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A credit card gives you the power to buy goods or services now and pay for them later. It represents an approval by a bank or company to use their money. Credit card issuers are usually banks, even though the card may bear another company name or logo. The name of the issuer appears somewhere on the card. Trade names such as VISA and MasterCard are not actually card issuers. They are termed "membership associations." Banks use them for their payment processing services, policy setting and marketing assistance. Many different banks can package their own cards and different terms of credit using the logo and services of an association membership.
Credit cards often have different interest rates and payoff periods, so it's always wise to shop around to find the best deal.
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