Can't use a balance transfer because both cards are from the same company? Yes you can!

[brewens]

2. No. You have a high interest card and another offering a low balance transfer rate.

Maybe you are accepting a new card that offers a great balance transfer rate. It turns out both card are from the same bank as is frequently the case. They tell you you can't transfer a balance from one of their cards to pay off the other high rate card. Its a work around.

They don't tell you that a balance transfer can be from one card directly to your bank account. I'm not sure why that isn't considered a cash advance but it's not. At least it didn't used to be. I swear I did that myself a few years back because my old boss told me about it. Unless they closed that little loophole somehow, you can still do that.

You usually have to pay a 3% or so balance transfer fee but if you are getting a few thousand to pay off a really high interest card you come out way ahead.

I found this online.

http://www.creditcardbalancetransferoffers.com/moving-a-balance-transfer-to-your-checking-account/