Yearly Archives: 2011

For the first time in three long years, the credit card market seemed to thrive.  2011 was just a fantastic year to be a credit card holder, or a potential… READ FULL ARTICLE

Every year, credit card issuers change their method of advertising to focus on what’s hot in the eyes of the consumer.  This year is no different as the best credit… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer: Submitted by Robyn Cooper
It’s no wonder you may not have a high credit score. Many people have seen their credit scores drop within the last few years due to… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer: Submitted by Aryana Nakhai
It’s the biggest problem new credit card users face. How can I get credit if I don’t have a credit score yet? Credit cards for… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer:Submitted by Chucks A.
Finding a credit card as a graduate student doesn’t have to be hard. Since only 2 percent of undergraduates have no credit card usage, according… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer:Submitted bySweet-sparkles-07
You’re heading to the grocery store and pull out one of the grocery reward credit cards available in your wallet knowing full well you are about to… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer:Submitted by Helen A. Bay
In today’s limited economy, having no credit or a low credit score will hurt you. Lenders are less likely to loan to you without… READ FULL ARTICLE

 
Top Answer:Submitted by Bazinga23
About 60 percent of consumers have some type of rewards credit card, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. If you frequently travel, air… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer:Submitted by Andrew M.
Bad credit can sink your financial future if you don’t address the issue head on. One way to help fix the issue is to sign… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer:Submitted by Bianca
The question of which credit card is best for students is a difficult one to answer. There are numerous student credit card offers – some with… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer:Submitted by Samantha
Balance transfer credit cards can help individuals to reduce their debt load by offering a period of no APR – no interest building. Use them right… READ FULL ARTICLE

Credit cards for car rentals are almost always necessary. The car rental agency may limit the options most individuals have for renting a car – usually only credit cards and… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer:Submitted by VernorLS
Credit card beginners may have limited or no credit score. Getting to that point requires using credit. It may seem like a vicious circle, but building… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer:Submitted by Ronald M.
Cash back credit cards give you money back on your card or in the form of a check just for making purchases. Who doesn’t want… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer:Submitted by Jared.
Bank of America is the largest bank in the United States. It offers consumers a wide range of credit cards. This includes cash back credit cards, travel… READ FULL ARTICLE

…It’s for Business
Credit card interest tax deductable? What’s that?  Those of us who are old enough to remember-but not so old we forget-can recall the good old days, when… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer:Submitted by Justine C.
Credit building is a slow and meticulous process that it is well worth the effort. The only way to build credit is to use credit.… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer:Submitted by Jenny G.
According to the United College Marketing Services, the average college student has 2.8 credit cards and carries an average balance of $885. Despite all the… READ FULL ARTICLE

Top Answer: Submitted by SpendSavvy.
Credit card airline miles mean big bucks. According to some reports, thousands of airline miles earned by consumers go unused each year. Some expire, some… READ FULL ARTICLE

Using a credit card in Europe is possible. It is safe and often thought of as one of the smartest ways to protect yourself when traveling in Europe. However, international… READ FULL ARTICLE

When was the last time you checked your credit report? Credit reports contain data collected by the credit reporting agency as reported from all of the sources of your credit… READ FULL ARTICLE

The Credit CARD Act is one of the most sweeping of credit reform laws put into place in recent years. The law places restrictions on lenders and requires them to… READ FULL ARTICLE

What if your credit card company told you about the best deals in airline tickets? MasterCard’s announcement of PriceAssure may help many frequently flyers cut down on the ever increasing… READ FULL ARTICLE

As odd as it may sound, some credit card companies will cut you off just like a bartender at closing time if you try to consume too much gasoline using… READ FULL ARTICLE

A new survey published by Capital One revealed that the vast majority of those who carry a rewards credit card and are actively enrolled in their card’s rewards program, did not redeem… READ FULL ARTICLE

College students – how do you make purchases at school? How do you pay for those hundreds of dollars worth of textbooks and tuition, fees and other expenses?
SallieMaerecently reported… READ FULL ARTICLE

How many times do you get home and think, “I should have used that card for the purchase instead” so you could maximize rewards? Credit card rewards can be lucrative… READ FULL ARTICLE

Is saving the planet something in your business plan? Many businesses are looking for ways to Go Green and now you can do it alongside your credit card. The environmental… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you pay your credit cards or mortgage first? Most people would answer their mortgage since it is secured debt you could lose through nonpayment. However, some studies indicate this… READ FULL ARTICLE

How closely do you monitor your credit card statements? If you are like many men and women, you assume the lender is protecting you from potential mistakes on your bill.… READ FULL ARTICLE

Could shopping when you are feeling bad impact your buying habits? According to some researchers, if you have poor self esteem, you are more likely to see your credit card… READ FULL ARTICLE

What’s your credit score really? Is the number you should go buy the FICO score? Maybe it is your TransUnion score? With so many variations to this single most important… READ FULL ARTICLE

