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Living with credit (248)
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New, interesting products (69)
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Research, regulation, industry reports (177)
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Rewards (23)
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Protecting yourself (113)
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The fine print (36)
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Credit card miscellany (280)
Living with credit
This was an exciting week in the personal finance world: Another rate cut, Fed approval of rules to end unfair credit card practices and an announcement that the stimulus checks are out early. Accordingly, I have found great questions, advice and thoughts in the personal finance blogosphere. Here is this week's round-up, including topics such as personal debt being sold on eBay, why credit cards are handy for paying bills and a scam from 1800-Flowers.
Love wins over money most of the time, but con men are more frequently using online dating to find victims. Here's some of the latest news in love and money.
While America is on course to be a land of plastic-only transactions, Great Britain is seeing an increase in cash use. This is likely due to fraud outbreaks, climbing credit card debt and a housing crisis not much different from our own.
3 tips you must know about buying gas in this age of soaring oil prices
Should doctors deny non-emergency health care appointments if patients don't have credit cards?
Between the credit crunch and the prevalence of identity theft, credit cards are frequently in the news. From time to time, however, credit cards result in unexpected and often funny news. Below are five of the wackiest recent credit card stories to hit the press.
I was aware that your credit score can vary based on which of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) provides the version of the score you (or your lender) looks at. However, I was surprised to learn that credit scores also differ based on the type of loan you apply for, such as a credit card, auto loan or home equity loan.
My post about how presidential candidates have bad credit is featured in the 148th edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance, hosted by Gather Little by Little. Also, several other posts included in the carnival that I think are worth a read.
Millions donated to American Idol charity with credit cards, but the event may have been a windfall for Visa, MasterCard and American Express. The credit card companies likely raked in a large cache from credit card processing fees.
When it comes to personal finance, are U.S. high schoolers getting dumber? That appears to be the case based on the results of the latest Jump$tart Coalition student survey: High school seniors correctly answered fewer than half of the survey questions, representing a drop in the percentage of right answers from the 2006 poll.
The personal finance blogosphere is bursting with excellent and useful information. I've culled seven of the best credit-related posts from the last week or so and present them below for your reading pleasure.
Recent Federal Reserve interest rate cuts won't completely trickle down to everyday consumers. Ours will be modest cuts -- if any at all.
Some people use 0 percent credit cards to buy CDs and other investments to cash in on the difference between the interest rates. Is arbitrage for me?
I heard a great feature on National Public Radio on the way to work the other morning discussing the financial situations of the presidential candidates. "As a group, presidential candidates don't have the best credit rating," Peter Overby said.
Do you know what your credit score is but aren't sure how it's calculated? Are you about to get married but don't know how to merge your credit? On a new Web site created by a former Fair Isaac Corp. VP, these questions and more are answered through free and simple instructional videos.
Does he or she carry a wallet full of credit cards or doesn't have any at all? Do they race to the mailbox to keep you from seeing the credit card bills? It may be time to have a heart to heart about managing credit.
There is an online community for those who are trying to better their financial situation: Debtsy.com, a new Web site I read about on WalletPop. "Debtsy is a place where you can connect with others as you eliminate debt and build wealth," the site's tagline says.
A recent article published on livinginperu.com announced that some credit card holders in Peru will see interest rate jumps as high as 40 percent in the next few weeks.
Easy financing options for health and cosmetic surgery are growing, but consumers may be better off taking their time when considering paying for these procedures.
A few months ago I wrote an article about the crackdown on online gambling, and the burden being placed on credit card issuers to police illegal transactions. Now, some are hoping credit card companies will do the same for online prescription drug purchases.
PBS television is re-running a popular Frontline show that takes a critical look at the credit card industry. Why air it now? Criticism of the industry is reaching a critical mass.
I talked to lawyers. Bar associations. Credit counselors. State attorney general offices. I was given different answers, wrong answers, no answers and mixed messages. After several excruciating days of research on when credit card debt expires in each state, I realized if the experts couldn't get it straight, and I, as a reporter, had such a difficult time finding the information, consumers didn't stand a chance.
Multi-state spring break trip triggers credit card fraud alert, but they were legitimate gas purchases!
Today I had a fascinating phone conversation with Donna D., a leader in my local chapter of Debtors Anonymous, a 12-step program patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous. She gave me insight on the psychological and spiritual side of debt, which I'd never taken into consideration before. She shared with me her personal struggle with debt and how the group has helped her and other compulsive debtors remain solvent. Here are some snippets from our conversation.
Today I picked up a new trick that helps trim both the waistline and credit card bill, and I think it’s worth sharing.
Dripping in diamond jewelry has always been the traditional way for women to display their wealth and status. Now they are not limited by rings and necklaces to prove their worth. A new credit card in Dubai comes embedded with a sparkling solitaire diamond.
In these tumultuous economic times of soaring credit card debt and home foreclosures, it's become apparent that financial literacy is a sorely needed skill.
The Sharper Image says that with its declaration of bankruptcy, shoppers will no longer be able to redeem the company's gift cards. That doesn't mean Sharper Image gift cards no longer have value. They do -- just not at the Sharper Image: Across-the-mall competitor Brookstone says it will accept Sharper Image gift cards for a 25 percent discount off any purchase in its own stores.
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Are you a credit card power user? Or have you spent your way into a lousy credit score? We'll give you tips, tricks, examples of smart and not-so-smart credit card uses and more.
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