• Nice Guys Finish Last, Especially With Credit Card Payments

    Updated: 2011-08-31 18:00:59
    , Nice Guys Finish Last , Especially With Credit Card Payments by Sue Writer on August 31, 2011 Is it true that nice guys always finish last When it comes to making payments , this old adage may be true . Many studies have shown that Americans are getting better about making their credit card payments on time . But are they reaping the benefits of their good behavior Consumers are putting a lot of effort into reducing credit card debt . They are making payments on time more frequently and paying down debt . Perhaps the stringent penalties inflicted by card issuers of the past several years are having the desired effect . Consumers may have been scared into better behavior in regards to . payments In spite of these efforts , many consumers are still paying top rates and fees . There are

  • What The Right Airline Credit Card Can Offer You

    Updated: 2011-08-31 17:00:51
    What The Right Airline Credit Card Can Offer You by Mary Hiers on August 31, 2011 Miles per dollar have always been the bread and butter of airline credit cards but today’s cards offer perks beyond miles . The reason for this expansion is simple : frequent travelers are usually big spenders , and credit card issuers want their . business Additionally , a 2010 survey by IdeaWorks discovered that miles are becoming more difficult to use . The study found that award seats were unavailable on over 85 of the flights sampled on USAirways and Delta . Other airlines lacked available award seats from 25 to 45 of the . time Whatever card you choose , note expiration dates , particularly if you’re an infrequent card user . Make sure that your miles won’t expire before you’re able to use them to buy

  • Emily's list: Too many deals edition

    Updated: 2011-08-31 16:20:48
    : Living with credit 399 New , interesting products 91 Research , regulation , industry reports 223 Rewards 36 Protecting yourself 149 The fine print 63 Credit card miscellany 364 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 3 Print Email Emily's list : Too many deals edition Emily Starbuck Gerson August 19, 2011 Living with credit I have trouble saying no to a great deal that I think I might use . But a deal isn't actually a deal when you don't need it in the first place . Every morning , I wake up to an inbox clogged with deals from Groupon , Living Social , Buy With Me , Localiter , Eversave and other social deal sites . I usually succumb when I see a deal for a restaurant I love , or a service I've been wanting such as a massage or oil change Sometimes it works out perfectly and they are put

  • Emily's list: Visa chip cards and observations from Canada

    Updated: 2011-08-31 16:20:48
    : Living with credit 397 New , interesting products 91 Research , regulation , industry reports 222 Rewards 36 Protecting yourself 148 The fine print 62 Credit card miscellany 364 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 3 Print Email Emily's list : Visa chip cards and observations from Canada Emily Starbuck Gerson August 12, 2011 Living with credit We've written many times about the fact that credit card issuers in the United States have shied away from using chip-embedded cards . These Europay , MasterCard and Visa EMV chip cards offer an additional layer of security and have become the standard in Europe , Canada and increasingly more countries . Visa , which once refused to get on board with implementing chip technology , has fortunately changed its mind . An announcement was made this

  • Data breach déjà vu

    Updated: 2011-08-31 16:20:48
    Living with credit 401 New , interesting products 91 Research , regulation , industry reports 223 Rewards 36 Protecting yourself 149 The fine print 63 Credit card miscellany 366 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 3 Print Email Data breach déjà vu Jeremy Simon August 23, 2011 Protecting yourself For the second time this year , my credit card's security has been compromised . Back in January , I learned that my credit card was reported stolen by FIA Card Services a Bank of America subsidiary after I got an email notification from the AAA Texas credit monitoring service about a change to my credit report . At that time , when I called the bank , they confirmed that I was among a group of cardholders who had their information possibly exposed due to transactions at an unnamed merchant . They

  • Does Bo know banking? Not sure, but he sure knows marketing

    Updated: 2011-08-31 16:20:48
    Does legendary pro athlete Bo Jackson know banking? A recent profile on LostLettermen.com reveals the 48-year-old former NFL and MLB player is a co-owner and director at a small community bank in suburban Chicago. What he does bring to the table is his popularity and marketing appeal as a pitchman. The bank's website features a prominent picture of Jackson. Smart move.It's risky business opening a bank in the kind of economic climate we have today. Banks larger than Burr Ridge fail every week. But then, they don't know Bo!

  • My "data breach" blog travels to a distant nebula

    Updated: 2011-08-31 16:20:48
    I may be stuck to my seat here in Austin, Texas, during the record-breaking heat (we tied a record high at 112 degrees on Sunday -- and I was at a hot sauce festival in that heat), but at least my blog post can soar into the cool expanse of outer space. Stumble Forward chose my blog post, "Data breach deja vu," for the latest Carnival of Personal Finance, which collects interesting money-related blog posts from around the Web. The carnival host has chosen the theme "The Universe Edition" for this weekly installment.

