Credit Cards Articles

Especially during the busy summer travel and vacation season, lots of credit card consumers will be faced with an often-perplexing question or choice. Should they go ahead and pay extra for auto insurance when renting a car, or decline it and hope that they are covered by their credit card membership’s insurance program?

Sometimes the cost of a daily rental car insurance premium is a huge additional expense that can escalate the cost of auto rentals into the stratosphere. But without it, if there is an accident, the renter could wind up owing a car rental company the price of a brand new car. So

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Ever stopped by a convenience store to quickly buy a drink with your credit card only to have the cashier point to a tiny sign taped to the wall that says “Sorry—The Minimum Credit Card Purchase is $5″? How inconvenient is that?

I understand all the costs small business owners must endure to accept credit cards, but as a consumer, I think minimum purchase requirements really stink. Credit cards are all about convenience, and businesses that choose to accept them in an effort to conveniently grow their revenues shouldn’t be allowed to inconvenience customers by placing restrictions on when they can or can’t use credit cards.

Besides, it’s really embarrassing when I have to run back to the car to search for loose change.

If a business wants to make the decision to not accept credit cards at all, that’s perfectly fine. Put up a big

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The problem with issuing debit cards for savings accounts is that it makes things difficult for both the financial institution and the consumer. Because of a federal law known as Regulation D, your bank can only let you make third party transactions using your savings account six times per month. This includes making purchases via debit card. If you decide you want to use your savings account to make regular purchases with a debit card, you could quickly find yourself in a bind with either your card being declined or a hefty fee being imposed. In the worst case scenario, the institution could even close your account.

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Shoppers with Virgin Money credit cards could save hundreds of pounds in interest because the firm has become the latest to change its system, so expensive debt is automatically paid off first.

The move comes into force for the firm’s 2.5m customers on September 1, four months earlier than required under new rules announced by the Government and the UK credit card industry last March.

Previously, when customers made a repayment this would go towards paying off their cheapest debts.

Typically, this means 0% purchase and balance transfer deals are cleared first, followed by purchases and cash withdrawals.

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