The CARD Act—a set of new regulations designed to limit credit card trickery—went into effect this week even though Congress proposed the act over a year ago. Since then, there’s been a lot of talk about what this all means for people like you … [Read more...]
Do You Make This Dangerous Credit Card Mistake?
January 15, 2010 by
Let’s be honest: We make a lot of mistakes with credit cards. I like to assume that most people don’t start drowning in high-interest credit card debt on purpose. We don’t choose to fork over billions to credit card companies every year … [Read more...]
Credit Card Strategies: Building an ‘Army’ of Cashback Credit Cards
December 28, 2009 by
Do you have an "army" of cashback credit cards? Is this plastic in your wallet a force to be reckoned with? Does each of your credit cards serve a special role that, when combined, earn you a ton of rewards just for your ordinary shopping? These … [Read more...]
American Express Zync Card Review
December 18, 2009 by
The American Express Zync Card, a charge card geared towards twenty-somethings, is a possible alternative to traditional credit/debit cards for anybody under 30. I have been a fan of Amex charge cards and used one myself for a while. So what's the … [Read more...]
Credit Card Alternatives
November 20, 2009 by
Credit card companies are raising interest rates on just about everybody these days, fueling many people's passionate disdain for using any credit card for any reason. Once upon a time, there was only one alternative to spending with credit cards: … [Read more...]
My Credit Card Raised My Interest Rate! Here’s What to Do
November 10, 2009 by
Stories of credit card companies raising interest rates on just about everybody---even customers with perfect credit, no debt, and no late payments---continue to roll in. That's because the CARD Act takes effect this winter and will restrict … [Read more...]
Radically Re-Thinking Credit Cards: Part Two
October 21, 2009 by
Yesterday, I recommended a new way to pare down your credit cards. I don't want you to cancel them all or use them like crazy to earn rewards. I just recommend keeping two credit cards---the card you've had the longest and the card with the highest … [Read more...]
Radically Re-Thinking Credit Cards: Part One
October 20, 2009 by
The majority of financial advice on credit cards falls into one of two categories: Credit cards are evil and you should cancel them and never, ever use them again. Credit cards are fantastically convenient when used responsibly and can actually … [Read more...]
Beware Credit Card Skimmers and How to Spot Them
October 14, 2009 by
Talk about serendipitous. I've been planning today's post on credit card and ATM "skimmers" (jerry-rigged little devices criminals use to steal your card numbers), and yesterday my brother tells me he spotted one of these suckers at a rest area on … [Read more...]
Under 21? The CARD Act Restricts Your Access to Credit
October 1, 2009 by
The CARD Act could go into effect as soon as December. Although legislators passed the CARD Act with Americans’ best interests in mind, the act also means credit card users may see higher interest rates and fewer rewards. And for anyone under 21, … [Read more...]
