Surviving in the world...

Surviving in the world of credit cards

Now we, customers, play a game ‘who have a better credit score’. It looks like that having a credit score is a point of pride rather than...

Some necessary researc...

Some necessary researches before getting rewards credit card

You decide to choose a credit card? OK, at first make a research to find the best variant for you. Before you request one of cards, you should be...

Advantages of reward c...

Advantages of reward credit cards

Of course, you think about worth and convenience of using a retail credit card so that when you buy something at this shop and you see something you...

A good credit history ...

A good credit history it’s very easy

Credit cards are convenient and can certainly help you to settle a good credit history, when you are young. And the good credit history is very...

Issuers not shy about sending out business credit card offers

Posted by: Matilda Sprent  Posted date: May 20, 2011 in Credit Cards Articles
0

Credit card issuers sent out more than 2.6 billion business credit card offers to U.S. households between January 2006 and December 2010, according to recent report from the Pew Safe Credit Cards Project.

No, that is not a typo: 2.6 billion, or an average of nearly 44 million per month – enough envelopes to make a paper trail across the U.S. and back each month, Pew said.

The height in that 5-year range was December 2007, a month in which American households received 91 million business credit card solicitations, according to Pew.

In contrast, January 2006 represented the low point in that range, with 10.4 million business credit card offers sent via direct mail to consumer households in that month. In each of the four most recent months examined in the study – September through December 2010 – the monthly average hovered near 20 million solicitations.

Data showed that all household income levels and age groups received business credit card solicitations in the five years included in the study. Howev

Read more…

Tags: Card Offers Credit Card Credit Card Offers Offers

Bernanke to Senate: Durbin May Result in Bank Failures

Posted by: Lola Thornton  Posted date: May 19, 2011 in Credit Cards Articles
0

Though the Durbin Amendment is hardly dead in the water, opposition has mounted since the Federal Reserve delayed announcing the regulations. Democratic senator Jon Tester of Montana introduced a bill to delay interchange regulation by two years, while on the other side of the aisle and in the other legislative chamber, Representative Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia sponsored a similar version with a one-year delay. Banks from JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America to 50-employee credit unions loudly and frequently voice their displeasure.

In the face of growing resistance, coalitions of merchants, retailers and consumer groups closed ranks around Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second most powerful Democrat in the Senate and the amendment’s sponsor, strongest advocate.

Interchange fee regulation was dealt another blow on Thursday, as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke and FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair testified before the Senate Banking Committee. T

Read more…

Tags: Durbin Durbin May

Saving On Cruises With Your Credit Card

Posted by: Matilda Sprent  Posted date: May 19, 2011 in Credit Cards Articles
0

After years of working hard, years of saving money, you deserve a reward. It’s time for you and your spouse to take a much-deserved break. That dream cruise — a trip to the Caribbean or maybe a leisurely ride to the chillier climate of Alaska — calls.

Of course, cruises are far from inexpensive affairs. There is good news, though. Depending on your credit card, you might be able to save some serious dollars when you book that long-dreamed-of cruise.

A growing number of credit card companies offer discounts or on-ship credits when you pay for your cruise with their cards. Other companies provide you with such perks as extra rewards points or frequent flyer miles if you book a cruise with their plastic.

Before signing up for your cruise, then, take a long look at the credit cards in your wallet. Why, after all, would you spend any more money on your dream vacation than you have to?

S Read more…

Tags: Saving Saving Cruises

A new player in the Smurf game: a parental wallet

Posted by: John Freycinet  Posted date: May 15, 2011 in Credit Cards Articles
0

A cartoon from “The New Yorker” caught my eye back in 2000, when I was fairly new to writing and editing personal finance stories.

In the cartoon, dad’s sitting on the couch with his son, as mom stands in the background, fear in her eyes. A computer is in the other room. “It’s very important that you try very, very hard,” dad says to his son, “to remember where you electronically transferred Mommy and Daddy’s assets.”

Eleven years of electronic progress later, many of us are carrying around smartphones and tablet devices. With them come new and even easier ways for our children to drain our bank accounts — accidentally, through games aimed at an audience that lacks a firm grasp on the difference between real and imaginary money.

My colleague Matt Schulz got a lesson recently how a 4-year-old’s little fingers can poke a big hole in your savings.

I’ll turn it over to him:

“The day I got my iPad,” Matt says, “my son and I were playing a fishing game through the GameCenter that comes with every iPad.

Read more…

Tags: New New Player

Credit Card Defaults and Late Payments Drop with Top 6 Card Companies

Posted by: Lola Thornton  Posted date: May 14, 2011 in Credit Cards Articles
0

Consumers have managed to lower their credit card defaults and late payments with the top six card companies in April, says a new report from The Associated Press. The report revealed that more card users are in control of their spending than they have been in some time.

Card Issuers See Improvement in Customer Payments

According to the report, card issuers saw major drops in defaults (balances considered uncollectible, or charge offs) and late payments in April:

  • Capital One Financial Corp.: Cap One reported a drop in defaults to 4.97 percent annualized, which is the biggest drop among the card issuers and is a level not seen since late 2007.
  • American Express Co.: Amex celebrated the lowest default rate, which was 3.5 percent. Th

Read more…

Tags: Card Companies Companies Credit Card Defaults Late Payments

Should I Report Credit Card Fraud to the Police or FBI?

Posted by: Matilda Sprent  Posted date: May 14, 2011 in Credit Cards Articles
0

Q: Who should I report credit card fraud to, the police or FBI?

A: You should report credit card fraud to your local police. You can either call the number or go in person to the police department. Don’t call 911; instead use the non-emergency number, which you can often find with a quick internet search. Some police departments will even let you fill out a police report on their website.

Reporting it to the police is good, but you should also report the fraud to your credit card company. Most cards have a number on the back that you can call 24/7. If yours doesn’t, you can find the number on the company’s website. It’s also a good idea to cancel your card or see if they will change your card number so that whoever stole your card number cannot continue to use it. Make sure you call as soon as you discover the fraudulent activity. If you wait too long, you may become responsible for the charges.

Hopefully, the fraud did not affect your credit report. If it d

Read more…

Tags: Card Fraud Credit Card Credit Card Fraud Fbi