The end of the school year frenzy of concerts, recitals, field trips, locker clean out, yearbooks, and promotion evokes in me the desire for a simple, peaceful existence, and I welcome the long, lazy days of summer with open arms.

Realizing the kids have reached a milestone and that summer is simply the transition to another stage in their lives, causes me to reflect and re-evaluate where I am and what my priorities are. And the desire to slow down a bit and simplify grows.

The sun, it seems, has burned away the hazy lack of focus resulting from too long a winter, and the energy to pursue my personal and financial goals more diligently has returned.

But, knowing myself, my family, and the speed with which we tend to get busy or get involved, I know that whatever means I choose to employ in achieving my financial goals needs to be easy and not take a lot of time not require a lot of difficult figuring.

One discovery I’ve made that will help set me on my way to personal financial freedom is the Citi Simplicity® Card. It’s perfect for me because, like summer, it’s a lot less complicated than any other card I’ve seen, and it gives me the freedom and flexibility I want in a credit card.

The Citi Simplicity® Card has some great features that fit my lifestyle, and that I can really take advantage of as I put my financial house in order.

The Citi Simplicity® Card has the most fantastic introductory offer I’ve seen in ages. For new account holders, the card offers 0% APR on purchases for 21 months. That’s almost 2 years…and almost unheard of anymore! AND the 21 months begins when you open the account. It’s not some offer that started 3 months ago where you would lose out on three of the 21 months. The 0% starts when I start, and I like that!

Not only is there 0% interest on purchases for 21 months, the same is true of account balance transfers. That’s also a thing of the past…to have 0% interest on both purchases and balances transfers for 21 months. Incredible! I feel like a low-budget, tv commercial because I have to say, “But wait! There’s more.” I have four months from the day of opening the account to complete my balance transfer and still take advantage of the zero percent. That means I don’t have to make all the financial decisions upon opening my new account. Citibank sure makes it simple!

Like most credit cards, the Citi Simplicity® Card does charge a fee for balance transfers – $5 or 3% of the amount of transfer, whichever is greater. Once the introductory 21 months is over, the standardAPR (Annual Percentage Rate) applies.

Besides the introductory rate, Citi Simplicity® Card does not charge an annual fee. (I’ve made it a policy not to apply for cards that charge an annual fee because there are so many credit cards out there that no longer do.) In addition, the Citi Simplicity® Card doesn’t charge late fees and won’t hike the interest rate if you miss a payment due date or go over your credit limit. Not that I intend to do either, but with summer comes family reunions and vacations, and, although it doesn’t happen often, I’ve been known to be late on payments if I’m traveling. The promise of no repercussion in the event that happens is another plus in my book.

Citi Simplicity® Card is simple. To qualify, I have to have an “excellent” credit score. There’s not a lot of red tape. There’s not a lot of fine print. I like that. And if there’s ever anything I don’t understand, Citi’s customer service is available 24/7 and is manned by people, not just a machine, so I know I can get my questions answered.

With the Citi Simplicity® Card, I’ll transfer my higher interest balances and then I’m set to kick back and enjoy the long, lazy days of summer while I work on paying down my debt over the next 21 months of zero percent interest! And I’ll enjoy our family trips more knowing that I can take some time paying off the expense of our vacation without incurring any additional costs.

There’s a lot that can be said for making things simple!

It’s April, but there’s “No foolin” on great zero percent credit card offers through Discover® or CitiBank.

From now through April 30th, apply for one of four credit cards, transfer a balance, and get zero percent interest on that transfer in addition to zero percent on purchases. This limited time offer is for Discover More card, Citi Dividend Platinum Select® MasterCard®, Citi® Platinum Select MasterCard, or Citi Diamond Preferred® Card.

These incredible offers come just in time for the spring projects in the house and in the yard. The terms offered on balance transfers extend for a long enough period to save some major interest while making significant progress on paying down the balance you owe.

Besides the appealing terms on balance transfers, Discover and each of the Citibank MasterCards offer additional benefits to the new account holder. Those perks are compared below.

Zero Percent on Balance Transfers

• Discover Card – 24 months
• Citi Dividend Platinum Select – 15 months
• Citi Platinum Select – 21 months
• Citi Diamond Preferred – 21 months

Zero Percent on Purchases

• Discover – 6 months
• Citi Dividend Platinum Select – 15 months
• Citi Platinum Select – 21 months
• Citi Diamond Preferred – 21 months

No Annual Fee

• Discover
• Citi Dividend Platinum Select
• Citi Platinum Select
• Citi Diamond Preferred

Cash Back Rewards

• Discover – 5% on select categories quarterly; 1% on everything else
• Citi Dividend Platinum Select – $100 after $500 in purchases during first 3 months; 5% on select categories quarterly; 2% on everything else for first 12 months, then 1% thereafter

Online Shopping Cash Back Bonus

• Discover – 5% to 20% through Discover Shopping Mall
• Citi (All Cards) – 10 % “Extra Cash Dollars” on all purchases can be used for discounts through “Extra Cash by Citi” site.

