The Truth About Credit Cards.com

Taking a break from credit cards for a minute, I want to talk about general banking strategies that can put more money in your pocket.
A while back I noted that you can lower the APR on your credit cards simply by asking, and low and behold, the same is true for many other things in [...]

Many people seem to be under the impression these days that canceling your credit card will be to the detriment of your credit score.
This has been widely blown out of proportion, to the point where consumers are afraid to close an unused credit card, despite the fact that they may carry a dozen cards.
So let’s [...]

With all the talk about credit card reform lately, I thought it was interesting that fundamental, yet problematic aspects of credit have seemingly been ignored.
Sure two-cycle billing and arbitrary interest-rate increases are on the agenda, but are these issues letting more substantial flaws slip through the cracks?
Take for instance a credit card’s introductory rate, which [...]

If you’ve got a Washington Mutual brand credit card, you can track your credit score on a monthly basis for free.
This also works for Providian cardholders, as WaMu bought them a few years back for many billions of dollars.
Anyways, to view your free score, simply set up/visit your credit card account online and you’ll be [...]

As you probably know, there are three major credit bureaus that each come up with their own value of your credit worthiness.
That’s why most credit reports are so-called tri-merge, because they include data from Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union.
While savvy consumers may know that only the middle of the three credit scores is used in [...]

So tax season is quickly approaching, and with that comes what many would call misleading and predatory offers for tax-related services.
The most recent advertisement I’ve seen is from H&R Block, who is offering to put your tax refund on a prepaid MasterCard debit card via its “H&R Block Emerald Card“.
The first red flag, and clearly [...]

If you’re not willing to lay down the money for a credit report, and you don’t want to deal with the hassle of signing up for and subsequently canceling a so-called free credit report, try the free “Fico Score Estimator.”
The simple program offered by Fair Isaac, the creator the of the Fico score, asks you [...]

So the holidays are finally over, and Valentine’s Day is already starring you in the face.
Unfortunately, many of us are still grappling with credit card debt accrued during the holiday season after buying countless gifts for family and friends.
That can lead to hefty finance charges, especially if you let it ride and don’t pay it [...]

I recently had to contact my credit card issuer’s customer service department to inquire about the expiration date on the promotional APR period tied to one of my credit cards.
After I received my answer, the rep asked if I had anymore questions or needed anything else.
I quickly said no, and just as I was about [...]

With all the hubbub about the recent foreign transaction fee settlement, I thought I’d share a relevant story.
A friend of mine recently opened a Capital One credit card for the sole purpose of using it while traveling abroad to avoid foreign transaction fees.
If you weren’t aware, Capital One and Discover are the only credit cards [...]