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You are pre-approved! Every time I check my mail there is at least one or two pre-approved credit card applications. You get them too, I'm sure. You can even have terrible credit and they still continue to flood your mailbox. And if you just filed bankruptcy you will get more of them than you know what to do with!

Credit card debt is so easy to get into--over and over again. Most people don’t feel like they are spending real money until the bill comes, and then it’s too late. The credit card companies know how to make it very tempting to fall back on any good habits we’ve created and just spend away. It’s hard to get away from, but we have to resist temptation.

When establishing good credit, one of the things we’re told to do is to get a credit card and then use it to spend wisely. Experts advise us to pay our bills on time and not to exceed the credit limit. However, no one really talks to us when we get that first card about how easily and quickly we hit that limit, or how easy it is to miss that first monthly payment. Once you get behind, it can be really hard to catch up. Oftentimes, credit cards come with introductory interest rates that are nothing or very low. But many times, those rates soon change and you can find yourself with a full balance on your card with an 18 or 20 percent interest rate! That interest rate can then put you over your limit, if your not paying at least the minimum payment, now making you susceptible to over-the-limit fees. Before you know it, you are getting bad reports on your credit reports for credit card debt on a card that you haven’t even had very long.

Unfortunately, when times are hard, abusing credit cards is all too easy. When the economy is bad and cash is tight, it is all too easy to put your daily living expenses on your credit cards. If there is any kind of pattern like this in your credit card spending, it can build huge credit card debt pretty quickly. If you are not making your credit card payments, the credit card companies do inquiries to verify your address or other information. Every time they make an inquiry on your credit report, it makes you look like even more of a high risk, further worsening your credit history. All the credit card debt on your report, even if some of it is good, can make you look high risk for car loans or mortgages – especially if any of those cards hold high balances. Even worse, that bad credit report can keep you from renting an apartment or getting a job that requires a background check.

So keep in mind, as tempting as it may be to pay with a credit card, choose the “debit” option next time. It’s normal to risk it all when times are tough, but doing so creates more problems later that can take you years to fix. Credit card debt has long term risks, but if you use credit cards wisely, you can build credit that brings rewards instead.

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Yes, low APR credit cards are on the rise. Many credit cards are competing for your business to give you the best and lowest rates available today. There are so many credit cards from you to choose from that they are doing all kinds of things to get your attention including lowering their interest rate and giving you no annual fees.

Why is this happening? Because there are so many credit card companies. They all want your business and this is an attractive incentive to get you to apply and own one of their credit cards. If you choose a low APR credit card over one with 19.99 percent you are sure to go with the lower APR.

The only problem is that sometime these 0% and low APR credit cards are only promotional ways to get you to apply and then later your interest rate will rise. Many credit card companies have low APR credit cards for a certain amount of time such as 3 months, 6 months and some up to one year. You will have to compare to find out which one keeps the lower APR after the promotional period to ensure you are getting the best deal around.

No matter what the reason low APR credit cards are here to stay as long as the companies are competing for your business. Just remember to compare everything they offer besides the lower interest rate. You may find that several credit card companies are now offering other wonderful incentives for you to apply with them such as reward programs.

No matter which company you choose, you will enjoy the low APR credit cards even if it is only for a limited time. You will be able to save money on your purchases because you will not have to pay any interest until the promotional period is over. Just be sure your balance is very low when the interest rate kicks in and you will be fine.