New radio frequency (RF) chip credit cards are really handy and convenient. All you have to do to use one of them to purchase something is to basically wave it… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you make your payments on time? If so, it is likely because you want to have a high credit score and your long term goals are to keep using… READ FULL ARTICLE

SunTrust bank, a major financial institution with lots of branches across the southeastern USA, has partnered with MasterCard to launch the SunTrust Campus Card, an innovative product that basically combines… READ FULL ARTICLE

Would you choose a credit card using a chip that doesn’t require swiping? Many people in Europe and Canada are doing it. Why not you? Some American credit card companies… READ FULL ARTICLE

Cutting fees seems like a good way to reduce how much you have to pay to credit card lenders. That’s the conversation happening in Congress, where lawmakers are working on… READ FULL ARTICLE

Is your credit card information safe? For most people, the thought never crosses their mind. You go to the store, make a purchase, put your card away and think nothing… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you have a credit card but not a salary? Are you a stay at home mom that’s job entails raising kids while your spouse works? If so, some credit… READ FULL ARTICLE

What do lenders think of you? As consumers, we don’t often think about our credit scores or credit report until we plan to open a credit card or another line… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you worry about shopping online? You are not alone. Plugging in sensitive credit card data online doesn’t always feel safe to do. It is estimated that more than half… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you like advances in credit card technology? If so, you may like the newest plans announced by mega phone companies.  Three of the nation’s biggest phone carriers are reported… READ FULL ARTICLE

Teens use credit. If you have a teen, be honest with yourself for a moment. Do you invest enough time in teaching your child about money – how to use… READ FULL ARTICLE

You hand over your credit card number to people all the time and assume they are trustworthy. You do so at the grocery store, at dinner and even for subscription… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you buy online? Have you taken to making more purchases online than you used to? According to some surveys, Americans are back to buying and many of them are… READ FULL ARTICLE

Does your college student have a credit card? Did you know that9 in10 undergraduates will pay for their college expenses on credit cards? These cards are critical to consumers and… READ FULL ARTICLE

What did theCARDAct do for you? This legislation was put into place with the goal of protecting consumers and slicing into the fees and abuses the government believes some credit… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you know what carrots your credit card lenders are actually dangling in front of you? Most people don’t realize the scope of the offers on the table and that… READ FULL ARTICLE

We all love to pull out a credit card and use it as we need, when we need. We all hate getting that bill in the mail the next month.… READ FULL ARTICLE

For many people, those credit card swiping devices at the checkout counter are trouble. On one, you may have to hit the green button but on the other, it’s the… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you worry about your credit card number being stolen? According to Privacy Rights.org, 27.3 million Americans have been the victims of some type of identity theft in the last… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you get rewards from your credit card company? Rewards credit cards including cash back cards do offer some nice incentives. You get a percentage back on your purchase –… READ FULL ARTICLE

Perhaps you’ve been there. You are standing in line, ready to pay. You get to the checkout and for some reason, your credit card is declined. Not only are you… READ FULL ARTICLE

Did you get your credit card lender to agree to reduce your debt to settle it in full? That’s great – you just saved a bundle of money. Not so… READ FULL ARTICLE

What does your credit card give you for free? You may be surprised by what it really does offer. Nearly one out of every two cardholders in the USA carries… READ FULL ARTICLE

Who do you hand your credit card number to each day? If you are one of the many that use your credit card to buy airline tickets, you may feel… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you have that travel rewards credit card burning a hole in your pocket? You know, the one you use as much as you can so you can earn a… READ FULL ARTICLE

What if the very company offering you a credit card faced a hack? What if your personal information – your address, phone number and credit card number – was put… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you have high credit card debt? Many Americans are struggling with this as a result of a job loss or poor financial management skills. In 2009, Forbes.com ranked some… READ FULL ARTICLE

What do you use your cell phone for? You chat, update your Facebook page, snap some photos and, manage your credit card accounts? It’s true – new technology is pushing… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you use apps on your iPhone or your Android phone? Smartphones really have changed the way that contacting and staying in touch with others happens, but they are also… READ FULL ARTICLE

Credit card companies are in the business to make money. Though the recent recession pushed many people out of using credit cards and many more defaulted, many companies are seeing… READ FULL ARTICLE

What do you want companies like Sony to do to protect your rights and to safeguard your personal credit information? Credit card companies and retailers are under fire to protect… READ FULL ARTICLE

Although the Census Bureau believes Americans will continue to spend less as they balance lower incomes and reduced credit card limits, some consumers are actually hitting the stores and buying… READ FULL ARTICLE

How did you learn to balance a checkbook or to make wise personal finance decisions? If you are like many middle aged Americans today, it was all about trial and… READ FULL ARTICLE

Have you ever found yourself in a disagreement with your credit card company? Perhaps the charges were not accurate or you felt that the terms were not clear. When this… READ FULL ARTICLE

Wait a minute – hold on a second….Is it really possible that by using your credit card you are going to receive better rewards and better protections than if you… READ FULL ARTICLE

