Best Deals - best credit card deals and rates - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, Oct, 1999

Low-interest premium cards

Best if you carry a balance

                                             CASH-ADVANCE
ISSUER                      RECENT RATE(*)   RATE/FEE(c)

USAA Savings (G,P)               9%             9%/none
Huntington National (G,P)        9              18/2%
Pulaski Bank & Trust (G)         9.45         9.45/none

                            ANNUAL     LATE/       TELEPHONE
ISSUER                        FEE    OVER LIMIT      NUMBER

USAA Savings (G,P)            $45     $20/none    800-922-9092
Huntington National (G,P)      49      29/$29     800-480-2265
Pulaski Bank & Trust (G)       50      20/20      800-980-2265

No-fee premium cards

Best if you usually pay the balance each month

                                       CASH-ADVANCE   GRACE
ISSUER                RECENT RATE(*)   RATE/FEE(c)    PERIOD

Fleet (P)                  7.99%         19.8%/4%     20 days
Wachovia (G)              10.15          19.99/4      20 days
AFBA Industrial (G)       11.4            11.4/2      25 days

                        LATE/       TELEPHONE
ISSUER                OVER LIMIT      NUMBER

Fleet (P)              $29/$29     800-225-5353
Wachovia (G)            29/29      800-842-3262
AFBA Industrial (G)     15/none    800-776-2265

Rebate cards

Best of the air-miles cards (for travel on all major airlines)

                               RECENT RATE     CASH-ADVANCE
ISSUER                        (INDEX MARGIN)   RATE/FEE(c)

Visa MilesOne (P)([dagger])        9.9%         19.8%/2.5%
USAA Eagle Points                 13.5          13.25/none
Chase (P)                         15.49           19.3/3

                              ANNUAL   MILES NEEDED   TELEPHONE
ISSUER                          FEE     FOR TICKET     NUMBER

Visa MilesOne (P)([dagger])     $19      25,000     800-553-2194
USAA Eagle Points                49      25,000     800-793-8990
Chase (P)                        25      25,000     800-438-3535

(c) Cash advances frequently have no grace period

(G) gold card

(P) platinum cards

(*) First year free

([dagger]) Earn miles for balances transferred

SOURCE FOR LOAN RATE AND CREDIT CARDS: Bank Rate Monitor, N. Palm Beach, Fla.3