Emily's list: Gas prices on the rise edition
Updated: 2011-01-31 19:17:18
: Living with credit 349 New , interesting products 85 Research , regulation , industry reports 211 Rewards 32 Protecting yourself 134 The fine print 57 Credit card miscellany 336 Add category 1 Print Email Emily's list : Gas prices on the rise edition Emily Starbuck Gerson January 14, 2011 Living with credit I graduated college in May 2007, and started writing for CreditCards.com that fall . Shortly after beginning my job , I noticed that gas prices began to surge . Then the mortgage crisis emerged and the bottom of the economy fell out . It was quite an interesting time to be in the personal finance industry The cost of oil continued to soar throughout the beginning of the recession , and nearly everyone I knew began cutting back on driving in some way . Here in Texas , where we don't
: Living with credit 350 New , interesting products 85 Research , regulation , industry reports 211 Rewards 32 Protecting yourself 134 The fine print 57 Credit card miscellany 336 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 1 Print Email Emily's list : Reduced bank fees edition Emily Starbuck Gerson January 28, 2011 Living with credit A recent Wall Street Journal article that quoted CreditCards.com says that unpopular bank fees are slowly but surely on the decline . I'll toast to that Thanks to the Credit Card Act of 2009 and consumer discontent with bank fees , the major banks have been trimming their penalty rates and fees . Interest rates are worse , according to our data , but if you ever pay a credit card bill late or travel abroad , you will find some major relief from these changes . Here
That does it. I'm using my elbows from now on to punch in my PIN number at an ATM.
Headline writer on both sides of the pond are having great sport scaring the public with the results of a new study showing that ATM keypads are as filthy as public toilets.
: Living with credit 349 New , interesting products 85 Research , regulation , industry reports 211 Rewards 32 Protecting yourself 134 The fine print 57 Credit card miscellany 336 Add category 1 Print Email Emily's list : New Congress edition Emily Starbuck Gerson January 5, 2011 Living with credit On Jan . 5, 2011, the 112th Congress convened its session . While Democrats maintained control of the Senate in the November elections , Republicans took over the House of Representatives . Democratic former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi passed the gavel on to teary-eyed Republican John Boehner of Ohio . Leading up to the election , one of the major Republican platforms was that President Obama's administration was massively overspending and that our government needed to become more
: Living with credit 349 New , interesting products 85 Research , regulation , industry reports 211 Rewards 32 Protecting yourself 134 The fine print 57 Credit card miscellany 336 Add category 1 Print Email Emily's list : Going on a spending fast edition Emily Starbuck Gerson January 21, 2011 Living with credit Could you pay off 18,000 in debt in one year Anna Newell Jones did . She racked up more than 23,000 in debt , and when it became unmanageable , she decided to go on a spending fast . In a first-person piece on CNNMoney , Jones explains how she financially fasted an entire year purchasing only necessities and no longer indulging with things she simply thought she . deserved She explains that she came to understand why others didn't pay down their debt it seemed impossible and it was
Welcome to CreditCards.com's newest blogger, Ann Brenoff, who will be keeping a close eye on the financial slips and falls of some of the most wealthy citizens in the United States -- our beloved celebrities.
This week, Ann dishes on the money woes of "Desperate Housewife" Eva Longoria and "Batman Forever" star Val Kilmer.
Credit Cards Blog Tips Advice Consumers Getting Trapped By Rate Reduction Scams Consumers Getting Trapped By Rate Reduction Scams Friday , January 28th , 2011 A lot of consumers are careful about the credit card scams and the companies targeting people with services that essentially offer no help but cost a ridiculous fee . There are the debt relief providers , the credit score boosting services , and credit history erasers that have all been proven to be less than reputable . Consumers are getting more savvy about asking questions or avoiding these target marketing tactics . altogether However , there are other scams involving credit cards that tend to fly under the radar and for consumers not thoroughly informed of what is out there , they are at higher risk of getting involved in the
Credit Cards Blog New Card Offers American Express Senior Gold Card With Senior Specific Perks American Express Senior Gold Card With Senior Specific Perks Thursday , January 27th , 2011 American Express has created a credit card specifically for senior citizens aged 62 and older . The American Express Senior Gold Card has been promoted heavily among the AAPR crowd as the card issuer makes every attempt to attract the business of a generation most creditors consider to be relatively low-risk . Special invitations are being sent out to age-appropriate consumers to sign up for card . services American Express’ Senior Gold Card actually launched twelve years ago . It offers the traditional benefits of an American Express Gold Card including concierge services , hotel discounts , and fraud
Credit Cards Blog Tips Advice What Exactly Is a Credit Card Concierge and Do You Need One What Exactly Is a Credit Card Concierge and Do You Need One Wednesday , January 26th , 2011 It used to be that only cardholders with beau-coup money were the only ones who could get access to concierge service offered by certain card issuers but nowadays this luxury’ service isn’t limited to the rich and famous . Many cards offer the program to average cardholders who can use the service 24 7. The concierge benefit of a credit card is similar to that of a hotel operation . When you need something in an unfamiliar place , you call on the concierge for help . It basically works in the same way for cardholders and credit cards If you need directions , ticket to a show , flower arrangements for your
