Online comparison shopping for credit cards, mortgages and auto loans is pretty common today. The U.K.’s personal finance site Compare and Save.com enables visitors to compare everything from credit cards and insurance to energy and Internet access providers.
From the moment you land on Compare and Save’s home page, you get the feeling that it is slightly different from your run of the mill personal finance sites. At first glance, you can tell this site is geared toward more youthful consumers based on its modern “metro” look, one not found on many personal finance sites. With its promise to help the consumer compare and save on financial products, you have to wonder just how helpful it can be with comparing credit cards.
Credit cards section
This section of the Web site feels similar to those on many other sites that help you compare credit cards. That said, a few things do stand out:
- More variety in credit card types
- Helpful reviews of different credit cards
- An extensive 12 chapter guide to credit cards with links to each chapter and their subsections for easy navigation.
The one thing missing from the credit card section is an “apply for a credit card” link. What you have to do is click on the “more info” link next to the credit card to actually apply for a credit card from that card’s Web site. A little tricky, but a minor issue in the grand scheme of things.
Tools section
Clicking on the guide to credit cards link brings you to Compare and Save’s financial tools section. Tools here consist of calculators, how-to guides, letter templates, polls, who’s who, a glossary, and a subsection simply called “other resources.” The letter templates are something different to find on a site that helps you to compare credit cards and other financial products. One template is particularly helpful in that it enables you to contact creditors to request they correct information that appears on your credit report.
One of the most useful tools for credit cards on the site is the balance transfer calculator. It helps you to determine if you should apply for a credit card to transfer your existing balance to. This tool is particularly helpful in that it allows you to filter through all of the 0 percent balance transfer credit cards available on the market today.
All in all, Compare and Save.com is a pretty good place for people in the U.K. to compare credit cards and to apply for a credit card. Even if you do not find the credit card you are looking for, there are other features to help you with your financial life.