  • Today's slightly easier credit may be just a mirage

    Updated: 2011-08-31 16:20:48
    The U.S. economy's problems could make it harder for you to get a credit card, according to one chief economist. If you recently applied for a new credit card, you may have found the bank was more likely to grant your request. And you weren't the only one: A recent pair of reports from the Federal Reserve showed that consumers opened 10 million more credit card accounts in the second quarter of this year (April to June) as banks became more willing to approve borrowers for new credit. But even if you're celebrating now, don't expect the party to last.

  • Getting a rental car? Watch for toll charges charged to your credit card

    Updated: 2011-08-31 16:20:48
    I got an expected but still surprising reminder this week of the South Florida vacation I took a month ago. It was a $7 charge on my credit card for tolls on the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike.Rental car companies should warn customers that automated toll plazas may be encountered in a city and that those charges, plus administrative fees from both the toll collector and the rental car company, will be billed to the credit card. Had I been given a heads up by the car company, I would have taken steps to avoid the toll road. There are alternative routes that take longer but avoid the tolls.

  • Colorado medical marijuana faces more banking hurdles

    Updated: 2011-08-31 16:20:48
    Imagine if your neighborhood pharmacy could only accept cash because it wasn't allowed to open a checking account and had to pay exorbitant fees on credit card transactions. Same with your favorite spa or local health food store. All perfectly legitimate businesses. All coping with an unendling string of banking bad dreams. That's what medical marijuana dispensaries in Colorado have repeatedly faced. Colorado voters legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes in 2000, and since that time, dispensaries have flourished.

  • Spending for back to school? Check out nail salons, tattoo parlors and kids' closets

    Updated: 2011-08-31 16:20:48
    How much are you spending on back-to-school supplies or clothes for your children this year? I haven't set up a budget, but being the frugal mom that I am, I'm hoping it's as little as possible. My teenage daughter, however, may have different thoughts about this. With her, cost is often an afterthought. A Capital One survey released this week found teens and parents have vastly different views of how much school supplies cost. Only 41 percent of the teens surveyed said they expect their parents to spend more than $100 shopping for school, but 68 percent of parents expect they will spend more than $100. To me, that says teens often don't have a clue about how much things cost today.

  • Emily's list: Credit card tipping and tip-jar etiquette

    Updated: 2011-08-31 16:20:48
    : Living with credit 401 New , interesting products 91 Research , regulation , industry reports 223 Rewards 36 Protecting yourself 149 The fine print 63 Credit card miscellany 366 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 3 Print Email Emily's list : Credit card tipping and tip-jar etiquette Emily Starbuck Gerson August 26, 2011 Living with credit The other day , some friends and I were debating whether you should tip at a casual sandwich shop . Many restaurants here in Austin have old-fashioned tip jars , but since so many people use plastic , the credit card receipts also have a line for adding a tip . I think this makes it feel almost impolite not to tip . Then again , do I really want to give 2 to the guy who just made my easy sandwich without making eye contact or talking to me Lately ,

  • Credit Card Abuse Uncovered At Richmond, VA Parks and Recreation

    Updated: 2011-08-31 07:53:22
    , Credit Card Abuse Uncovered At Richmond , VA Parks and Recreation by Mindy Matter on August 30, 2011 The Richmond , VA Parks and Recreation Department has come under fire for the results of an internally-ordered financial audit . In the wake of a scandalous departure of the previous director , the new management requested the audit . The former director resigned over outrage at a desk purchase for 37,000 in tax-supported dollars . The audit showed some issues in credit card usage , particularly with Sam’s Club credit cards Items like gift cards and DVDs and iPods were purchases and about 45 items among the 900 purchases studied were not able to be tracked . down The mayor is giving the new director , hired just last April , a bit of time to make his own changes and assure the taxpayers

  • Nevada AG: Securitization Fail

    Updated: 2011-08-31 02:49:43
    The Nevada AG is looking to reopen the 2008 AG settlement with BoA: the AG alleges rampant and immediate non-compliance with the settlement. The NYT coverage missed what is arguably the bigger story: the Nevada AG came out and alleged...

  • Keeping Up With

    Updated: 2011-08-30 14:39:19
    For those Slips readers who are not regular Bloomberg people, I highly recommend today's bit from Bill Rochelle about the 5th Circuit's recent bankruptcy decisions, and the role of Chief Judge Jones.

