Credit card lenders have exhausted the pool of people with great credit and are moving down the credit ladder with their pre-approved applications.

But there are a few changes to be aware of, all of them good. CardHub.com reports that zero percent balance transfer offers are now 40% longer on average than they were a year ago. While 6 months used to be the norm, today the offers can be up to 18 months.

Ditto for initial reward bonuses. They are up in value equivalent to being 40% more than a year ago. But be sure to read all terms and conditions upfront before you take the bait. You don't want to get into something that appears to be a good deal on the surface and then turns out to be not so good.

Another change from the past: Credit is not being handed out like candy. The days of qualifying just because you have a pulse are over.