Recently a huge arrangement involving selling of names and addresses of students and former students to credit card companies – in exchange for big financial kickbacks – came to light. What surprised everyone is that it is not criminal hackers doing the selling, but it is the prestigious schools themselves. What it means is that if a child of yours is going to one of the nation’s institutions of higher learning – including some of the most elite colleges

(more...)

Although it is does not have the population centers and metropolitan cities of other more prominent states, the rather rural and down-to-earth state of Vermont often leads the way when it comes to progressive legislation. The state has done again, by recently passing new laws that will make it easier for merchants that accept credit cards to give their customers discounts for not using those cards. That may seem rather contradictory or self-defeating, because retailers usually lo

(more...)

In this day and age of sophisticated telecommunications, online media, and almost constant video surveillance, most consumers are concerned about infringements upon their right to privacy. But now there is mounting evidence that your own credit card company – which is usually on the same side as you when it comes to protection of your identity and financial records – may be intentionally tracking your purchase activity to generate a special consumer credit profile on

(more...)

If you are like most credit card owners who frequently reach for your plastic when paying for purchases, you have probably been asked – at least from time to time – to present a valid form of identification along with the card. Most consumers have no objection to this requirement, because they assume it is for their own protection to prevent an imposter from fraudulently using their card. But many consumer advocates do have a problem with this common practice. That&

(more...)

Especially during the busy summer travel and vacation season, lots of credit card consumers will be faced with an often-perplexing question or choice. Should they go ahead and pay extra for auto insurance when renting a car, or decline it and hope that they are covered by their credit card membership’s insurance program? Sometimes the cost of a daily rental car insurance premium is a huge additional expense that can escalate the cost of auto rentals into the str

(more...)

We all know by now – after feeling the negative impact of the recession, the credit crunch, and the high rates of unemployment – that it pays to be smart about how we use credit and manage our levels of debt. Right before the worst of the global recession and credit crisis hit, for example, the average American consumer was carrying such a large burden of debt that he or she was actually earning less each month that was being spent. You cannot continue to

(more...)

A bank that created a rewards card that was named “The Best Credit Card if You Want Travel Perks” by the widely read and popular magazine Kiplinger's Personal Finance is celebrating its first anniversary. U.S. Bank launched the FlexPerks Travel Rewards Visa Signature credit card a year ago, and the new card was really well received and successful – which explains why Kiplinger’s rated the card so highly. FlexPerks cardholders, for example, redeemed more th

(more...)

2010 is a year full of technological surprises and innovations, from new types of electronic book readers and Internet-enabled cell phones to the fast-selling Apple iPad computer device. Meanwhile social networking is occupying the time of hundreds of millions of people of all ages. People are constantly using devices and sites like Twitter and Facebook to connect or reconnect with friends, do business networking, post blogs or videos, keep up with their celebrity icons, or just

(more...)

Banks are still under pressure from Capitol Hill when it comes to charging high fees on credit cards, but this time it is not about fees and rates that you pay as a cardholder. Now the attention has shifted to dealing with the way credit card merchants – those retailers who accept plastic as payment from customers like you – are being treated by the credit card companies. Each time a merchant at a store, restaurant, hotel, or other business swipes your card they gets

(more...)

In response to new and more stringent regulations regarding consumer protection, credit card companies have unveiled a whole range of new card features that are intended to help you manage your money and track your expenses. Some of these cards – like Chase Freedom, to name just one – are pretty helpful, especially if you have a hard time keeping up with your monthly purchases, sticking to a budget, or figuring out exactly what is the best way to quickly and effective

(more...)