Credit Cards Blog Tips Advice Is 13 Too Young to Be An Authorized Credit Card User Is 13 Too Young to Be An Authorized Credit Card User Tuesday , January 25th , 2011 Recently a story appeared on CNN about a three year old child receiving a credit card offer When the parents confronted American Express the company that issued the card offer , a company representative admitted to making a mistake in sending the offer to someone not remotely qualified to receive one . Interestingly , when the American Express representative tried to explain the rules of how credit cards really worked , they pointed out that had the child been 13 years old or older then the child would have been eligible to be an additional card holder if her parents were American Express card . holders While it may be
Credit Cards Blog Debt Consolidation All-In-One Guide To Seriously Reducing Your Debt All-In-One Guide To Seriously Reducing Your Debt Friday , January 21st , 2011 Debt has been plaguing American credit card holders for decades and since recent high interest rates and changes in the fee structures of many credit card providers have driven some people over the edge . Combine all that with the high rates of unemployment and a true credit crisis was upon us . In recent years , things got really bad for consumers . Now , there is legislation getting passed to help the consumer and protect them more from unfair credit card . practices Since changes are being put in place , more consumers find there is less of a stigma associated with credit card debt burdens . They are turning to professional
Credit Cards Blog Tips Advice Car Rental Insurance May Be Covered By Your Credit Card Car Rental Insurance May Be Covered By Your Credit Card Thursday , January 20th , 2011 In a memorable Seinfeld episode about renting a car and whether or not opting for the offered car rental insurance is a good idea , Jerry refuses to pay for the optional coverage and ends up damaging the car and being responsible for the costs . Interestingly enough , Jerry never checked with his credit card company to see if he was covered . That’s exactly what consumers should be doing before dishing out extra cash for this . coverage The fact is that selling these insurance riders is a HUGE profit center for car rental agencies and they are very aggressive in their efforts to try and sell additional car rental
Credit Cards Blog Tips Advice Will Keeping Unused Credit Cards Open Actually Hurt My Credit Score Will Keeping Unused Credit Cards Open Actually Hurt My Credit Score Wednesday , January 19th , 2011 You may think that all those credit cards with zero balances you have stashed in your wallet should be an object of pride . After all you have access to all this plastic credit yet you choose not to use it , citing better financial . management BUT guess what All that unused plastic you have safely tucked into your wallet may be doing way more harm than good . You may think that by simply not using those those cards you aren’t harming your credit but they very well could be wreaking havoc on your credit . score Personal finance experts will often recommend consumers have at least one credit card
Credit Cards Blog Credit Card News Kardashian Klan Sued for Card Endorsement Kardashian Klan Sued for Card Endorsement Monday , January 17th , 2011 Just a few months ago , the Kardashian family members Kris Jenner , Kourtney , Kim , and Khloe backed a prepaid credit card that was almost immediately pulled off the market . Now the Kardashians are being sued for their endorsement of the . card The Kardashian Kard through Mastercard was pulled from the market in large part due to the high fee structure and the negative public backlash the card imposed . There were also costs that were allegedly hidden deep within the fine print that surprised consumers after purchasing the card . An investigation was launched by the federal government after it was realized the card costs consumers just under
Credit Cards Blog Credit Card News Top 7 Destroying Your Credit Card Videos Top 7 Destroying Your Credit Card Videos Friday , January 14th , 2011 Sometimes , the only way to get financially free is to just cut up those darn credit cards The great thing is , there isn’t just one way to cut up a card : you can destroy them in all kinds of creative . ways Cutting , burning , tearing , shooting using scissors is not even required Maybe you’ve seen credit cards being cut up before , but not like this Here are a few videos of some of the most creative ways that people are destroying their credit : cards The Jaws of Life Maybe using scissors won’t do the trick for some people who want to cut up their credit cards . Or maybe it’s just not cool enough . So why not use the jaws of life to do so
Credit Cards Blog Credit Card News Retailers That Screwed Customers The Most in 2010 Retailers That Screwed Customers The Most in 2010 Thursday , January 13th , 2011 We’re not going to sugarcoat this : retailers try to aggressively sell you their in-house credit cards because they know they will make extra money from you with this tactic . Notwithstanding the fact that using the card means you don’t have to pay right away , it also means that retailers will make money on the back end , charging exorbitant interest . rates Here’s a tip that could save you before using an in-store credit card you’re better off canceling these cards and getting yourself a low interest credit card from a major issuer with benefits , rather than signing up for the following pieces of . plastic Here’s a list of