Emily's list: first-time homebuyer edition
Updated: 2012-01-31 21:57:46
: Living with credit 427 New , interesting products 99 Research , regulation , industry reports 233 Rewards 40 Protecting yourself 163 The fine print 71 Credit card miscellany 375 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 4 Print Email Emily's list : first-time homebuyer edition Emily Starbuck Gerson January 6, 2012 Living with credit It's a buyer's market in the world of real estate right now , and many of my late-20s peers are itching to snatch up a house with prices and interest rates so low . But most of us either don't have enough savings or enough credit history to qualify . According to data from the National Association of Realtors , that means that first-time homebuyers are becoming rarer in the market , and those who do buy are turning to their parents for . help First-time home
Jan. 20 is Inauguration Day in the United States. One year from now, will President Barack Obama still be in office, or will we be watching a new Republican candidate sworn in? While incumbents are usually favored, who knows what will happen this time next year.
Read on for my list of 10 of my favorite personal finance blog posts I found in the past week.
When it comes to financial decisions, are you more like Captain Kirk or Mr. Spock? If you make decisions based on gut feeling, you and James T. Kirk share a lot in common. On the other hand, if logic powers your financial moves, perhaps you have some Vulcan blood coursing through your veins. And that brings us to "debt account aversion."
Suze Orman came out with her own debit card this week, called the Approved Card. It's received a lot of attention -- not all of it positive. Some people are aghast that a personal finance expert would push her own product to her loyal following. I have no problem with that. I don't even mind her making lots of money on it. But it had better be a good deal at the same time.
: Living with credit 429 New , interesting products 100 Research , regulation , industry reports 233 Rewards 41 Protecting yourself 163 The fine print 71 Credit card miscellany 375 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 4 Print Email Emily's list : Too reliant on plastic edition Emily Starbuck Gerson January 27, 2012 Living with credit Earlier this week , I went to run an errand during lunchtime and stopped at a small neighborhood gas station . I swiped my credit card , entered my ZIP code and waited . Eventually , I was told there was a network error . I looked up , and people at the other pumps had puzzled looks on their face . The station had a small kiosk with a cashier rather than a store . I saw a man yelling at the cashier . He was upset that he had swiped his card only to get an
This week I've been reading "Spontaneous Happiness" by Dr. Andrew Weil, a book in which he explores what happiness is on a cultural, personal, and biological/chemical level. I'm amazed to realize that nearly all of his recommendations for achieving more contentment are free. So many people seem to be stressed out by money problems and debt, but there are so many ways to reduce this anxietywithout spending any extra money. Read on for a list of some of his free strategies, plus my roundup of my top 10 favorite personal finance blog posts from the past week. 
My friend says, "No Thanks," to request to share information on Citi's ThankYou Point Sharing app. Reaping the benefits of Citi's new rewards sharing program may not be as easy as it appears. Arm twisting may be necessary if none of my friends have that rewards card or any rewards points to share with me.And who among my friends is going to be want give up their hard-earned rewards so that I can buy a tent or go on a cruise?
The irony of it all. Financial personality Suze Orman's new and controversial prepaid Approved card has a glitch that few in the media have reported on: In order to load the card with your money, you need to already have another form of plastic.
Her prepaid Approved card has generated gobs of press and decidedly mixed reviews, mostly over its fair-to-middling fee structure.
But this one aspect of the orange-hued celebrity's purple-hued card really bugs me: the discussion of whether it may help those with no bank account (aka "the unbanked") get a credit score. If you have to have a card to get the card, it's highly likely you're already "banked" and the point is moot.
