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Best 0% credit cards - purchases

Buy things at 0% for months

For new spending, we recommend the Capital One Platinum credit card offers 0% on purchases and on balance transfers until the 1st of September 2009.
For balance transfers look at this article for best buys and information.
A 30-day free subscription to Creditexpert should tell you if it’s worth applying for one of these 0% deals.
Best 0% charity credit cards

What are 0% purchase credit cards?

These are cards that will charge you no interest at all for a certain period of time when you use them to buy things. You might buy one big thing that brings you up to your credit limit or even several things, but whatever you buy, you can spread the cost of paying it back over a few months without having to pay any interest.

Who are these cards good for?

IF (and it's a big 'if') you are disciplined, cards that offer 0% on purchases can be a real help if you want to spread the cost of buying something big without having to pay interest on it. It's much better to use one of these cards than to go for a 0% finance deal in a shop, for example. With your own 0% credit card you have a lot more control over the way you pay back the money.

To make the most of these cards you should aim to pay the whole thing off before the 0% period finishes so that you clear the whole debt before you need to pay interest on it (or switch to a 0% on balance transfers card). In fact, if you have the money to cover the whole purchase anyway, you could buy the big item (or items) with your 0% purchase card then put the money to pay for it in a high interest savings account until the end of the 0% period. That way you are even making money as you save.

Should I apply?

Not everyone is approved for these cards, of course, as the rate is so low. So if you think your credit rating might not be up to scratch then check out your credit rating first before wasting an application.

Remember that each time you apply for credit and get rejected you get minus points on your credit rating 'scorecard'. Get a 30 day free subscription to Creditexpert and check your score before applying (just remember to cancel it at the end of the free period if you don't want to continue with a monthly subscription). That way you will know that if your score is not excellent, it is probably best not to apply for one of these. Go, instead for a card with a low regular balance. Check here for the lowest standard rates. Or, even better, save up for the thing you want to buy and then buy it!

Best 0% interest for purchases

For those of you with a top notch credit rating, the Capital One Platinum credit card offers 0% on purchases and on balance transfers until the 1st of September 2009. The balance transfer fee is a standard 3% and the typical APR is 12.9% (variable). Remember to only apply for this card if you have a flawless credit rating however, as they do only accept prime candidates.

Next best is the Halifax All in One Card which gives you 10 months 0% interest on purchases and balance transfers for tiers one, two and three (3% handling fee applies).

Alternatively, the Mint Mastercard gives you 0% interest on purchases until the 1st of January 2009 (a grand total of 6 months) and at the end of this period the APR is 14.9% which is quite a good deal. The card also gives you free balance transfers until the 1st of August 2009 with a chance to transfer more over at 0% in October 2009.

The Royal Bank of Scotland have got 6 months 0% interest on purchases for their classic credit card as does the Natwest Classic Credit Card. Lloyds TSB's Advance Mastercard has 6 months 0%interest on purchases, but after that there's no interest free period at all, so it's really only a short term bargain and you'll pay interest on balance transfers right from the word go.

Barclays has got the One Pulse Visa with purchases which gives 6 months 0% on purchases too. Abbey are also offering 0% on purchases for 6 months with their new Abbey Zero credit card. You also get 0% on balance transfers and foreign exchange.

The Post Office credit card is a good one to consider as not only does it offer 3 months at 0% on purchases but also, unusually, does foreign transactions for free (most of the credit cards charge about 2.5% every time you use your credit card abroad). So if you’re off on holiday soon, this is definitely one to consider.

0% Charity credit cards

There are a few charity credit cards out there that will offer you some great 0% introductory deals. The Halifax offer two seperate charity cards, one for Cancer Research and one for NSPCC, both offering 6 months 0% on purchasesand balance transfers (3% balance transfer fee applies). As an added bonus, Halifax will donate £20 the first time you use one of the cards, and will donate a further 0.25% of all your spending thereafter.