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As a general rule, people don't like paying fees. But sometimes, fees are worth paying. In the case of a balance transfer, it's often well worth paying a 3% fee on the balance, if it's a significant amount, and if your interest rate, or APR, is very high. You can do the math yourself, but it's even easier to find an online debt calculator that will do it for you. You can enter how much you owe, what your interest rate is, and how much you pay per month, and you'll find out exactly how long it will take you to pay off the debt, plus how much interest you'll pay over the life of the loan. Then you can calculate the 3% balance transfer fee and look at the difference. Another option is to search for a no-fee balance transfer offer. They are not as plentiful as they once were, but if you have excellent credit, you can still find them out there if you really look.