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How to Lower your Credit Card Interest Rate

By: Steve Baik

Is it possible to lower your credit card interest rate without the help of a credit counselor? The answer is, Yes. It is a little known fact, but you can actually negotiate with your credit card company to get a lower rate. This approach may not work all the time, but it works more often than not.

According to a national survey conducted by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group in March 2002, fifty consumers were put to the test of lowering their credit card interest rates. Out of the 50, over half of them managed to have their rates lowered simply by calling their creditor.

You may be asking, "Why would a credit card company lower my rate when their priority is to make money?" There are a couple of good reasons why. The first reason is because credit card companies hate to lose customers; especially to a competitor. Secondly, credit card companies rather keep existing customers instead of spending more money to acquire new ones.

Consumers are encouraged to lower their credit card rates, if they can. There is no harm in trying. The worst they can say is, "No."