Sometimes the state of our personal finances can make us a little hostile. When you see how much you have lost in your retirement account due to a plunge in the stock market, you may want to throw a chair across the room. When you realize you’ve overdrafted your checking account, you may want to [...]
October 16, 2009
Banks in the United States have certainly had a rough year, amid a slew of high-profile failures, scrutiny from regulators and those angry torch-bearing borrowers congregating outside CEO castles. But some experts predict that domestic lenders could take even more heat, based on what has been already happening to credit card issuers overseas. In the United [...]
October 16, 2009
A new poll by a New York fraud prevention company reminded me of a cell phone call I got from my credit card company once. No. It wasn’t a debt collection call. An automated voice said they were calling to alert me to some unusual activity on my Visa card. As it turns out the [...]
October 16, 2009
I heard a song playing on the radio in Austin, Texas, one recent night that brought back memories of the classic blues music that I listened to growing up. Austin singer/songwriter Larry Shannon Hargrove belted out a bluesy tune called “I Need a Bailout” in the style of R&B greats Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Womack and Al Green. (You 20-somethings: [...]
October 16, 2009
As a Web-savvy personal finance editor, I would never be fool enough to fall for the “free trial offers” of Acai berry supplements. But I guess I’m a chump for wrinkle-eliminating-spot-fading-luminous-glow-dead-cell-removing facial products. I mean, did you see the before-and-after photos? Wow. Yet another testament to the power of Photoshop. And that’s exactly how I got [...]
October 16, 2009
In the November 2009 issue of Consumer Reports magazine, they had a rundown of “credit cards worth keeping.” This is an especially useful list now that terms are changing and many of us are considering moving on. Here are Consumer Reports’ picks: Balance-Transfer Cards Consumer Reports likes American Express Clear, PenFEd Visa Platinum and People’s United Bank [...]
October 16, 2009
Let’s play a quick game. Guess by who this comment was made and at whom: These companies “used deceptive language to trick their customers into signing something they thought would save them money.” (WSJ) You might think the party being accused of deceiving consumers with deceptive language was the very same industry that was recently [...]
October 16, 2009
Greetings, MYC readers. There’s a lot of buzz about credit cards this week and so I thought it’s time for another roundup. Here’s what’s in the news: Still Getting Screwed PressofAtlanticCity.com has a reader writing in to complain that, in spite of the new CARD Act, they are still getting jacked around by credit card companies, namely [...]
October 16, 2009
Today, we’ll be taking a look at some essential and interesting links and articles from around the web on the topic of credit cards. With the economy in a rut and new credit card and banking legislation on the horizon, now is an especially important time to be aware of all the news and views [...]
October 16, 2009
The results are in, and according to numerous studies, we’re pissed about our credit cards. We’ve had our credit limits slashed, our rewards cut back, our interest rates hiked and our coffers raided by fees, fees and more fees. Some vindication came in the form of the Credit CARD Act, but for the most part, [...]
October 16, 2009