Card Smarts

You just found something you'd really like to buy. Maybe not something you absolutely need, but definitely something you want. Out comes the credit card...

Sure, you're carrying a balance, and there will be some interest to pay on this new purchase, but how much? Will a $79 item end up costing you $83.57 when you add interest or $228.56? Depending on your balance and interest rate, it could be either, or something in between, or something even higher.

This is where Card Smarts comes in. Enter the the cash price of an item and Card Smarts will estimate the total price you will end up paying, and when you will pay off the purchase. Card Smarts estimates help you make fully informed buying decisions and manage your credit responsibly.

How does Card Smarts work? The most important thing it does is that it does not assume you are just trying to pay off your card and making no further purchases. This makes the calculations simpler, but it is unrealistic for many people. Instead, Card Smarts asks you for not only balances and interest rates from your most recent statement, but also realistic estimates of what you typically spend and what you typically pay off each month. This lets it more accurately estimate the actual effects of additional purchases you may be considering.