If you are looking for a new card that is easy to understand and even easier to use, then you might want to consider the Citi Simplicity. It is stripped down to the bare bones but still offers great benefits. credit cards are a dime a dozen right now. Seriously, if you went online to apply for a credit card you might be surprised at how many different kinds there are. If you are looking for something that simply provides you with the freedom to use credit in place of cash without having to worry about crazy fees or incidental charges, though, then you may want to take a look at the Citi Simplicity Card.
The Fees (Or Lack Thereof)
All credit card companies charge fees. There are so many different kinds of fees that it makes it difficult, sometimes, to discern which cards actually benefit you. That’s why this Citibank card tries to make it as simple as possible. This card offers many of the best benefits currently offered by other cards but without many of the fees. For example, the Citi Simplicity Card has
- No annual fee
- No late fees
- No rate hikes for missed payments or exceeding your credit limit
These are three of the most common ways for card companies to make money because they are methods that are hard to avoid.
How to Apply for Citi Simplicity Card?
The application process for the Citi Simplicity is very simple. As you would expect, the online application will request specific information that will help to determine whether or not you are approved for the card. They will ask for things like
- Your name
- Your address
- Phone number
- Your social security number (for credit check purposes)
- Your date of birth
- A security phrase (to confirm identity when you log in)
- Your employer information (including name and phone number)
- Type of occupation you have
- Total annual household income
As you have probably gathered, all of this information is pretty standard for most credit card applications, so it shouldn’t be difficult at all for you to finish the application quickly.
What are Citi Simplicity Benefits
Aside from just being a simple card, the Citi Simplicity Card offers you low rates and other great benefits. You will enjoy extremely low introductory interest rates for the first 21 months on:
- Standard purchases
- Balance transfers
This is a lot of time for you to plan some major purchases and then pay them off before the standard variable rate kicks in. The same thing could be said about the balance transfer option, which gives you plenty of time to consolidate the balances of other cards you might have and then pay them off, which saves you money.
There are three kinds of balances that your Citi Simplicity Card can carry:
- Standard purchases
- Balance transfers
- Cash advances
Each of these balances can potentially be assessed their own annual percentage rate. The annual percentage rate is determined by considering the market prime rate at the time of your application and your credit history.
You might also appreciate that the Citi Simplicity Card has a grace period of 23 days. This means that you have about three weeks at the beginning of each billing cycle to pay off your entire new purchase balance before interest is accrued. That’s quite a bit of time to plan for a new purchase.
What about the Fine Print
While there are no annual fees or late fees, there are some service charges and penalties that can be assessed to your account if it is applicable to do so. These are generally things that you can avoid if you are simply responsible for your Citi Simplicity Card. For example, you could pay slight fees for:
- Balance transfers
- Cash advances
- Foreign purchase transactions
Usually, the fees (which are more like service charges) equal a flat dollar amount or a percentage of the total transaction. There is a fee, though, for returned payments, which is basically a service charge for bouncing a check when you send a monthly payment.
The Final Word
Devoid of many of the things consumers do not like about credit cards (mainly fees), the Citi Simplicity Mastercard offers simple benefits and low rates. This gives you peace of mind that you’ll never have to worry about excessive bills. This card also available as a Citi Simplicity Visa card.
