0% for 15 months, Excellent (Virgin Mastercard)

Member Name: Tingram2012

Product:	Virgin Mastercard
Date:	19/07/09 (73 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good offers

Disadvantages: 16.6% APR

I applied for a Virgin card purely because my previous card was coming to the end of the 0% interest period and my balance was still a bit high. I applied for the Virgin card online. It took about 5 minutes and it was really easy to do. I input my previous card on there so that if i was issued a card then the balance could be transferred straight away. As soon as i submitted my application i was informed that i had been accepted and the card and details would be sent to me within 7 - 10 working days and that the balance transfer would be dealt with straight away.

The reason i opted for a Virgin card was due to the offers they currently had on. There was 0% on balance transfers for 15 months which i thought was great as most credit card companies were only offering 6 - 12 months. There was also 0% on card purchases for 3 months. Once the offers end the APR goes up to 16.6% which is pretty high.

More Benefits
There is also a number of different money off benefits when you use your Virgin Card. These include:
10% off Virgin Holidays
10% off Virgin Wines
20% off Virgin Experiences such as flying lessons and spa days
up to 10% of Virgin Cruises.

I received my card within 7 days and was happy with the service so far. I was also glad that i could manage my card online as its much easier and quicker. I created a username and password and was able to view my statements, make payments and look at the offers available.

I did have one small hiccup though. I made my first payment then was sent a bill not long after showing me what my minimum payment would be and when to pay it by. I stupidly thought 'i've already paid it a few days before' so left it at that. Because of this i lost the offers on my card and interest was applied to my card as it was classed as a missed payment. I rang them straight away and explained the situation. As i was a new member and this was the first time i missed a payment they removed the interest and put the offers back on my card. From then on i paid the minimum payment after receiving my statement as i did not want to lose my offers again.

One thing to be aware of which i think is pretty important is that if at the end of the 15 months you have an outstanding balance you may have problems finding another card who will accept a balance transfer from your Virgin card. This is due to the Virgin Card being an MNBA card and most other credit cards wont accept a transfer from an MBNA card. One card that does is the Egg card but thats the only one i have found so far. Even an MBNA card wont accept a transfer from another MNBA card which i thought was strange.

To apply for a credit card you can apply online at www.virginmoney.com or contact them on 0800 096 9939.
They are open Mon to Fri 07:30 - 22:00
Sat 8:00 - 21:00
Sun 9:00 - 21:00

Overall i was happy with my card and the service and had no problems with it after my original hiccup

Summary: Recommended