The MBNA Irish Heart Foundation Credit Card is a gold visa card. There are two things you should know about the gold and visa part. One most often a gold card has a lower interest rate than the standard card. This is helpful to you when looking for a new card. Second the Visa logo is the most accepted logo around the world. This means you can shop online or in a different country using your card. It is really convenient. Does this make the card better? Not always, there are other gold cards on the market as well as visa. So let’s look at our review of the benefits to see if they are right for you.
- The Irish Heart Foundation is a charity to help out individuals with heart issues. The thing about this card is what MBNA will do. The company will give a donation to the foundation for your opening the card account with them. This is no cost to you. Next they will donate a percentage of the purchases you make to the foundation. This is still no cost to you. It is the best benefit of the card and something other cards don’t offer.
- There is an introductory offer of 1.9 percent APR on balance transfers for six months. MBNA offers this on all of their cards from charities to sports. It is a standard option through them, and while a benefit not a particular special one. Other cards in the UK offer zero percent for twelve months. Again the 1.9 percent is not the best option, but it is a perk of this particular card. If you have a balance to transfer you could save a bit of money by only paying 1.9 percent.
- The purchase rate is 14.9 percent, which is the same for the balance transfer after the introductory period is over. This rate is a standard variable rate. It is also a little below average with other cards through MBNA and other companies. Most companies are hovering around 16.9 percent. You do have to have an excellent credit history to be awarded that rate and the income to support the card.
- You have 300,000 Euros in free travel accident insurance with this card. There is only one or two other cards through MBNA that offers this high amount. Other cards don’t offer the insurance for free.
- There is not going to be an annual fee, but there is a government tax on the card every year.
- You can have up to 58 days of free interest on purchases when you pay off your balance in full and on time every month. Some cards only offer 56 days.
- Lastly they do have online account management as well as fraud protection. These are great options, but hardly new in the consumer credit card industry. They just add to the cards appeal.
As you can guess the best reason to get this card is to help out the heart foundation with donations made by MBNA.