Earlier this week I answered a reader’s question on steps to take to improve her credit score. But what about folks who don’t want to just to improve their credit score, but want to get it to the highest possible range? Before you make a move, you first need to know the most important information...
8 fake bargains to avoidBig discounts! Big sales! Big freebies! Enticing deals abound, but you need to distinguish those from the raw deals masquerading as bargains. Many of them come with so many strings attached that they could cost you plenty. (Those frequent-flier rewards cards, for example? They often cost you a bundle...
5 things that can drive you to bankruptcyThe bankruptcy statistics in America are alarming. The past few decades have seen a dramatic rise in the number of people that are unable to pay off their debts, and Congress has recently addressed the issue with legislation that makes it harder to qualify for this status. Following is a list of the...
10 places NOT to use your debit cardDebit cards have different protections and uses. Sometimes they’re not the best choice. Sometimes reaching for your wallet is like a multiple choice test: How do you really want to pay? While credit cards and debit cards may look almost identical, not all plastic is the same. “It’s...
How to justify a 79.9% interest rate credit cardAPR Shocks Many, but Issuer Says They Are Pricing for the Risk If you have bad credit in the new era of credit card regulation, be prepared to pay — dearly — for the privilege of using credit. That’s the message underlying recent credit card offers that feature jaw-dropping interest...
5 moves to make ahead of the new credit card lawWith new regulations starting in less than a month, you may need to take stock of your credit card portfolio to determine which cards’ terms are changing to your benefit and which feature changes that can hit you in the wallet. The most important thing to do, says Lauren Bowne, staff attorney at...
The least trusted banks in AmericaCustomers of the biggest banks in the United States are the least likely to believe their financial institution does what’s best for them as opposed to what’s best for the bottom line, according to a new report from Forrester Research. The report, Forrester’s annual Customer Advocacy...
Riskiest places to use your debit cardThree steps to take to protect your account data from getting into the wrong hands Whether by choice or necessity, American consumers are increasingly relying on debit rather than credit cards. Debit card spending has risen steadily, growing from 47.7 percent of purchases made with plastic in 2003 to...
10 money tips for womenWhen it comes to women and finance, sometimes there’s a disconnect between what women know and how they act, their ability as achiever and their financial underachieving, and between the power they have within reach and the powerlessness that rules their actions. Financial expert Suze Orman gives...
Find $1,000 by the holidaysReady or not, the holidays are coming. With American pocketbooks and investment accounts under pressure, the approaching holidays — particularly how to pay for them — are quickly becoming yet another thing to worry about. Don’t push this looming dilemma to the back of your minds. You...