Nearly eight million other Americans were in the same boat last year. During the recent recession, they couldn’t get a credit card because their credit scores were low enough to be considered too risky for the banks to grant credit.
Keep reading...Last year was rough. Consumers were feeling the pinch financially and cutting back on their spending, but this year is turning out much differently. Although the economy is not as vigorous as some would like to see it, it has recovered sufficiently enough that banks are trying to lure card users back.
Keep reading...Right now, it looks good for prepaid cards. In the wake of the “administrative fees” charged by some banks to make up for their losses due to regulation of interchange fees, many customers headed for credit unions or smaller banks. To entice them back, banks touted the benefits of prepaid cards, which work like debit cards except one can begin building a credit history using the cards, and there’s no “administrative fees.”
Keep reading...Consumers began favoring debit cards over credit cards during the recession in 2008, but now that trend is reversing itself and credit cards are back in favor. Although consumers spent the last couple of years reducing credit card usage, by the second quarter of 2011, they were switching back to credit cards, for several reasons, but essentially returning to pre-recession levels of usage.
Keep reading...Two technologies will be competing for your approval in coming months: EMV technology and chip-and-pin credit card. Both use a microchip inside the card to process and transmit information via a card reader and authenticate the card user. EMV, for Europay, Mastercard, and Visa, is a global standard for integrated circuit cards which offers more security than magnetic strips.
Keep reading...Even when you take into account the applicable fees, there are a number of scenarios where you can still come out ahead with your rewards. Under the right circumstances, it can definitely make sense to pay with a credit card using ChargeSmart to reach that finish line and score your reward faster.
Keep reading...Consumers are attached to their rewards cards because they are rewarding. They feel like they are getting something for nothing. If consumers are using their rewards cards for credit transactions that they would charge anyway, then the rewards they earn are an added benefit. Some people think of rewards points as fun, while others consider them a money saving tool.
Keep reading...Summer is fast approaching and with it come some great credit card offers that you will not be able to resist. Take a closer look now for some great rewards that you can use this summer. You may want to get ready and do some planning for the near future.
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