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APR stands for Annual Percentage Rate of charge. The APR of a credit card determines how much you have to pay each month. Put simply, the APR of a credit card is the monthly interest charge multiplied by twelve months. A simple example of this would be a credit card with an APR of 10.2%. Divided by 12, this would mean that the interest would be 0.85% of your outstanding balance that month. Therefore, monthly interest on a balance of 1000 with 10.2% APR would equal 8.50. The total amount of interest you pay over the year will depend on your outstanding balance and how much you pay off each month. It means that when choosing a credit card, you can use its APR to compare with different cards, but the annual amount of interest you will pay depends on your monthly repayments and balance.

APR is a useful comparison tool when selecting credit card offers, but there are key factors to remember when looking at the numbers. Consider the interest rate you have to pay, how you repay the loan and the length of the loan agreement. Also look closely for any additional fees associated with the loan, such as payment protection insurance. All lenders have to disclose their APR before you sign any agreement, and as the APR has a direct bearing on the cost of your loan shopping around to find the best deal is basic common sense. Don't be fooled by offers that appear too good to be true - they probably are. Responsible card lenders will give you all the facts and figures you need to make an informed decision.

Once you have found an attractive APR rate that suits your purpose, there are a couple of extra questions to ask the lender before signing. The first is whether the APR is fixed or variable. If it's variable, what may seem like a tempting offer to begin with could have a nasty sting in its tail as the interest charges can go up as well as down. A variable rate is subject to influence from the Bank of England's base rate and other market forces, meaning some credit card interest rates can change from one month to the next. This can be a good thing in a buoyant economic market, but could cost you more if the economy takes a dive. With a fixed rate the payments stay the same, regardless of outside market influences, but can be higher overall, depending on the of length time taken to pay back the loan.

The second question should be to ask for more detail about any additional charges that are not included in the APR. This brings us into payment protection insurance territory. With some cards, this service is an optional extra, but others insist on its inclusion. It can act as a safeguard should your circumstances change, but if it's something you're willing to forgo then look for cards that offer it as an option, rather than as a non-negotiable inclusion. This is a good time to also ask yourself if you could afford the maximum monthly repayment charges without stretching yourself financially to the limit. If the credit card loan is spread out over a longer period of time, the payments may be lower, but the calculated cost of the overall loan may be higher, as you are paying interest for longer.

Finance and lending is a complex area, and APR is no exception. The Government and financial regulatory bodies recognise this, and have put safeguards in place to protect consumers to make sure that all lenders comply with basic guidelines. The lenders, in return, are happy to comply with this stipulation, as it shows the public that the credit card companies are open and accountable. The APR attempts to create a single figure of interest on a loan amount, so that consumers can compare companies offering the same amount. The loan amount doesn't change - the APR is the variable in the equation. By shopping around, consumers can find the best deal with the lowest overall APR. The same applies to credit cards. Many cards offer 0% introductory periods and then either a fixed or variable amount of APR once the introductory period has expired. The trick here is to look past the initial incentive of 0% and calculate what the later APR rate will mean to your repayments.

Without looking closely at differing APR rates, it is impossible to make quick comparisons between alternative financial products. All companies use different calculations to determine their interest and other charges. To get the best credit card deal, a little research into how each company calculates that interest will save the consumer being lured into an expensive honeytrap by the promise of an initial interest-free period, only to get stung by a high APR once the honey has run out. There are plenty of good deals to be had on credit cards, and a smart consumer will be able to find one that suits both their budget and their requirements.