Beware the next time you want to use your credit card at the check-out counter. This ritual is pretty out-dated and the rest of the world does not do this anymore. The US is the only developed country that seems to be hanging on to the debit cards and credit cards with the magnetic stripes, the ones that you normally swipe at retail outlets.
All the other developed nations have switched over to the smart cards or the chip-based cards. The magnetic stripes on the back of these credit cards...
If you are one of those fortunate few to have survived the recession, and have managed to qualify for a card, then this is the best time to sign up for a fresh card.
Card issuers are all out to woo customers and are offering some of the best deals - from airline tickets to bonuses etc., just for signing up for their cards and making the first purchase.
Rewards are always welcome at any point in time. Amongst some of the shoppers that were interviewed at a shopping mall in Mason Ohio, one...
The E.M.V. chip technology has gained immense popularity all over Europe since it is far more secure. This is yet another card that can be added to the list of cards that are being offered to the affluent sections.
There is one card with quite an unusual name, even going by the travel rewards credit card standard – it is known as the Citi Executive AAdvantage World Elite MasterCard which is a joint offering from American Airlines and Citibank.
The E.M.V version of this card would be...
As of April 2010, at least quarter of the American population had bad credit, according to reports from FICO. As of March 2011, Americans were also found to be revolving debts to the tune of $796 billion, where most of it was credit card debt (as per reports from the Fed Reserve). Hence, it is easy to see that people in general, seem to be having a hard time in managing their personal finance. If we have to go by the facts presented by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling’s 2011...
Continue readingFollowing the economic crisis, there seems to be an increase in debit card usage and its use has gone up quite significantly, according to Pulse. This is especially the case with smaller purchases. However, it is too soon to predict if credit cards will make an exit. In fact, for those who use the credit cards responsibly, they are still the best and there is nothing that compares with a credit card.
Credit cards can come as a boon at times when you decide to make bigger purchases such as a...
Recently, there have been a number of TV commercials that are being aired for the Marriott Credit Cards. Then there is the aggressive marketing of the credit cards with hotel rewards as well. Earlier, these were cards that were generally found on business travelers or the ones that literally live out of a suitcase – so to speak. However, things have changed now as these hotel credit cards seem to have a wider appeal.
The hotel industry is trying to push hard and bring it to the mainstream...
It is quite possible that you may have received many more credit card offers this year through your mail, when compared to the beginning of the year. If that is the case, then you are not alone, especially if you are one of the big spenders and if you have a household income of over $75,000 per annum.
Around 1.4 billion credit card offers were sent out to American citizens during the first quarter of this year, according to reports from Mintel Comperemedia. The number of card offers sent out...
Generally, consumers assume that they can obtain some of the best credit cards if they have a good or excellent credit score. However, that is not entirely true, as there are some of the cards that cannot be guaranteed even if you have the perfect credit score.
These are better known as the invitation-only cards, states Beverly Harzog who is an expert in this field.
The American Express Centurion or the Black Card is one of the well-known cards that belong to this elusive category. The...
It is easy to assume that you have one of the best credit cards until your card issuer increases your rate. However, as per the new fed regulations, you can easily opt out of the credit card account in case the card issuer plans on increasing the rates and hiking up the fees that you think is over the top. Ensure that you understand the terms as well as the implications of closing a card account, prior to calling your credit card company to cancel your card.
Useful information that you must...
In general, college students and credit cards are a deadly cocktail and there is never really a positive outcome. However, that is not the case anymore, as there has been a positive outcome that has been noticed in the recent times.
According to the results of a study that was released in July by the Fed Reserve, it has been found that there has been a drop in credit card usage by college students as well as the alumni associations during 2010, as it fell 17% compared to the previous...
Although it is really tempting to sign up for some of the store credit cards because they offer a lot of perks like a certain percentage off on each purchase you make or having access to special sales throughout the year etc. But one has to really get to the bottom and find out if it is really in your best interest to sign up for any of these cards. In order to get a rough idea, we will take a look at the perks, rate of interest, and the fee charged on some of these store credit...
Continue readingThere are a times when you may feel that it does pay when you do the right thing. For those who have been having a squeaky clean credit record during the period of recession as well as its aftermath, they can now deal with some of the best card issuers.
Credit card companies are competing with each other to get the big spenders and the prompt payers. There are a number of card companies that are offering some of the best reward bonuses for those who have credit score that are over...