A Step by Step Guide on the Process to Sign Up for Advanzia Mastercard Gold
Credit Cards are very important. As an expat in Germany, having a credit card will come in handy for you in several situations. Although there is a lot of misconceptions around credit cards and the risk that comes with it, I personally think people read too much into a few wrong examples. Credit Cards have a lot of positives. And it is important that you know how to get one for yourself in Germany.
In this article I will give you a brief introduction to the Advanzia Mastercard Gold (Gebuhrenfrei) credit card, and the step by step process of signing up for a credit card today!
How does a Credit Card Work?
Credit Cards are a convenient mode of payment. Having a credit card enables you pay to for your purchases online or offline without cash. Credit cards offer you a line of credit that can be used to make purchases, balance transfers and/or cash advances and requiring that you pay back the loan amount in the future. When using a credit card, you will need to make at least the minimum payment every month by the due date on the balance.
Why do Credit Cards have a bad reputation?
The moment you mention credit cards, there will be someone telling you to avoid using credit cards. But you should do your own research & find out why they say so. Firstly, it could be based on the bad experiences that they had with a credit card. Secondly, it could be based of a misunderstanding. Here are some negatives that people here often mention about credit cards:
- Getting trapped in Debt
- Damages your credit score
- Unecessary purchases
- Fraudulent
So, do you still need a Credit Card?
In brief, yes! You definitely need a credit card. You will realize the benefits of having a credit card if you learn to use it responsibly. In spite of all the negativity around credit cards, people need to truly understand the benefits.
- Firstly it helps you to build Credit. If you do not have any credit & are trying to build your credit score, credit cards can be a useful tool. On the other hand, using a debit card does not help your credit score in any way. So using a credit card responsibly means you have a good credit score, which could help you secure large loans if necessary.
- Credit Cards are accepted almost everywhere! Trust me, having a credit card has bailed me out so many times in places where I could not make purchases with debit cards or cash. Especially when you travel, hotels & rental companies will insist you to pay with a credit card. Because that enables them to charge you for any damages.
- When you make a purchase with a debit card, you pay for it immediately. However with a credit card, your money does not leave your account until you pay the credit card bill. Having access to your money for an extended period like this can be so useful, in cases of emergency.
- Rewards & benefits. Imagine getting rewarded for everytime you make a purchase. For example, credit cards frequently offer reward points, cashbacks, sign-up bonuses etc.,
Advanzia Mastercard Gold – An Introduction
The Mastercard Gold issued by Advanzia Bank is one of the most popular choices for a credit card in Germany. Advazia Mastercard Gold is also known as Gebuhrenfrei Mastercard Gold, which literally translates to ‘Free of cost’ Mastercard Gold.
About Advanzia :
Advanzia is a European Digital Bank founded in the year 2005, in Luxembourg. Advanzia’s services in Germany mainly specializes in Credit Cards and Payment Solutions. Located in Munsbach, Luxembourg Advanzia has upto 88% of their users located in Germany. Their credit card services also extend to other countries like France, Austria and Spain.
Advanzia Mastercard Gold Features At a Glance
Advanzia issues the Gebuhenfrei Mastercard Gold in Germany. Gebuhenfrei Mastercard literally transaltes to Free of Charge Mastercard. That pretty much sums up the benefits of this card!
Let us get into more detail. Here are the features of the Advanzia Gebuhenfrei Mastercard Gold:
- No Yearly Fee – A Yearly fee or Annual Fee is a fee that you sometimes have to pay to the issuer so that you can remain as a cardholder. However, there is NO YEARLY FEE with the Advanzia Gebuhenfrei Mastercard Gold. Even applying for the card does not cost you anything, so it is a great feature!
- Foreign Currency Transaction Fee : When you make a purchase in a foreign region that uses a different currency than your country, you will be charged a foregin currency transaction fee. With this card however, there is no such fee charged whatsoever.
- ATM Withdrawal Fee : Again, absolutely free of cost. You can withdraw ATMs from across the world without paying a fee on it.
- Benefits and Rewards : 25€ Referral Bonus! Upto 7 weeks of interest-free payment, Free 24 hours Customer Service, 5% travel credit, 5% reimbursement on rental cars. You will also get a referral bonus of 40€. To get the 40€ Sign up bonus while registering, use the code: 663NW3QDAASNDZUZ.
Who can sign up for an Advanzia Mastercard Gold?
The main reason why Advanzia Mastercard Gold is so popular in Germany is because of its accesibility. Irrespective of you being an expat in Germany, a German citizen, student in Germany or a working professional, you can sign up for the credit card. Infact, the only requirement is to have a residential address in Germany. Even residential addresses in Austria or France are considered eligible.
Sign Up for Advanzia Mastercard Gold – Step by Step
1. Open the Online Application Website
The first & foremost step would be to visit the official website where you can proceed with the sign-up process. Click on the button below!
To get the 40€ Sign up bonus while registering, use the code: 663NW3QDAASNDZUZ
2. Filling out your Personal Information
In this step, you need to fill out an application form with your personal details. Enter your information on the home page. For example, your Name, address, Nationality and Date of Birth. Once you enter your personal details, click on the button highlighted as “JA, ich will“
3. Setting your Credit limit
The following step is optional. This is to determine the optimal credit limit based on your income level. Fill in the details about your Job, Net Income, Employement duration etc., If you decide to skip this step you will be given the minimum credit limit respectively.
4. Confirmation via Email
After filling in your information & submitting your application, your data & credit score will be checked. Then you will recieve a confirmation to your email ID.
5. Activation
So once you recieve the confirmation, the only pending step is the Activation of your Credit Card. After 2-3 weeks, you will receive your Advanzia Credit Card, a Postcard addressed to Advanzia & an Activation card via post. It will be delivered to the address you provided in the application. Subsequently, fill up the Activation card and post it to Advanzia (as given in the Postcard). After receiving your postcard card, Advanzia will activate your credit card.
In Conclusion
So that is it! Finally, you have activated your Advanzia Mastercard Gold Credit Card. You are now free to use the card for purchases under the credit limit.
Like I said before, having a credit card can be a blessing in disguise. But only if you know how to use it in a safe & responsible way. The billing cycle for Advanzia happens from the 3rd of a month to the 2nd of the following month.
Pay your credit card bills on time. Strategically plan your purchases based on what the credit card is best suited for.
To get the 40€ Sign up bonus while registering, use the code: 663NW3QDAASNDZUZ
Do you want to watch a video on my other credit card suggestions along with Advanzia Mastercard Gold? Check out this video: