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New Credit Card Annual Fees Arrive for Those Who Pay Bills on Time
You’d think that a credit card customer who pays his or her bill on time is a good customer. But these customers don’t make the banks and credit card companies money—at least not enough of it. Now, as...
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Credit Card Upheaval: Time for You to Wake Up and Take Charge
Whether you’ve got one credit card in your wallet or 13, whether you carry a balance or always pay your full bill on time, big changes happening to the way banks and credit card companies do business...
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Time to Swap Your Credit Card for a Charge Card?
Yes, there are differences between credit cards and old-fashioned charge cards. Big differences, the main one being it’s extremely unlikely you’ll dig yourself into major debt using a charge card—hence...
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Looking into the Crystal Ball and Seeing More and More Credit Card Fees
Some credit card industry observers are asked to predict what’s in store for plastic with the new year and new legislation. If the predictions are correct, rate hikes will slow (jacking them up higher...
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You Will Be Living in a Place that Resembles Europe. Or Perhaps China or...
Because of changes to health care, the credit card industry, personal savings habits, and other parts of the economy, observers say that in the near future the U.S. may not look like the U.S. as we now...
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How Battling the Banks and Credit Card Companies Is Like Whack-A-Mole
Smack down one fee or money-making scheme and others are sure to pop up. And even if you’re really good at the game, there are always more moles than you can possibly whack. Efforts to protect...
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Tagging along with Credit Card Reform: More Fees, Higher Interest Rates, and...
The final step in the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act (or CARD) goes into effect today. That final letter in the acronym is key: Consumers get a lot more disclosure as to...
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Want to Lower Your Monthly Bills?
Then get on the phone and get busy. Here’s some evidence that it’s worth the time and effort to call up your pay-TV service, wireless provider, and credit card company and demand better terms. Bob...
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Credit Card Annual Fees: Is It Ever a Good Idea to Suck It Up and Pay?
Sometimes, absolutely. But it all depends on what kinds of rewards the card promises—and what kinds of rewards you’ll actually reap and use. The key is to weigh what you’d pay in an annual fee versus...
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Why a Smart Consumer Is a Bad Credit Card Customer
And how you can be punished for responsible behavior: In some cases, credit card issuers have rejected applicants who have credit scores that are too good (sometimes over 800). Why? Because these...
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Post-Reform Credit Card Scene: New Dirty Tricks Replacing the Old Ones
The monumental credit card reforms that began taking effect last summer had some unintended consequences—namely soaring interest rates, higher fees, and less credit available. But mostly, the laws...
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Credit Card Study: Key Info Is Hidden in Fine Print or Not Disclosed at All
When applying for a credit card, the only way to truly get a handle on balance transfer and annual fees, introductory and regular APRs, and the ins and outs of reward programs is to wade through pages...
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Striking Back Against Banks That Prey on Those Desperate for Credit Cards
The new credit card regulations passed over the last 18 months not only caused their share of unintended consequences (soaring interest rates, for one), they also had their share of loopholes that left...
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Coming Soon to Debit Cards Near You: Annual Fees, Fewer Rewards
It may soon be time to rethink the automatic usage of a debit card, which unlike a credit card is tied to actual money held in a bank account, and which has been the preferred plastic of consumers...
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Credit Cards: New Annual Fees for Customers Who Can’t Close Their Accounts
A small portion of Bank of America credit card customers will soon be hit with all-new $59 annual fees. Who, exactly, will be assessed the fees? For the most part, it’s the customers who will find it...
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Your Credit Card Rewards Aren’t Worth As Much As You Think
Those rewards are probably worth way less than you would have imagined. Then there's the possibility they could easily be wiped out with just a short stint carrying a balance.
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