If you listen to the experts, they'll tell you that a low, fixed-rate card is better than a variable rate credit card that starts low and then slowly creeps up its interest rate every year. The difference is that fixed rate credit cards tend not to have jumpy rates as much. And if a card company does decide to raise a fixed rate card, they have to tell you first. With a variable rate card, the rates do tend to move a lot, and the credit card company does not have to warn you when they do.

Right now, you're probably waiting for one thing—how you can get your hands on one of those prime fixed rate credit cards! It's one thing to understand how much better an idea they are, but it's a whole better thing to actually have one in your wallet. But hold your horses. There are some other factors that you need to consider before you jump on the fixed rate bandwagon.

First, think hard and honest about how you use your credit cards. Do you keep debt on them one month to the next, or do you tend to pay off the entire balance every month? And remember, we said be honest. Because if you lie to yourself—and say you'll pay off your payments every month, and then don't—you could end up with a very bad credit situation, whether you're interest rate started low or not.

Plus, don't just jump into a fixed rate card because that flyer in the mail said it was great. Credit card agreements are very complicated things. They can include, in the very fine print, pretty stiff penalties if you are late on one payment, for instance, or go over your balance once. In that case, they could jack up your low rate, and turn your card from fixed rate to variable, just like that. So before you agree to anything, speak with a person at the credit card company and get all the facts about the card.

A big detail that you should ask about on your new cards, especially the ones with low starting interest rates, is: when does that great interest rate expire. Even you act squeaky clean with your card, never make a late payment, and never go over your balance, chances are, that low interest rate, whether fixed or variable, will jump up after a set amount of time, say like six months. It's important to know that, because another card may give you the low introductory interest rate for 18 months.