0% purchases Barclaycard Platinum

LADYXXMACBETH

I feel like I am being thick, but what does 0% Purchases for 20 months mean on the Barclaycard Platinum card.
I am asking as I have applied so I can pay off a large catalogue account. I was hoping I could pay off the catalogue and they would give me 0% for 20 months so I could get it sorted. WHen I look on the Barclay website it says 18.9%
Can someone explain please?

[Deleted User]

It means the underlying headline rate is 18.9%. Any promotional rates - eg 0% for 20 months - are only temporary.

bengal-stripe

LADYXXMACBETH wrote: »

0% Purchases for 20 months........so I can pay off a large catalogue account.

"Purchases" means new purchases. You probably cannot use the card to pay off existing debts (unless the catalogue would accept payment by card and would code it as new purchases). If you get the card use it for all your everyday shopping and use the money in your current account to pay off the catalogue debt.

As long as you pay at least the minimum (on time and without fail) and do not exceed the limit, all purchases are free of interest for 20 month. (Cash advances and quasi-cash, like gambling and foreign currencies are not "purchases" and will attract interest.)

Candyapple

Sounds like you applied for the wrong card.

What you should have gone for was one of these:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/cut-loan-overdraft-costs

As Bengal has stated, if your catalogue company does not accept credit card payments to clear balances, you should use the Barclaycard to put your day-to-day spending on and the money you would have used for that, pay it towards your catalogue debt.