The New Year is a very exciting time for many people – a chance to put those resolutions into practise, a chance to start afresh and look forward – and a chance to hit the shops and enjoy the bargains that can be found in the January sales! When January comes around many of us flock to the shopping centres and stores to save huge amounts of money on everything from furniture and home goods to clothes and more.

If you are looking forward to getting some retail therapy in the January sales, and plan to put your purchases on the plastic, now is the time to start looking for the right credit card. At this time of year it is particularly important to take early action when applying for credit. A larger number of applications can cause delays with credit card processing as Christmas and New Year approaches, and further delays can be caused by the level of post that has to be processed at this time of year.

In order to make the most of the January sales you need to hunt around for the best card for your needs. There is little point in saving money on your purchases if you are then going to have to pay through the nose in interest when you use your credit card. By choosing the right card you can ensure that it won’t actually cost you anything to use your credit card for your bargain shopping, and you might even be able to make a little extra simply for using your card.

If you plan to put your January sale purchases on your credit card and then repay the balance in full within the interest free period then a rewards based card is a good choice. By using your card to make purchases in the sales you can enjoy convenience and ease, and you can earn rewards per pounds spent, such as cash back, air miles, or rewards points. In addition you will not be charged interest because you are repaying the balance in full within the interest free period.

On the other hand if you are planning to shop till you drop, and you want to spread the repayments on your balance, then you will find that a 0% purchase credit card is an excellent choice. The interest free periods can vary from one card to another, and these cards allow you to enjoy an extended period of interest free credit during which time you can repay your balance without being charged any interest.

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Reno Charlton, award-winning writer, shares her financial expertise as a contributing columnist for Credit Card Comparison, where you can compare 0% purchase credit cards and compare reward credit cards.