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Affinity credit cards are becoming increasingly popular and an increasing number of credit card providers are starting to issue them. If you're not yet familiar with the world of affinity credit cards, it's time to get introduced.
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All too often it seems that we look at credit cards as if they were evil villains lurking in our wallets waiting to bury us in treacherous depths of debt. Sometimes we have to take a moment to remember that credit cards are tools, not entities. It's not the credit cards themselves that are evil -- it's what people do with them that makes the difference between good and bad. There are indeed ways to make your credit cards work for you. Here are some pointers.
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Anyone who knows anything about credit cards and the credit card industry in general know that the credit card companies aren't in business for charity purposes -- they want to make a profit. Unfortunately, many credit card companies make their profits from hidden credit card fees. If you want to be sure that you're not being taken advantage of and that you won't be hit with unexpected credit card fees, these are some things you need to look out for.
Everybody has something called a debt-to-income ratio. When you're born, it's 0. You have no debt and no income. When you're a kid working a part-time job, it's also zero (unless you owe money to mom or dad). How so? Read on...
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If you have a cash emergency in between paydays and your in a pinch, there are dozens of payday loan companies willing to lend you the money you need. Unfortunately, many consumers don't realize that a cash advance from their credit cards is ten times better than any payday loan ever will be. If you've ever considered a payday loan, let me explain why your credit cards are a better choice.
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What do Paris Hilton and Donald Trump have in common? They're both rich and famous and they both have credit cards. But are the credit cards of the rich and famous the same credit cards you and I use? Probably not. If you're wondering what credit cards the rich and famous carry, we have the answers.
As a consumer, you may not worry yourself with the credit card fees merchants are charged every time they swipe your card. These credit card fees, however, do impact you whether you realize it or not. As the credit card companies keep jacking up these fees without rhyme or reason, you, the consumers, are the ones footing the bills.
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I was recently at a website called Zug.com that explained, in detail, how someone was fed up with the way merchants don't really check the signatures on the credit card receipts adequately. They decided to take matters into their own hands and pull a credit card prank. However, in addition to making me giggle a bit, the prank also made me wonder what in the world the cashiers taking credit card payments are thinking.
It used to be that having bad credit credit cards meant paying ridiculous interest rates and outrageous fees. Nowadays, however, bad credit credit cards are taking a turn for the better. If your credit is sub-par and you think there aren't any good credit cards out there for you, you might be surprised.
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I always used to advise people against using their credit cards for car purchases. After all, car loan interest rates are usually way less than a credit card interest rate. However, that's not always the case nowadays. If your credit is less than perfect and you've been thinking about buying a car, you may actually want to look at the interest rate of your credit cards before taking out a car loan.
When someone steals a credit card, you really don't expect them to use it to pay for a donation to a charity. However, they do and when they do, it's for a good reason. Credit card thieves don't donate to charity with stolen cards because of some Robin Hood complex. They do it for a much smarter (if it can be called smart at all) reason.
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When it comes to suspicious activity, I'm usually willing give the credit card company the benefit of the doubt. However, there are some things that just seem to jump out at you and scream scam. If you're currently paying a credit card off that has an introductory interest rate or special interest offer, there are some things you need to know.
Continue reading "Oh The Tricks That Credit Card Companies Play" »