We have to make a major purchase/home improvement, and I'm looking for a card with a 0% APR, but would also prefer to receive a mileage/points sign-up bonus. Are there any cards folks here recommend? I ran some searches in this forum, but "0%" and "APR" turns up too many/no hits. Thanks!

The Chase SLATE card is offering 0% APR for 15 months (purchases/BT's) with NO balance-transfer fee within the first 30-days of account opening.

Link: https://www.chase.com/online/Credit-Cards/Slate.htm

While you won't earn any miles/points, it is still a great offer (0%).

Citi Platinum also offers 0% APR on purchases, as well as the Discover More card.

FYI- I recently applied for the BoA Virgin Atlantic AmEx card (50k sign-up bonus) and when I called to activate, they offered me a 'special' 0% APR on purchases/B-T's for 18 months. This wasn't mentioned when I signed up for the card so it's a YMMV situation and is probably based on other factors.

Also could buy it on your current mileage earning CC's and then BT to a new 0% card. Best of both worlds, points upfront, and 0% interest to pay off over a couple months.

That's a great point. I've never actually done a balance transfer -- any problem with, say, incurring the charge on an AMEX and shifting to a Visa? Any weird restrictions? Thanks.

Be cautious, some say 0% BT and then have a 3% fee, or a minimum fee. No real issues between banks, it is pretty straightforward.

Warning:

Great card for frequent BT checks (and even some with 0% fee!)

However, the interest is usury (20%+) if you lapse. Just be sure you pay it off.

I signed up for the Citi AA and Visa cards when they were at 75k (now at 50k). Both have 0% BTs. Not sure if it's 0% APR.

I agree you should be wary of the BT fee, although many cards cap the fee at something like $100.

Also, if you have a "major life event" (or whatever it's called), many of the "payment protector" services will let you defer paying for a few months. I've used this in the past while moving. You pay something like 0.76% of your balance when you incur the charge, and then when you have such an event (moving, marriage, kids, and usually up to one "free" month of skipping a payment per year) you can skip some number of payments. I think moving = 4 months, with no interest and no minimum payments.

> Also could buy it on your current mileage earning CC's

Or you could:

1) save up for your home improvement cost and negotiate a lower cash deal. you can buy miles with the savings, or go on vacation direct with it

2) save up for your home improvement cost, then pay with your credit card that earns miles

3) you could save up for your home improvement, less what Chase Slate offers and what you could pay back (cash flow) in 15 months. the issue is that you won't know what chase slate gives you as a credit line. so, its not clear how much you will be able to put on 0% and pay off in increments.

I prefer my Citi Simplicity card for 0% APR for the first 21 months.

I haven't found any. It would be great to find an offer like that. I got Citi platinum select with 0% APR for purchases for 21 months. They have a program called extra cash but it pales in comparison to mileage earning cards.

The only 0% Balance APR with 0% Fee I have see was Discover More. I don't think they have that offer right now.

let us know if you find any.

I know that the Freedom card sometimes has an introductory 0% rate. Unfortunately, all of the 0% offers I've seen only get the $100 sign up bonus (as opposed to $200, $250, $300, etc)

I'll second the recommendation of the Chase Slate as it has no transfer fee the first 30 days, so you can pay with your best mile/point earning card and then transfer to the Slate card.

Some cards sometimes have extra bonus points for Home Depot and etc.

Except if your high balance card which you want to transfer is another Chase card. Then you're screwed.

Chase Freedom has 0% for 15 months, but only with $100 signup bonus. If you already have that card, or don't want to get it on a lower signup bonus, the best option is probably the Slate Balance transfer, but it seems a shame to use a credit card relationship with Chase on a non-reward card.

One other option is the Citi Dividend Platinum Select card. It's cashback, 0% for 12 months, $100 back on $500 spend, and it has 5% cashback at Home Depot and on home furnishing and home and garden purchases till 6/30/12. Just a thought.

I was just thinking of doing this, and came here to do a search to see if it is possible.

Basically, I have something I want to charge this year and not pay for until next year, so was looking for a 0% APR card. I found the Slate card from Chase that has 0% APR for purchase and balance transfers for 15 months, plus zero transaction fee on balance transfers for the first 60 days.

If I charge something to my AmEx, can I 'pay' for it via a balance transfer from the Chase Slate card, and the result will be that I earn MR points on the AmEx for the purchase, pay 0 fees and 0 interest on the amount charged to the Slate card (provided the balance transfer is within 60 days of card issuance), and have up to 15 months to pay off the amount charged to the Slate card?

Any drawbacks to doing this?

Susan