redit card companies have flooded our mailboxes with 0% APR balance transfers for years now. Most of us are so tired of seeing these credit card offers in our mailbox, we don't even bother to read them. However, you may have noticed less credit card junk mail lately. According to MSN Money writer Liz Weston, many companies have cut back their mailings by 50% to 70%. And with less mailings, there are already less 0% balance transfer offers.

Savvy credit card users have long taken advantage of 0% APR deals. One common technique is the 0% balance transfer game. Here's how it works. First, you take a high interest balance (anything above 10%) and transfer it to a 0% APR balance transfer credit card. Generally, this rate lasts for 1 year. When the 0% rate is about to expire, you apply online for a new credit card, transfer the remaining balance, and enjoy another year of life without credit card interest.

Some people take the balance transfer game a step further by placing the money they owe on their credit cards into a money market or investment account to earn additional income from the money being borrowed at a 0% APR. Even with an interest rate of 4%, you still earn an additional $40 per year on every $1000 dollars you borrow at a 0% interest rate.

Unfortunately, 0% APR balance transfer offers may soon become a thing of the past. Already, credit card issuers like Chase have stopped approving people they deem serial balance transfer gamers. Additionally, many of the best balance transfer offers, such as no fee balance transfers, are no longer being offered. At present, there are only three credit cards that offer 0 APR no fee balance transfers. And these cards only offer 0% interest rates for six to nine months.

The MSN money article cited above is aptly titled, "The credit card party is officially over." In it, a number of sources indicate that credit card companies will soon be replacing highly desirable 0% APR balance transfer offers with 4% or higher rates. When this shift occurs is unknown. However, with the credit crisis unfolding, it may be sooner than later.

Given the current state of affairs, now is the time to take advantage of a 0% APR credit card. To get the most savings, the first type of offer to consider is the aforementioned 0% APR no fee balance transfer. While a few of these offers still exist, they may not be around for long. With a no balance transfer fee offer, you save on the 3% transaction fee imposed on every balance you transfer.

To lock in savings on your current balance as well as any new balance you expect to have, the best bet is a credit card that offers a 0 APR on purchases and balance transfers. While the number of offers in this category has decreased dramatically, there are still a number of offers on the market that provide a 0% interest rate on both for a full year.

You can learn more about 0% APR credit cards and start saving money with a 0 APR balance transfer credit card by applying online at Smart Credit Choices.