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 How Much Do Inquiries Affect Your Credit Scores by Gerri Detweiler on 01 31 2012 How do inquiries affect your credit scores That’s a question I recently posed to Tom Quinn on my radio show Talk Credit Radio Tom’s a credit scoring expert with many years of experience , including helping to develop , launch and grow MyFICO.com . He also contributes to Credit.com’s blog . Here is an excerpt from that . interview Article : How Credit Card Balances Impact Your Score Gerri : Fact or fiction Every time
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 Cash Back Business Credit Card For Fair Credit by Beverly Blair Harzog on 01 31 2012 There are always plenty of small business credit cards available for those with excellent credit . Hey , even if you have only good” credit , you’ve got options . But fair , or average , credit is like the Bermuda Triangle of credit scores . There are few decent options and it’s almost like you don’t exist in the eyes of credit card . issuers I just reviewed the Capital One Spark Classic for Business which is
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 What Should You Consider With a Cash Back Credit Card by Credit.com on 01 30 2012 If you’re in the market for a new credit card and your credit is generally in good shape , you might be thinking about whether to seek out a credit card with cash back . rewards But not all cash back credit cards are created equal , therefore you should carefully consider a number of factors before settling on any one new . account Credit Card : Review Best Cash Back Credit Card Right Now One of the first things you
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 More Banks Offering Clearer Credit Card Agreements by Credit.com on 01 28 2012 Consumers may soon find that it’s easier to understand the agreements they sign when opening new checking accounts or credit cards as many major financial institutions are now taking serious strides toward clarifying and shortening these . documents Many of the nation’s largest banks are now introducing simpler credit card agreements so that it’s easier for consumers to understand the accounts they will be opening ,
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 More Consumers Paying Down Debt by Credit.com on 01 30 2012 The recent recession drastically changed the way consumers felt about and handled their outstanding debts , and the renewed attention to paying down their balances was reflected in the drops in loan delinquency over the course of 2011. Consumers not only continued to cut their outstanding debt , but also made more conscientious efforts to make on-time payments last year , according to the latest National Credit Trends Report from the
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 Use a Low APR Card to Consolidate Debt by Credit.com on 01 29 2012 If you have a lot of credit card debt spread across a number of different accounts , you might be thinking about whether you should consolidate those balances onto one . card The benefits of doing so are obvious . First , you’ll essentially be taking the number of payments you have to worry about making every month and condensing it to just one , reducing the risk that one gets lost in the shuffle and reducing the risk that you’d
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 Is Your Health Insurer Ruining Your Credit by Mark Rukavina on 01 30 2012 If you have ever puzzled over a hospital or doctor bill and whether you are supposed to pay it , then join the ranks of millions of Americans equally confused by medical bills . One national study found that 40 of American adults do not understand these bills well enough to know why they owe the outstanding balance or if it is . correct Other studies , including those by the American Medical Association , have revealed that
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 Mark Rukavina Is Your Health Insurer Ruining Your Credit by Mark Rukavina on 01 30 2012 If you have ever puzzled over a hospital or doctor bill and whether you are supposed to pay it , then 0 comments by Mark Rukavina on 01 30 2012 Mark Rukavina holds an MBA from Babson College and serves as director of The Access Project , a national research and advocacy organization . He is a recognized expert on healthcare affordability and medical debt . Mark has testified before U.S . Congressional
: , , Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 Credit.com in the News : Credit Trends , Cards for the Unbanked , Rebuilding Credit by Tim Langevin on 01 27 2012 What went on in the week of consumer credit So glad you asked . In addition to their regular contributions to the Credit.com blog , Credit.com’s credit and debt experts regularly offer their advice and commentary on the state of consumer finance to other media outlets . 160 For even more great advice and insight , we present to you the highlights from this week’s media :
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 BofA Tests Credit Card-Tied Social Couponing by Credit.com on 01 27 2012 A new social couponing plan is being launched by the nation’s largest lender as a means of incentivizing more use of both debit and credit cards Bank of America is currently testing a new program called BankAmeriDeals with its employees in North Carolina , South Carolina and Nevada , according to a report from The Associated Press Currently , the bank has no timetable for rolling the plan out to consumers , but will soon
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 Posts Business owners and ID theft by Emily Peters on 10 03 2005 The Association of Certified Fraud Specialists recently held a conference to discuss new trends in identity theft . The fastest growing 0 comments by Emily Peters on 10 03 2005 Don’t belive the rumors by Emily Peters on 09 29 2005 It’s a common rumor one that simply will not be put to rest the myth : checking your credit data harms your credit 0 comments by Emily Peters on 09 29 2005 Back to school by Emily Peters on 09 29 2005 It’s
