ING announced that for the first time it would make paper checkbooks available to accountholders. Odd throwback move or brilliant strategy?
Capital One
Did Capital One Just Buy Your Credit Card?
Capital One’s been on quite the buying spree lately. Earlier this year it acquired online bank ING Direct, and now it’s just tossed the U.S. credit card portfolio of HSBC Holdings into its shopping cart, as well. HSBC has been …
“It’s an example of the worst type of financial company that exists to completely screw over their customers with outrageous fees, deceptive benefits, and absurd teaser rates.”
6 Ways To Make Your Travel Rewards Go Further
The only thing better than a relaxing getaway is a relaxing getaway you don’t have to pay for. But sometimes chasing those freebies can cost you more than if you just ponied up in the first place. Recently, we took a look at the …
The 6 Best Travel Reward Credit Cards Right Now
It's practically impossible to keep up with all the fine print on credit card offers that promise big rewards on airfare, hotels and other summer vacation essentials. We got three experts to sift through the latest travel reward …
139 Money Tips: Father’s Day Freebies, Designer Clothing on the Cheap, Most Annoying Bank Fees
This week’s link roundup also includes simple rules of thumb for buying everything from coffee to a home, and insights as to why personal finance can be as tricky—and messy—as potty training.
Could Your Credit Card Be Sold?
London-based HSBC Holdings PLC is reportedly trying to sell its U.S. credit card portfolio to focus more on emerging markets. The company isn’t having much luck so far, in part because it’s a big issuer of retail-branded credit cards in the U.S. These cards tend to be accessible to people who have lower credit scores and are more likely …
Capital One Buys ING Direct, and Customers Start to Freak Out
Please don’t change ING Direct. Customers have stuck with the online bank (and put up with the company’s blinding trademark bright orange colors) because setting up an account is easy, the interface and bill-paying features are …
‘Payment Due’ for a Debt You’re Not Required to Pay Off
Why would a bank contact a customer about credit card debt that’s 10 years old—long past the statute of limitations allowing lenders to sue in order to collect?
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.
Why Are Banks and Credit Card Issuers Being So Nice?
Banks are giving cash bonuses of $100, even $200 to people who open checking accounts. New credit cards come with policies that will waive or refund interest to customers in certain situations. Why are we the beneficiaries of such generosity? Mostly, because for banks, offering a helping hand—or at least appearing to do so—is good …
