With issuers dangling bonuses like $100 cash back just for signing up, it can be easy to lose sight of exactly how rewarding …
annual fees
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 the most difficult to walk away from their accounts.
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 eager to avoid annual fees and debt quickly piled up by swiping its cousin, the classic credit card.
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 consumers vulnerable. Now, the Federal Reserve is trying to close one loophole being taken advantage of by so-called “fee harvesters,” a …
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 of fine print—and even then, it’s sometimes impossible to figure out what to expect.
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 succeeded in stopping the banks and credit card companies from using the same old dirty tricks to get extra money out of customers—by, …
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 consumers typically pay bills in full and on time, they’re unlikely to make the credit card companies much money.
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.
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.
Tagging along with Credit Card Reform: More Fees, Higher Interest Rates, and Less Credit Period
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 rate changes and fee increases (you must be give 45 days notice) and how long it would take you to pay off your balance by making only …
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.
You Will Be Living in a Place that Resembles Europe. Or Perhaps China or Australia
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 know it. Instead, it may look a lot like … somewhere else.