What would you do to boost your credit score or to actually get out of debt? For some of us, getting out of debt would be a saving grace. According… READ FULL ARTICLE

Does it shock you that many Americans are paying down their credit card debt? Many are finding ways to reduce spending or just to reduce the amount they are paying… READ FULL ARTICLE

Are you confident in your financial situation? If you are like many Americans you are struggling right now to keep your head above water. No matter what got you to… READ FULL ARTICLE

What do you do if you lose your credit card or you fear it was stolen? Normally if a cardholder thinks that there is a chance that their card or… READ FULL ARTICLE

Does it shock you to learn that many Americans have no idea how important their credit score is? Perhaps it is even more shocking that most Americans only have a… READ FULL ARTICLE

If it’s time to freshen up the paint on your home or to finally tackle that big home improvement store, you may be tempted to open a credit card at… READ FULL ARTICLE

You thought the biggest risk is managing your credit card accounts was keeping them safe from someone stealing them out of your wallet. You may know that some would-be thieves… READ FULL ARTICLE

Are you ready for the next technological breakthrough in the credit card industry? New technology could help you to use your credit card safer and faster without actually having to… READ FULL ARTICLE

Have you ever missed a monthly payment? Perhaps the mail just took an extra day to get there. Maybe you just waited too long to set up your online payment.… READ FULL ARTICLE

What would you do to win some money? Would you enter into a contest where the goal was to pay down your debt? Consider this – the average APR on… READ FULL ARTICLE

How many credit cards do you have? How many do you use on a regular basis? For some of us, knowing the running total on each one is what we… READ FULL ARTICLE

How are you fairing when it comes to credit card use? Are you using more or less than you used to? Credit card use for Americans is improving with many… READ FULL ARTICLE

You love your favorite PlayStation games – or at least the kids do. In order to use this system, you have to set up an account and often that account… READ FULL ARTICLE

Law enforcement agencies have been in an intense battle with credit card crime rings over the past few years as more Americans shop via the Internet and more criminals become… READ FULL ARTICLE

How much debt did you have when you graduated from college? Did you have a mound of college loans to repay? You likely had credit card debt as well. From… READ FULL ARTICLE

Do you use apps, or applications on your cell phone? With the growing trend for most Americans to own and use smartphones, the use of apps is becoming more common.… READ FULL ARTICLE

By now you have probably heard that banks have aggressively raised their fees for customers who use an ATM that is outside of their network. In other words if you… READ FULL ARTICLE

According to the IRS, the typical tax refund is right around $2,700, and as we all know people generally like to spend their refund pretty fast. The trick, according to… READ FULL ARTICLE

50 Cent, the famous rapper from New York, was recently targeted by a credit card criminal according to reports in the New York Daily News. Apparently his American Express credit… READ FULL ARTICLE

Everyone knows that debt is a drag, but it can be so hard to pay off nagging credit card debts. The balances may have lingered for months or even years,… READ FULL ARTICLE

Not long ago authorities encountered a new kind of scam that builds upon one of the oldest tricks in the book by adding a new, high-tech social media twist. Crooks… READ FULL ARTICLE

Finding a credit card with a low interest rate is typically on everyone’s list. Lenders make money by charging interest as a fee for borrowing money. If you are paying… READ FULL ARTICLE

Are you considering obtaining an airline credit card? These are not just travel rewards credit cards, though you may expect them to be. In fact, these cards can be very… READ FULL ARTICLE

Now that the first quarter of 2011 is behind us, it is a good time to take a look at some of the best cards of 2010. Many of these… READ FULL ARTICLE

Most Americans are by now aware that the USA typically lags behind other industrialized nations when it comes to education in such things as math, science, history, geography, and language.… READ FULL ARTICLE

When shopping for a prepaid card, most consumers are already playing from a weakened negotiating position because the typical person who needs a prepaid applies for one since they do… READ FULL ARTICLE

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke used last month to speak publicly about the important of financial literacy to ensure a stable, healthy economy. April was Financial Literacy Month, and Bernanke gave… READ FULL ARTICLE

FICO, the pioneering company that basically invented the concept of credit scoring, recently launched ScoreInfo.org, a non-commercial website that is essentially devoted to financial literacy. The mission of the FICO… READ FULL ARTICLE

Believe it or not, some experts believe that the average American family has as much as $300 in unused gift cards. That's because these convenient cards are a wonderfully easy… READ FULL ARTICLE

If you are in an airport and make a phone call at a pay phone but charge it to your plastic, don't be surprised to find a gigantic bill at… READ FULL ARTICLE

Although we just got finished with this year's taxes – at least for those who managed to file them on time without taking an extension – accountants and other tax… READ FULL ARTICLE

Now that tax season has passed it is time for storage season. Along with annual spring cleaning Americans also face the task of storing away important documents, including the recommended… READ FULL ARTICLE

Authorities and high-tech communications experts warn that because the smart phone revolution is so fresh and new it also represents a completely green pasture for those who are in the… READ FULL ARTICLE