Closing Credit Cards and Your FICO Score

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You may check your credit score to find that your credit score is being pulled down because you have too many credit cards. Closing the credit cards won’t help though because they’ll still be listed on your credit report.

I’ve been reading conflicting statements about exactly what closing a credit card does to your credit score. For example, one blog stated closing a credit card with a balance hurts your credit score, another blog said it didn’t. So, rather than guess around about the true answers, I went straight to the source – FICO.

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Six Artists Who Turn Money into Art

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While most of us are busy earning and budgeting our money,  a handful of artists are spending their time finding creative ways to convert currency into art. Here are six artists who use cash as their canvas.

Scott Campbell

This Brooklyn-based artist makes a living pawning his premium tattoo services for a whopping $300 per hour. Wonder what he does with all of that money? Campbell collects stacks of singles, and uses a special etching process to engrave incredibly detailed imagery into his cash. The original dollar bills may be destroyed, but the resulting art is priceless.

Justine Smith

British sculptor Justine Smith uses currency as her clay, creating eye popping designs laced with capitalist themes.

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Growing Usage is Changing Prepaid Card Industry

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When was the last time you used at a prepaid card to make a purchase? While for some it may have been a while, for others it is a daily occurrence as using prepaid cards have become a growing trend within the United States.

Unlike in the past, prepaid card issuers are much more competitive than every before. Within the last few months we have seem multiple card offers display unique features that my not have been associated with prepaid cards in the past. Even with these new features, these types of payment alternatives are becoming ever increasingly cheaper to use as the fees that are associated with them have dwindled well below what you may have been used to in the past.

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Who Will Waive Their Fees for Haiti?

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When there is a tragedy such as the recent earthquake that struck Haiti, there are millions of people looking to offer whatever they can to help. For many, the best way to contribute is by giving money donations, which on many accounts are given by way of credit card. However, while the money is given in hopes that all will be put to good use, it may be surprising to some that up to 3 percent of their donation amount will be pocketed by credit card issuers as what is known as a “transaction fee”. While it may not seem like much to some, when you calculate the number of people that are giving and the amount of money that is donated it ends up being millions of dollars that could be spent to help people in need.

While a transaction fee is utilized for nearly every purchase, not every credit card issuer takes a cut when the money is given for charitable purposes.

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New Credit Card Rules Mean Fewer Tricks and Traps

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By the end of February this year, many of the main provisions of the Credit CARD Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in May of 2009, finally step into effect.

It’s been a long wait. Card issuers have spent the nine months leading up to the enactment of the new credit card rules changing credit terms to skirt the provisions with the most teeth. After a year of credit card interest rate hikes, new and steeper credit card fees, and otherwise tightened terms, you may wonder if the effectiveness of the new credit card law has long since been undermined.

Indeed, while card issuers undoubtedly have succeeded in bolstering their bottom line to a degree, there are still many reasons to breathe a sigh of relief. N

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Raju and the Magical Goat Page 2

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He went home and told his wife Champa about this misfortune. She was also shocked to hear this.Champa: What are we going to do now?

Champa: We can’t plough our fields with one bullock. Even this one is looking pale and may die anytime. Will we have to starve to death this year?Murli: I will meet Sunder and Chander. I have heard that they always lend money to people in need.

The two brothers Sunder and Chander also lived in the same village.They were notorious for cheating the poor.

Your Credit Report Tells Your Financial Life Story

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If you’ve ever looked at your credit report, you were undoubtedly surprised at all the information it included. Your complete credit history, employer, not to mention your current and previous addresses. Learn what’s included in your credit report and why it’s so important to lenders. Read: What is a Credit Report and Why Is It So Important?

Related:

  • How to Clean Up a Bad Credit Report
  • Six Ways to Get a Free Credit Report
  • How to Read and Understand Your Credit Report