Your credit card company always seems to be screwing you over, doesn’t it? They charge you an exorbitant interest rate and then penalize you with fees for being unable to meet your minimum payments. They send you those convenient little cash advance checks and then include the nasty details in print so fine that you can barely even find it. And they supposedly reward you with benefits that you never seem to be able to actually cash in on since there are blackout dates on travel and restrictions on purchases. Aren’t you getting just a little sick of being screwed over by your credit cards? (more…)

Imagine having a conversation with yourself about your credit cards. Does the tone that comes to mind sound angry? Or upset? Are you being mean to yourself because you know that you aren’t as responsible with your credit cards as you could be? Most people have negative feelings about themselves when it comes to their credit cards. Financial problems related to credit card debt are the cause of self-esteem issues, shame and anxiety. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. (more…)

Hopefully you already know all of the reasons that you shouldn’t use those “free” credit card checks that come in the mail. They often have fees associated with them. They convince you to spend money on your credit card that you weren’t planning to spend. And they usually end up causing your budget to go out of whack so that you have difficulty making the payments and start accumulating credit problems. Despite knowing this, do you have problems convincing yourself to just throw those checks away? (more…)

Every once in awhile, you might get information in the mail which says that you are part of a class action law suit as a result of being a credit card holder with a certain company. This is rare but it happens. Whenever a class action lawsuit is filed against a credit card company or a lending institution, all of those people who can be affected by the results of the lawsuit are notified. In general, you don’t have to do anything in order to benefit from the lawsuit. However, you may want to stay abreast of the status of the credit card class action lawsuit in order to make sure that you get any awards that may be coming to you because of it. (more…)

When you get married to someone, you marry their money. This can be a point of contention for many couples because people have such different ways of thinking about money. In cases where couples decide to share checking accounts and credit card accounts, the problems can be exacerbated. However, there are also benefits to sharing your accounts. The decision about whether or not to get a joint credit card account with your spouse is going to depend on the nature of your relationship and the way that you communicate about money matters. (more…)

The late fee gets some people every time. They would be able to pay their credit card bill if it weren’t for the additional fee. Once that extra amount is tacked on, the minimum balance becomes too high and they can’t make the payment. This leads to getting a late fee on the next statement because the amount couldn’t be paid off. It’s a cycle that can perpetuate itself and get out of hand. However, it doesn’t have to get out of control. You do have control over whether or not you acquire late fees on your credit card debt. (more…)

It’s time for Valentine’s and that means that many of us are going to be spending a lot of money. Some people will be making big purchases like engagement rings and lavish weekend getaways. Others will be making smaller purchases that can still add up over the course of the day including flowers and expensive dinners. There’s nothing wrong with treating your sweetie on Valentine’s Day but it doesn’t make sense to go into too much debt over just one day. (more…)

Most people find that it’s a good idea to stick with using just one credit card for every single purchase that they make. This makes it easier to remember how much money was spent. It also keeps billing simple and organized. And there are additional benefits to using one card such as racking up rewards more quickly, protecting yourself from identity theft and only having to keep track of one card when you go out. (more…)

Prepaid credit cards are becoming increasingly popular by consumers who want to have the convenience of a credit card without the risk of running into problems with debt. The way that they work is that you pay for the amount of the card in advance so that you can then use that money later as it’s needed. In terms of how it works when you make a purchase, it’s exactly the same as when you use any other type of credit card. (more…)

Instant approval credit cards are those credit cards which you can apply for online and then receive an immediate answer as to whether or not your application has been accepted. As use of the Internet for credit card applications has become more and more prevalent, the number of instant approval credit cards has gone up considerably. This is mostly a good thing, because it provides a number of benefits to people who are seeking assistance with their financial situation. However, there are some drawbacks associated with instant approval credit cards which you should be aware of when you’re considering making these applications. (more…)