Most of the clubs have their own credit card supported by credit card issuers. Football credit cards belong to the Affinity Card group and your credit card account will be linked to the football club of your choice. The credit limit that you’ll be given by the credit card issuer will depend on the outcome of the credit search carried out on you. If your credit rating is excellent, then you can expect to get a higher credit limit on any transactions carried out with your football credit card. The credit card itself will have all the regalia of your club’s team – its colour as well as its logo imprinted on it.

Almost all football credit cards are managed by MBNA and therefore share similar characteristics such as introductory credit card deals of 0% APR and 0% APR on credit card balance transfers.

And not only this, the football credit card, in order to say a special “thank-you” to its fans for choosing its credit card, often presents brilliant reward schemes. Some reward schemes allow you to earn points on every purchase you make and you can redeem these points when you purchase merchandise in the Club shop using your football credit card. Another type of reward offered is the adding of interest bonuses to your credit card account depending on how well your team has performed over the season.

Football credit cards are a steady stream of revenue for football clubs. The good thing about the football credit card is that it is competitively priced. Each time you use your credit card your football club will receive a percentage of the amount spent by you, from the credit card issuer, at no extra cost to you!

Normally, when making an application for the usual kind of credit card, you undergo a credit search which will determine your credit limit. Once this transaction is validated by the credit card issuer, you will be able to use your credit card to make your purchases. And as is the custom, you will receive a credit card statement at the end of each month. If you pay off your outstanding balance every month, you will not be charged any interest. But if you fail to pay off the balance, then you’ll be obliged to pay interest on that very balance that has been carried forward to the following month.

But this is not the case with a prepaid Master Card which you load up with money when making an application. The beauty of having a prepaid Master Card is that a credit search is simply waived aside because your prepaid Master Card is already loaded with money. Not only this, but you don’t have to worry about clearing your outstanding balance and you won’t even receive a credit card statement at the end of each month.

Your prepaid Master Card, unlike the humble credit card, will be your magic wand that guarantees acceptance and opens doors at all participating outlets throughout the world. And as its name suggests, the Master Card will make you the master of your spending habits, knowing full well that you cannot go over the prepaid limit unless you top it up with more money.

As it is with a credit card, your prepaid Master Card dispenses with the idea of carrying large amounts of cash on you. And in the event of a theft, you can be rest assured that you are well protected because of your PIN number which no one should have access to.

If you are sold on the idea of acquiring a prepaid Master Card, here’s how you can procure one. You will have to pay an application fee to obtain a prepaid Master Card. Some prepaid Master Cards issuers may charge a monthly fee while some others may charge an annual fee. Each time you use your Master Card on your transactions, you will be levied a handling fee. Your prepaid Master Card can be topped up either online or through your bank. If you don’t have a bank account, then you can always top it up with ready cash, at Post Offices, shops and garages, throughout the UK.

Credit cards can be a convenient way to make big or small purchases and even earn rewards. However, inadequately using your credit cards or accumulating too much credit card debt can cause your credit score to plummet or possibly force you into bankruptcy. Here are some successful strategies to keep you from increasing your credit card debt.

Effective Use of Credit Cards Credit cards can be vital for building a good credit rating that, in turn, will allow you to obtain a lower interest rate on loans, such as a home loan. Yet, frivolous use of your credit cards can erase the potential benefits. Here are some easy ways to make your credit cards work for you.

* Only make purchases you can afford to repay at the end of the month

* Find a card that offers rewards you will use

* Shop around for a card with 0% interest and no fees for balance transfers

A large purchase with your credit card can be an easily and quickly build up credits or reward points. The danger is allowing a large balance to remain on your credit card for an extended time. The best choice is to pay the balance off immediately. If you can’t completely pay off your purchase, reduce the amount owed to 20 percent or less. This practice will protect your credit score because credit agencies use remaining balances on lines of credit to determine a portion of your score. If you are nearly maxed out on every card, your credit score will suffer.

You also want to search for rewards you know you can and want to use. Some credit cards offer frequent flier miles, but only for certain destinations and at inconvenient times of the year. The best reward cards are ones that give you cash or credits you can apply towards any purchase.

When seeking the best card, look for a low or 0 percent card that has low transfer fees. Using a credit card for debt consolidation is only beneficial if are able and committed to paying the balance off before the introductory rate spikes, which is typically around 12 months. If you don't pay off the balance, you may end up paying more interest than before you obtained the card.

The Pitfalls of Accumulating Credit Card Debt The downside to using credit cards is accumulating debt. You must exercise extreme discipline when using a credit card or mounting debt will seriously hurt you. These are the most common ways consumers allow credit card debt to get out of hand:

* Not paying off monthly balances.

* Applying for too many credit cards.

* Obtaining high interest cards or rates that balloon after the first year.

If you pay the minimum payment each month, then you’re only paying interest with only a fraction of the principal amount owed plus interest. For example, if you have $5,000 of debt at 18 percent interest, you’ll pay approximately $7,000 in total interest charges. You will also pay exorbitant interest charges by obtaining a credit card with an initial-low-interest rate and allow it to balloon to 20 percent or more after the first year.

You will damage your credit score as well by opening too many credit card accounts opened in a short amount of time will diminish your credit score. It is harder to keep track of your debt amounts, and you increase the potential total debt.

Be Proactive Concerning Your Credit Card Debt Credit cards can be valuable if you use them properly and when you optimize rewards. The financial snare of credit card debt can become overwhelming if you fail to use credit efficiently. If you are suffering from a tremendous amount of credit card debt, you can find help with debt consolidation or debt settlement. Eliminating your credit card debt and then effectively using credit cards in the future can bring you back to financial harmony.

Author Bio: Scott Sumerford has several years of experience working in the financial industry and has written a myriad of articles on various financial matters. He graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington where he worked as a writing center tutor and contributed to the university's newspaper, The Shorthorn. He currently writes for Credit Solutions, the industry leader in debt settlement.