Choosing the right credit card can save you hundreds - perhaps thousands - of pounds a year. Naomi Caine, a former Sunday Times money editor, pinpoints five of the best very best.
Best All-Rounder (Barclaycard Simplicity 6.8%APR)
If you only want one credit card go for this one. It will cost you nothing if you clear your balance each month. Better still, it will charge you less than any other comparable card on the occasions that you don’t. It’s a great all-rounder.
Haemorrhaging cash on an existing credit card? If so the Virgin Credit Card is for you. You pay nothing on debit balances transferred to the card for the first 12 months, making it an ideal haven into which to shift your debts while you sort your life out.
Best for Borrowing (Halifax FlatRate Card 5.9%APR)
Looking for a flexible alternative to a bank loan? Then this is it. The Halifax Flat Rate card charges just 5.9%, which is excellent value for a mortgage let alone a credit card. You must make minimum payments each month but – unlike most ordinary loans – it’s entirely up to you when you pay it off.
The ethical consumer's choice. Amex Red combines genuinely competitive rates, with rock star looks and an ethical policy which means that for every £1,000 you spend, £10 goes to fight disease in Africa. If you want a reasonably priced card that helps others as well as yourself this is it.
Heading off on a gap year? Planning some serious spending abroad? If so, you should seriously consider a Nationwide BS Classic. It's one of the only British credit cards not to charge loony loading fees on purchases made abroad.
If you only want one credit card go for this one. It will cost you nothing if you clear your balance each month. Better still, it will charge you less than any other comparable card on the occasions that you don’t. It’s a great all-rounder.
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Haemorrhaging cash on an existing credit card? If so the Virgin Credit Card is for you. You pay nothing on debit balances transferred to the card for the first 12 months, making it an ideal haven into which to shift your debts while you sort your life out.
Looking for a flexible alternative to a bank loan? Then this is it. The Halifax Flat Rate card charges just 5.9%, which is excellent value for a mortgage let alone a credit card. You must make minimum payments each month but – unlike most ordinary loans – it’s entirely up to you when you pay it off.
The ethical consumer's choice. Amex Red combines genuinely competitive rates, with rock star looks and an ethical policy which means that for every £1,000 you spend, £10 goes to fight disease in Africa. If you want a reasonably priced card that helps others as well as yourself this is it.
Heading off on a gap year? Planning some serious spending abroad? If so, you should seriously consider a Nationwide BS Classic. It's one of the only British credit cards not to charge loony loading fees on purchases made abroad.