Pay no interest on credit card purchases for more than a year

We are into an expensive part of the year. Christmas is on the horizon – some supermarkets have even started stocking mince pies.

There’s also the car insurance to sort out. I’ve also got a wedding anniversary to think about.

It pays to prepare. If you know you’ve got some sizeable spending on the horizon, getting a credit card that offers a year (or even longer) of 0% interest for your purchases can be a smart move.

It means you can spread your payments, pay off that debt in chunks without worrying about interest being charged on top.

I’m going to take a look at the five cards that offer the longest 0% periods.

• Compare 0% new purchase cards

The Tesco Clubcard credit card

The Tesco Clubcard credit card is top of the 0% on purchases tree, offering a whopping 16 months of 0% interest. That’s nearly a year and a half in which to pay off your debt, a huge amount of time really.

Not only does the card offer an unbeatable 0% period, it also offers a decent reward on your spending, particularly if you are a regular shopper at the supermarket giant. You earn five Clubcard points for every £4 spent in Tesco stores (including on petrol) and one point for every £4 spent elsewhere.

I’ve had this card for the best part of three years now, and do all of my shopping in Tesco. So I’ve racked up a serious number of Clubcard points thanks to this card.

Just remember that the 16-month 0% period begins when you take out the card, not when you make the purchase. This is true of all 0% on purchases cards.

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M&S Credit Card

In second place is the M&S Credit Card, offering 15 months of 0% interest on purchases.

And again, it’s not just the interest-free period that makes the card attractive. Spending on the card earns M&S points, which can then be traded in for all sorts of rewards. You earn one point for every £1 spent at M&S or every £2 spent every else.

Once you get 100 points, you’ll be rewarded with a £1 reward voucher.

Halifax All in One MasterCard

Halifax’s All in One MasterCard also offers 15 months of 0% interest. However, what sets it apart is that 0% period is available on both purchases and balance transfers.

So this card is great if you’ve got a lot of big purchases coming up and if you have existing credit card debt to shift.

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Barclaycard 14/14 Platinum

The Barclaycard 14/14 Platinum is much like the Halifax All in One card in that it offers an identical 0% period on both purchases and balance transfers.

However, the Barclaycard offers a month less on both at 14 months.

The importance of your credit rating

If you want to get a card that offers such a lengthy interest-free period, you’ll need to have a pretty impeccable credit record.

To check what your report looks like, you can get a free trial with Experian. And be sure to read How to build an excellent credit history.

• Compare 0% new purchase cards
• Need to clear existing debt? 0% balance transfer cards
• Get rewarded for your spending with rewards credit cards