Regular APR

• Discover – 11.99%-20.99% (Variable)
• Citi Dividend Platinum Select – 12.99%-20.99% (Variable)
• Citi Platinum Select – 11.99%-20.99% (Variable)
• Citi Diamond Preferred – 11.99%-20.99% (Variable)

So stop foolin’ around and take advantage of a great deal by selecting the card that’s best for you. Act today because after April 30, time’s up.

Exciting new credit card offers are designed with you in mind and are just in time for spring!

Discover Student CardBuilder

In college, have excellent credit, and looking for a credit card that is a perfect fit for your lifestyle? Check out the new Discover Student CardBuilder! Not only are there no annual fees, you can also choose both the rewards you want to receive and the terms of service.

Service terms qualifiers can choose include:

• Introductory Purchase APR
• Duration (in months) of Introductory Purchase APR
• Introductory Balance Transfer APR
• Purchase APR (the rate applicable at the end of the introductory period)
• Bonus Rewards Rate

Discover credit cards are said to have the best cash back rewards in the industry. With the CardBuilder student credit card, Discover offers cash back on purchases ranging from 1% clear up to 20%.

Discover Student CardBuilder credit card is perfect for today’s college student!

Discover More Student Card – 15.99%

Nearly everyone will agree that college is a great time of life. It’s exciting to be away from home for the first time, to establish independence, and to begin discovering your own place in the world.

Discover also knows it’s the best time to begin building a credit history and planning for your financial future.

Another fantastic offer Discover has made with students in mind is the Discover More Student Card. This credit card is designed especially for young adults who are seeking to establish a credit history and to build a strong credit rating.

The Discover More Student Card is the perfect fit for young adults because of the following:

• A credit rating of “Fair” to qualify
• No annual fee
• 15.99% Variable APR
• Cash back rewards on all purchases

Check out the Discover More Student Card and get yours just in time for Spring Break!

Limited Time Offer from Citibank

Planning to take advantage of spring weather for home improvements, remodels, or lawn and garden projects? Then Citi® has an unbelievable offer you will want to check out!

The Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® MasterCard® boasts a zero percent APR on both Balance Transfers and Purchases for 15 months. That, in itself, is hard to beat anywhere.

However, Citi has outdone itself by making this credit card even more consumer friendly. The list of benefits of the Citi Dividend Platinum Select MasterCard includes:

• No Annual Fee
• $100 cash back after $500 in purchases within the first three months
• 1% cash back on all purchases
• Bonus cash back in categories that rotate every quarter (Beginning April 1, this includes purchases on home improvement, home furnishings, and in home and garden stores.)

The Dividend Platinum Select Card will make that spring spruce up a little easier to accomplish. But it is a limited time offer so act soon!

With almost every credit card out there, not making your payment on time or exceeding your credit limit, you can be sure of an interest rate increase, fees or combination of both. But, what does your credit card do for you when you make your payments on time or do not exceed your credit limit? Enter the Forward credit cards from Citi – the only card that rewards cardholders for responsible use and good behavior. Separate credit cards are available for personal use and college students.

For consumers, the Citi Forward® Card rewards you when you make three payments on time and stay below your credit limit. Your reward comes in the form of an APR reduction up to 2% on purchases. However, a reduced APR won’t be your only reward for your good behavior. How about earning ThankYou points on every purchase you make? Receive five points for every $1 on dining, books, movies and music.

The Citi Forward® Card for College Students offers the same rewards for college students too. Students using the card responsibly will save money and work towards establishing a good credit history. Cardholders can use their ThankYou points for almost any type of reward.

Both cards offer new applicants a 0% introductory APR for seven months on purchases. Please see the issuer’s website to read the full terms and conditions or to apply online.

Citibank is one of the world’s leaders in financial services and with good reason. In fact, Citi currently services over 100 different countries and more than 200 million customers.Citibank customers receive the convenience they deserve and the unprecedented customer service that they appreciate.

Citi offers a variety of products and services that help its customers get ahead financially. These products and services include: small business accounts, IRAs, Rollover accounts, checking, savings, money market accounts, online banking, bill pay, certificates of deposits and so much more. All of these products and services are geared to help each customer make wise financial decisions.

Among the banking services offered by Citi are the countless credit lines that Citi offers. These loan accounts range from credit cards to mortgages, home equity lines of credit, etc. Citi offers a wide range of credit cards that appeal to millions of consumers around the globe. Citi has reward credit cards, value credit cards, credit cards that come with ThankYou points, college credit cards, business credit cards, personal credit cards and more. Additionally, you can get overdraft protection, personal loans, student loans, and other types of loans through Citi.

Citibank has all of the necessary products and services available to handle your finances. Citi’s slogan is, “Citi never sleeps.” You can rest assured that your banking, credit cards and loan lines are safe and secure with Citibank.

It is time to switch to Citibank, no matter where you live. As a Citibank customer, you’ll receive Citi Mobile alerts, inter-institution transfers, a worldwide ATM network, customer service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, online fraud protection, Citi ID Theft protection, and so much more.

Don’t pay extra for services like these. You deserve a financial institution that is willing and able to work for you. Welcome to Citibank.