conversation: User (meghanmck): "I'm 29. I opened the card (we will call it Card A) when I was 18 as my 'emergency' card. Since then, over the 11 years, the balance grew and I missed just a small handful of payments, so the interest rate climbed to 29.9% and the credit line grew from $150 to almost $20k (the balance was NEVER even close to getting that high, FYI)\n\nNow that I'm making good money, I'm paying it off rapidly. I opened a second, interest free card (Card B), and I've been doing balance transfer of $2k at a time (Card B has a lower available balance), paying that off in usually three months or so. Card A is now down to about $3k... I would expect to have that paid off by the end of this year with this plan. \n\nI just found out today that I've run to the end of the 'offer' that Card B was giving me and they will no longer do balance transfers. Bummer. Good news is that the card is at a $0 balance. \n\nNow I need to do my lump payments directly onto Card A. I feel like I get no where when I do though because the interest rate is so high. \n\nHow do I ask them to lower that super high interest rate? \n\nDon't know if this helps my chances, but my credit score is at about 780. Also, I don't plan on closing either card when I'm done with paying the large balance off, but putting my Netflix on one and iTunes on the other and paying them off in full each month. \n"
  Self: "Call and ask politely.  If they lower it, great, pay that sucker off ASAP.  If they don't, then keep slugging away until you pay that sucker off.\n\nAnd if you only charge what you can afford to the card, and then pay off the full statement balance every month, you'll pay no interest whatsoever and the 29.9% interest rate won't matter."
  SparklePonyBoy (SparklePonyBoy): "This. \n\nIf you're not using your credit card like a debit card you're doing it wrong. If you can't afford it, don't buy it. "
  AztecWheels (AztecWheels): "I wish I could upvote this a thousand times.  Banks call people who do this "deadbeats" because they make squat.   Every time they call and offer me lower interest rates I just laugh.  I haven't paid an interest fee on my credit card in over 10 years.  Make sure you get one with cash back or, if you prefer, points.  It's free money.  Route everything you can through the credit card.  I bought my xbox and my ps3 this way and I "earn" about $300-$400 a year.\nJust remember to always pay it off completely every month.  Remember it's not a short term loan, it's a long term liability if you don't self-regulate."
  autark (autark): "Every credit card offer I've seen that has "cash back" usually stipulates that the cash back percentage is only on "balance carried"... indicating that you have to let them charge you interest on at least one billing cycle to count.  So, when they say "1% cash back" what it really means is "1% lower interest rate than we say on your bill".  Am I just wrong? Which cards pay you back even if you never ever pay them interest (by paying off every month)?"
  truth_hertz (truth_hertz): "Pics or it didn't happen. \n\nIn other words, find a link to credit card terms that say this and I'll believe you. "
  