison site
www.CreditCardWave.com
Visit the site to read articles and reviews on the best ways to utilize credit cards.
You can compare and apply online for top personal and business credit cards.

How much debt is "a lot" to have, in terms of credit card debt?

I'd like to know how much is considered a lot.

I'd say that's a lot. You hear of people being $50,000 in the hole and it makes you blink a few times and you think to yourself... OMG are you NUTS???

I personally think a lot is anything you CAN'T pay. If you can pay it, it ISN'T a lot. If you're having a hard time with your payments and you feel overwhelmed, there's a problem.

Waitress accused of stealing couple's credit card
Police say a Marco Island couple got a lot more than they bargained for while dining at an upscale restaurant. They say when the couple handed their waitress their credit card to pay the bill, she didn't give it back.

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