Low-rate credit card offers appear in mailboxes every day. The offers sound very attractive, but it pays to examine those offers carefully. A study conducted recently by Consumer Action, a San Francisco-based consumer organization, pointed out the following trends:

• Increased use of penalty rates. Some issuers impose interest rates of up to 25% if a customer makes one late payment or exceeds the credit limit once.
• Late fees that average $21.82, up 75% from three years ago. Many banks now charge late fees of $29.
• Shrinking grace periods. Most issuers still give customers 25 days from the closing of a billing cycle to make a payment without additional interest, but a number have shortened the period to 20 days.

A Bay Cities Visa Credit Card can be your passport to savings this summer. We give you one low rate for everything -- purchases, balance transfers, even cash advances! Use it for all your summer expenses -- pay off high-interest credit cards and retail accounts, consolidate your household bills or simply enjoy a summer getaway.

And remember, every credit card application or pre-approval is required by federal regulations to include a box that clearly lists the Annual Percentage Rates, late fees, grace period, and other terms. Read it carefully before you accept any credit card offer. It will tell you exactly what you will or could be paying, without any advertising hype. With a Bay Cities Visa Credit Card, you will never find any surprises!