Irish Credit Cards with the Best Designs

If you’re looking for a credit card that looks nice, then there are credit card issuers like Capital One whose platinum MasterCards can be personalized in many different ways. Depending how you interpret the word “design,” you can pick a “best” in many ways. However, if you get a credit card with the lowest interest rate that does not have a “smart chip” as some European Visa cards do, you can personalize your card in an almost infinite number of ways with credit card skins.

Credit card skins are basically super thin stickers that you apply to the front of your card with a hole over where your name, card number, and expiration date go. Think of credit card skins like the “skins” that people choose to dress up their iPod. It’s like a wardrobe of tiny clothing that won’t keep your card from working like it’s supposed to (unless you have a “smart chip” Visa).

There are websites where you can choose from a dizzying array of credit card skins with every kind of graphic or message you can imagine, from gay pride to preppy Argyle designs. Creditcovers.com has hundreds of designs to choose from and an opportunity to make your own design and make royalties from it if it sells.

Businesses can order custom credit card skins as unique and fun promotional giveaways. You can also make your own graphic credit card skins using a template in Adobe PhotoShop or a similar graphics program using t-shirt transfer paper and a color inkjet printer. Once you have the design the right size and the right shape (with the hole for your name, card number, and expiration date), print it out onto t-shirt transfer paper then cut the design out with scissors. You then put spray mount on the card, peel the backing from the transfer paper and place the design on the card. Put the ironing paper that comes with the t-shirt transfer paper over the card on an ironing board or reasonable facsimile. Preheat iron to “low.” Iron the card for 15 seconds. Check if the design adheres. If not, iron for 15 more seconds. But be careful, lest you melt your credit card with too much heat. Let cool. After the card has cooled cut away excess transfer paper with a mat knife.

In most instances the best design for a credit card is the one that offers the lowest possible interest rate. Once you have gained this, if it isn’t trendy enough for you, then skins are the perfect way to add a personal touch to your card.

Peter Carville is a freelance article writer who writes for Financial Facts about the current financial news and the credit crunch.