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 How Credit Card Balances Impact Your Score by Tom Quinn on 01 27 2012 A reader , Dylan , recently wrote in with a question for us . He has three credit cards and wants to know if it is better results in higher points to carry similar balances across all three cards or to carry a large balance on one of his cards and zero or very low balance on the other two cards . 160 The exact answer depends on the balance and ratios dynamics on Dylan’s credit cards , as well as his overall credit . profile
: Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 Talk Credit Radio : Truth and Myths About Negotiating Debts by Credit.com on 01 27 2012 This week on Talk Credit Radio : Friday January 27, 2012 Tune in to Talk Credit Radio this week with Credit.com’s personal finance expert Gerri Detweiler , live from 4-5 ET 1-2 PT . Ways to listen are listed . below Here’s a quick : quiz True or False : There is a government program created by President Obama that requires credit card companies to work with you to pay off your . debts True or False : Debt
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 Military Student Loan Forgiveness and Discharge Programs by Steve Rhode on 01 26 2012 More and more at GetOutOfDebt.org we are getting questions about how to get your student loans eliminated , forgiven , or discharged if you are in or served in the . military It is absurdly ironic that members of the military can go into harm’s way , fight in combat and yet return home only to struggle to escape the invisible bondage of student loan . debt However , there are some real options that can help you
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 5 Reasons Why Capital One is the Most Searched-For Credit Card by Beverly Blair Harzog on 01 26 2012 In the past month , consumers who were searching for a new credit card on Yahoo typed this phrase most often : Capital One credit card . 8221 Based on our review of Yahoo Search data , they weren’t looking for a specific card from Capital One , they just wanted to see what cards from that bank were available . This tells me that consumers have a good feeling about Capital One . They might end up
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 The Real SOPA Opera Should Be ID Theft by Adam Levin on 01 24 2012 The Stop Online Piracy Act , and its sister legislation in the Senate , the Protect Intellectual Property Act caused quite a stir in Silicon Valley , Hollywood and Washington . The two bills were intended to put a hard stop on theft of intellectual property on the Internet , by means that are controversial in terms of the First Amendment Big players from the overlapping worlds of movies and music pushed for this bill . So did
: Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 Spiraling Credit Card Debt : What’s Your First Step by Beverly Blair Harzog on 01 23 2012 Credit card question : My credit card debt is out of control and I don’t know what to do . What should I do to get my life back : Answer I’ve gotten this question many times over the past few months . Many of you wrote to me after reading Confessions of a Former Credit card-a-holic , which was my own miserable debt . story Related Article : Confessions of a Former Credit Card-a-holic I’m so glad that some
. Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here 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 Getting Married How to Talk About . Money by Philip Cioppa on 01 23 2012 Love is grand But when a couple says I Do , 8221 they could get more than they bargained for if they do not go into their marriage with their eyes wide open regarding the state of each another’s finances . For example , my wife and I married later in life , owing a combined total of 179,000 in secured and unsecured debt . Needless to say , most arguments during the early years of our marriage revolved around money . This
How to Rebuild Your Damaged Credit in 4 Easy Steps 2012 Update by Ben DeMeter on January 12, 2012 Did you damage your credit rating this holiday season If so , then it’s time to get it back on track . Millions of Americans are suffering from reduced credit scores due to overspending and a penchant for holiday credit cards . Although it might be tempting to let that balance linger for a month or two while you pay it off , a low credit score can affect the interest rates on any loans you apply for , and it can even hurt your ability to get financing for a car or home . This year , instead of letting your credit score mire until the spring , start rebuilding it by following these easy . steps 1 Stop spending and start . repaying No matter how you look at them , credit card balances are bad .
How-To Guide to Airline Miles Churning by Ben DeMeter on January 11, 2012 There’s a new dance in town , one that’s earning a few crafty frequent fliers more bonus miles than they can handle . It’s called churning” in reference to the process of making butter , and though it takes some time to memorize the steps once you know the routine you can reap thousands of sweet , morally ambiguous bonus miles for absolutely free . Here’s how to do . it 1 Pick a partner Like any dance , churning always works better with a partner . You can still do it by yourself , but teaming up with your spouse or significant other will double your total earnings and allow both of you to fly together . 2 Make sure your credit ratings are . high When you start churning credit cards , you are going to be putting a
Are Those Sexy Balance Transfers Still a Good Idea by Mindy Matter on January 10, 2012 Are you sitting on a large amount of credit card debt Is the interest rate enormously high If the answer is yes , then you’ve probably thought of transferring your debt to a different credit card with zero interest for a set amount of time . While the experts have different opinions on transfer introductory rates , most agree it is a good idea for most . consumers There are some pitfalls that every consumer should be aware of . First , instead of searching for a new card to transfer the balance to , simply call your current credit card issuer and ask for a lower rate . Be sure to let them know that you are thinking of transferring the balance to a different card . Next , be sure not to close your old