This page on best finance and credit covers 'NEED TO KNOW' Information on obtaining the BEST financial products & keeping your Identity Safe

Which type of finance and credit you need or require for your purchase of electrical appliances will, in all probability, depend entirely upon the size and cost of the proposed purchase.

Your first priority must be to finance the purchase in the most cost effective way... and paying extortionate credit fees is definitely not the way to go! You will find web addresses devoted to both finance and credit near the bottom of this page which will prove vital to this cause... don't miss them!

Our page on Discount Electrical Appliances covers quite a bit on how to get your purchase at a competitive price. This page is devoted to obtaining the finance and credit at the best possible rate to facilitate your purchase.

What, when, why, and where you buy will alter your finance and credit requirements:-

• What... whether the item is a small, cheap buy... or a large, expensive major purchase.
• When... either when the appropriate season is over, i.e. an ice-cream maker in autumn; or when it is either a 'new to the market' item, or something which has been available, in some form, for several years.
• Why... something new to you, or a replacement for something which has broken down, or become outdated.
• Where... a wholesalers, a high street shop, a catalogue, or on the web.
• Finance and Credit... ALL the above variables will affect both the purchase price AND the method of financing the purchase.

Let's take some examples from above... if you are buying a replacement kettle or iron for one which has broken down... you need it now, and it is a reasonably inexpensive buy.

My recommendation would be Argos... I always check availability and reserve the item on the website before going to purchase it... you don't want to be disappointed.

Just take your reservation number with you and show it at the counter. Often you will get a reduced price if you fetch it immediately... but this is NOT guaranteed. I have been very lucky in this way. So just go to Argos - Click here and see what prices are on offer.

Of course Argos are not just for small items... if a larger item which you have decided upon is available through them... well, they could well be the cheapest supplier you will find! They do a delivery service as well.

What is the best way to finance these Argos purchases? My advice would be to use cash or one of the recommended 0% credit cards... check them out, even order, at our preferred comparison website - MoneySupermarket.

As regards other high street shops... one word of warning [sorry, two] don't use their credit facilities, or personal shopping cards... the interest rates, in most cases, don't bear thinking about... and, don't take out extended guarantees... see our Guarantees page.

Also check out MoneySupermarket for special 'extended guarantee' credit cards.

[For a discussion on Wholesalers... please go over to our - Discount Electrical Appliances page.]

A shopping catalogue like - Littlewoods - can be a cheap source of finance and credit, because you can 'Buy now, Pay later' and also spread the cost of the purchase over a few months without any additional finance and credit charges being added to the cost of the item.

They are not, perhaps, initially the cheapest source... but when you consider that there is no delivery charge and that you will get an agents discount... even as a personal shopper, with no additional customers... then it is well worth considering them for your purchases.

Now we are left with purchase via the internet. First, make sure the website has a locked padlock... all those which I recommend do! This signifies that the pages which deal in the actual shopping process are safe. I have bought several items via the internet and not had problems. But I know many people are extremely wary. The most usual, and convenient, method of finance and credit for internet purchases is a normal credit card... though there are other methods available.

Two precautions which you might consider are not to use your usual bank account or credit card online... get ones especially for use only online, that way you will be able to keep track more easily. As more and more items become available and are bought online this could make good sense. The saving in time alone is a reason to recommend this course of action.

Before you apply for finance and credit... either a bank account, or credit card it makes sense to check you credit score. There are many factors which could mean you are refused credit... and they may be NOTHING to do with you... so it makes sense to know about them, and get them rectified BEFORE you apply... explanations of how to do this are dealt with on these websites.

Other people of the same name, and other similar addresses can affect your credit rating very easily. Once you have been refused it is difficult to sort it out... so check FIRST!

As mentioned above BOTH these websites hold vital and complementary information, so why not look over both of them. All you can lose is a few minutes of your time.

At the bottom of this page there is a link to our new 'Identity Theft and Credit Reports' page... which is crammed with invaluable help from 'Credit Expert'.

Here's a website to help you sort this problem... check them out now... Creditexpert.co.uk.

Then, in our finance and credit section we get to the actual arrangement of a bank account... if you are looking for a specialist internet bank, why not try Cahoot they are a division of Abbey National and a well known internet bank.

And, lastly, for this finance and credit search... the icing on the cake a wonderful facility which will assist you in making the right choice for YOU! MoneySupermarket compares the different financial products, allowing you to choose which one will ideally suit YOUR particular needs.

We are not all the same in the amount of time we have to spare, so some people will require a permanent low rate of interest... others will be interested in the 0% offers, and be willing to swop cards whenever the offer runs out. It may be time consuming, but boy can it SAVE.

Your finance and credit just needs to be organized... maybe just get a folder to keep all the information in... updating, and revisiting Money Supermarket on a regular basis is a brilliant idea... new offers come in, things change! If you do decide to go the 0% way, it may be cheaper finance and credit than even a bank loan... but you must check it out carefully and thoroughly on the website.

If you are in the market for a cooker, fridge-freezer, or similar expensive item, even a car... use the MoneySupermarket website to check out the best method of finance and credit for this larger purchase.

Finance and Credit

If your purchase is to be a car... do please click the link below before you even think of the finance and credit.

The AA is a godsend to all potential purchasers, as well as car owners... their expertise is a must for peace of mind. You don't want to have bought a write-off, a stolen car, or a car which has been clocked.

As a postscript, if you are selling your old vehicle privately... BE CAREFUL. Take advice on how best to sell and get your money... [finance and credit isn't ALL about paying OUT]! Even bank drafts cannot be guaranteed as safe... as you may have read in the newspapers, or heard on the TV or radio news bulletins recently.

Once you have sorted out the finance and credit side of your purchase out...does the thought of having large items bought on the web delivered to you deter you from purchasing?

Delivery of any item can be a hassle... will they deliver on the stipulated day, will the item be damaged, is it in stock? I thought about all those points... and realised... they all apply, no matter WHERE you order your goods from. No matter where the item is ordered from, there can be problems with getting it delivered on time and in one piece, undamaged. Even if you go to the shop yourself and can transport the item home, you won't get the item which you see working in the shop, you will get a fully packaged item from the storage area... you could get it home only to find it doesn't work. I know someone who had to take an item back twice because it didn't work, so he didn't get a working item until the third try... and it was of a good brand which tops the reliability ratings. So you can be just as unlucky if you fetch it yourself.

Another thing which worried me was that the delicate workings would get damaged in transit... then I thought 'idiot' the items have to get to the shops from the warehouse and then to you, just the same as they have to get to you from your internet supplier!

Many, many people do buy electrical appliances via the internet... thereby making extremely good savings. If you read the comments from shoppers on the websites you'll find that some people have had problems, but more are completely satisfied... if you consider human nature, it's more likely that someone who is dissatisfied will complain, than someone who is delighted with the service will praise it.

I have recently found a new website called... Debt Management Talk... do check it out, you could find it invaluable.

The idea of the site is pretty simple. Its a place where you can go to get advice, ask questions, give advice, and learn about personal finance and how to get out of debt. At the same time, they are paying their members to participate.

• Go to Electrical Appliances page
• Save money... also check our Switching Energy Suppliers page!

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