  • Mortgage Relief” Company to Repay Consumers 1.8 Million Credit.com News Advice

    Updated: 2011-08-29 15:31:01
    Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Mortgage Relief” Company to Repay Consumers 1.8 Million by Christopher Maag on 08 29 2011 A Miami company that made false promises about its ability to save homeowners from foreclosure was shut down this week by the Federal Trade Commission . Consumers who paid the company between 1,500 and 3,000 apiece , will receive 1.8 million in compensation under a settlement announced last week Homeowners were charged between 1,500 and 3,000 apiece . Truman claimed , falsely , that it helped 90 of it clients to avoid foreclosure , and offered a full money-back guarantee to

  • Why Consumer Credit Card Delinquencies Remain Low Credit.com News Advice

    Updated: 2011-08-27 08:40:59
    Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Why Consumer Credit Card Delinquencies Remain Low by Tom Quinn on 08 26 2011 TransUnion , a national credit reporting agency , recently released findings that show an overwhelming number of people are paying their credit card bills on time and limiting how much they are . charging It may come as a surprise that credit card delinquencies defined as 90 days past due—or more—on a payment are at the lowest level observed in the last 17 years . 160 Given the difficult economic times and high percent of unemployment in the U.S . you may expect quite the opposite—that more

  • Why Consumer Credit Card Delinquencies Remain Low Credit.com News Advice

    Updated: 2011-08-27 00:01:50
    Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Why Consumer Credit Card Delinquencies Remain Low by Tom Quinn on 08 26 2011 TransUnion , a national credit reporting agency , recently released findings that show an overwhelming number of people are paying their credit card bills on time and limiting how much they are . charging It may come as a surprise that credit card delinquencies defined as 90 days past due—or more—on a payment are at the lowest level observed in the last 17 years . 160 Given the difficult economic times and high percent of unemployment in the U.S . you may expect quite the opposite—that more

  • Extra Stern

    Updated: 2011-08-26 19:21:52
    For those of you on the West Coast and others who are not obssessing about the huricane, I give you some further thoughts on the Supreme Court's decision in Stern v. Marshall, this time in the context of the Inkeeper's...

  • Refinancing Malarkey

    Updated: 2011-08-25 12:50:20
    It looks like the Obama Administration is about to endorse some version of the Hubbard-Mayer plan of letting everyone (or at least everyone with an agency mortgage) refinance at today's low rates, regardless of whether they are delinquent or underwater....

  • Your Government Prefers Chapter 13

    Updated: 2011-08-25 10:57:00
    Today, I went looking for the court costs payable by chapter 13 debtors who wants to convert their cases to chapter 7. I admit that like many Americans my starting point was Google. I quickly landed here, at the Bankruptcy...

  • Defies Credulity Eupdate

    Updated: 2011-08-25 04:25:37
    Bad news: Eupdate is back. The last big fix to the European debt crisis, quietly unraveling since its announcement on July 21, is loudly imploding over collateral. Turns out that Finland, representing less than 2% of the Eurozone package and...

  • A Credit Card Checklist for Natural Disasters Credit.com News Advice

    Updated: 2011-08-24 22:11:14
    Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans A Credit Card Checklist for Natural Disasters by Beverly Blair Harzog on 08 24 2011 Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf coast with 145-mile-an-hour winds on August 29, 2005. Almost six years later , many people are still recovering . And as I write this , Hurricane Irene , hitting the Caribbean hard , is headed toward the East Coast with a predicted landfall along North Carolina this weekend . On Tuesday , an earthquake—a 5.9, no less—hit central Virginia with tremors extending from the Carolinas to New . England The prospect of a natural disaster , whether it’s a hurricane ,

  • Foreclosure Crisis in Europe vs US

    Updated: 2011-08-24 16:38:01
    While European markets have seen increases in mortgage foreclosures, more robust regulatory intervention seems to have kept defaults and foreclosures to much lower levels than we are experiencing in the United States. At the peak of the crisis a year...

  • Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Apply at Credit.com

    Updated: 2011-08-24 13:34:11
    About us Blog Login Free Credit Tools Credit Report Card Get your free credit grade and detailed credit . profile Sign Up Now Log in Identity Risk Score Quickly assess your risk of identity theft for . free Sign Up Now Log in Credit Score Estimator Calculate your estimated credit score in . seconds What's Your Score Compare Credit Cards Credit Cards for Bad Credit Prepaid Cards Secured Cards Student Cards Rewards Cards No Annual Fee Cards Balance Transfer Low Interest Cards Business Cards Cards by Credit Score Excellent Credit 750+ Good Credit 700-749 Fair Credit 650-699 Poor Credit 600-649 Bad Credit Below 599 No Credit Limited Credit Credit Reports Scores Free Trial Credit Score Credit Reports Monitoring Identity Theft Protection FICO Scores Find a Loan Personal Loan Student Loan News

  • Cross Cut Shredders Keep Identity Thieves Very Busy Credit.com News Advice

    Updated: 2011-08-24 13:34:02
    Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Cross Cut Shredders Keep Identity Thieves Very Busy by Mark Frauenfelder on 08 24 2011 In an age when identity thieves are on the lookout for personally identifiable information , we need to be all the more careful about storing and discarding our sensitive documents . I’ve written here before about my decision to go paperless I accomplished this with three : tools 1. A scanner . I got the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 sheetfed document scanner which is a fantastic device that I’ve come to depend on every day since I put it on my desk in the spring of 2010. 2. A digitized

  • Summer's Over

    Updated: 2011-08-24 01:58:09
    And I'm back up on Dealbook, this time about the Greek-Finnish fiasco.

  • Your Social Security Disability Income Is Probably Safe For Now Credit.com News Advice

    Updated: 2011-08-23 14:53:00
    Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Your Social Security Disability Income Is Probably Safe For Now by Gerri Detweiler on 08 23 2011 Is the Social Security Disability Insurance program on a path of self-destruction Thanks to the aging population and high unemployment levels , a record number of Americans are collecting benefits , and the Social Security Board of Trustees is warning that the Disability Income Trust Fund will be exhausted in 2017 unless legislative action is taken . The Social Security Administration’s SSA Disability Insurance DI program paid almost 123 billion in benefits in fiscal year 2010 to more than 10 million workers

  • Wells Fargo Will Charge Some People 3 to Use Their Own Money Credit.com News Advice

    Updated: 2011-08-22 21:31:34
    Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Wells Fargo Will Charge Some People 3 to Use Their Own Money by Christopher Maag on 08 22 2011 If you have a checking account with Wells Fargo , look out : The megabank is about to start charging some customers 3 a month to access their own money . According to a fee schedule the bank recently released customers in Georgia , Oregon , Washington , Nevada and New Mexico will have to pay 3 every month to make purchases using their debit . cards The new fee takes effect starting Oct . 14, and the company describes it as a test . If it creates widespread outrage , that could mean the bank will drop the fee

  • Credit Cards for Bad Credit Apply for Bad Credit Credit Cards at Credit.com

    Updated: 2011-08-05 05:55:30
    About us Blog Login Free Credit Tools Credit Report Card Get your free credit grade and detailed credit . profile Sign Up Now Log in Identity Risk Score Quickly assess your risk of identity theft for . free Sign Up Now Log in Credit Score Estimator Calculate your estimated credit score in . seconds What's Your Score Compare Credit Cards Credit Cards for Bad Credit Prepaid Cards Secured Cards Student Cards Rewards Cards No Annual Fee Cards Balance Transfer Low Interest Cards Business Cards Cards by Credit Score Excellent Credit 750+ Good Credit 700-749 Fair Credit 650-699 Poor Credit 600-649 Bad Credit Below 599 No Credit Limited Credit Credit Reports Scores Free Trial Credit Score Credit Reports Monitoring Identity Theft Protection FICO Scores Find a Loan Personal Loan Student Loan News

  • Prepaid Cards Get Prepaid Credit Cards and Prepaid Debit Cards

    Updated: 2011-08-05 05:55:27
    : About us Blog Login Free Credit Tools Credit Report Card Get your free credit grade and detailed credit . profile Sign Up Now Log in Identity Risk Score Quickly assess your risk of identity theft for . free Sign Up Now Log in Credit Score Estimator Calculate your estimated credit score in . seconds What's Your Score Compare Credit Cards Credit Cards for Bad Credit Prepaid Cards Secured Cards Student Cards Rewards Cards No Annual Fee Cards Balance Transfer Low Interest Cards Business Cards Cards by Credit Score Excellent Credit 750+ Good Credit 700-749 Fair Credit 650-699 Poor Credit 600-649 Bad Credit Below 599 No Credit Limited Credit Credit Reports Scores Free Trial Credit Score Credit Reports Monitoring Identity Theft Protection FICO Scores Find a Loan Personal Loan Student Loan News

Current Feed Items | Previous Months Items

Jul 2011 | Jun 2011 | May 2011 | Apr 2011 | Mar 2011 | Feb 2011