As well as balance transfer cards, reward cards, cash-back cards and the whole host of other cards that are available there is good news for those consumers that want to 'give a little back': plastic now has a conscience in the form of charity or 'affinity' credit cards. The charity card concept was started nearly 20 years ago and is available from many different organisations. They aim to have the same benefits and facilities of a more traditional credit card, but at the same time, are designed to make a small donation to your chosen charity each time the credit card is used. The donation made is a percentage of each purchase and the credit card issuer makes the donation on your behalf. But do these credit cards really offer the stability of more traditional credit cards and how do you find the one that suits you best? Is it a case of choose the charity or choose the card?



Charity credit cards offer the same basic facilities as a traditional credit card: low interest rates, various protection types and introductory offers and perks. At the same time, they allow you to spend as you would ordinarily, but in the knowledge that a percentage of every purchase you make will be donated to the charity of your choice. There are many types of charity credit cards available offering support to a wide range of good causes, including environmental charities, care for the elderly, care for orphans and cancer charities, to name but a few. Currently, the most popularly supported charity cards are associated with organisations that deal with environmental issues.

The WWF Credit Card has taken the concept one step further by ensuring that their plastic is environmentally sound. It is PVC free and the production of these cards does nothing to add to the levels of toxic chemicals in the environment. The charity card, like the more traditional credit card, has introductory offers on balance transfers and purchases for set periods of time. After this time, the standard APR comes in at a reasonable rate.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) credit card issuer currently makes a donation for joining and then a further amount for every pound spent on the card. Its introductory offers and APR are similar to traditional cards. Charity credit cards are especially good for supporters who spend regularly on their plastic and always pay off their credit balance on time and in full - meaning a donation is made on a regular basis.

There are over 900 charity or affinity cards available and each focuses on different groups and organisations; some of them are affiliated to conventional charities, such as Marie Curie Cancer Care, the Samaritans or Breakthrough Breast Cancer Awareness, while others support artistic charities, including the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Tate Gallery and the Northern Ballet Company. To refine your search, a full list of charity cards can be found at charitycard.co.uk.

And, as with regular credit cards, the competition between charity credit cards has become fiercer and fiercer, with each company offering different incentives and perks to attract discerning custom. This apportions benefits to both the consumer and the charities as more people decide to use these types of card. Recent years has seen a renaissance amongst the various types of credit card; once they were seen as a woolly-thinking waste of time and now they have become one of the most popular forms of credit card available.