Fwd: Italian Consumers Pay in Cash, Dislike Credit Cards, Study Says

Italian Consumers Pay in Cash, Dislike Credit Cards, Study Says Italian Consumers Pay in Cash, Dislike Credit Cards, Study Says Bloomberg - Feb. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Italians prefer to pay in cash nine out of 10 times because of ``prejudices and lack of information'' about credit and debit cards, according to a joint study by consumer group Cittadinanzattiva and lender UniCredit SpA. ``We ... Link - Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:14:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: A Free Credit Check that Doesn't Decrease Your Credit Score

A Free Credit Check that Doesn't Decrease Your Credit Score   A Free Credit Check that Doesn't Decrease Your Credit Score Times-Herald - (ARA) - There are a lot of numbers that are important in life, but none quite as influential as your credit score. Having a high credit rating can give you better interest rates on credit cards, car loans and even your mortgage. On the opposite side ... Link - Sat, 23 Feb 2008 16:41:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: Credit-card users get rate shock

Credit-card users get rate shock   Credit-card users get rate shock Baltimore Sun - That benchmark rate on banks' overnight loans to each other is indirectly tied to the monthly rate charged by most credit cards. Card issuers such as Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America -- which became the nation's largest credit-card company with ... Link - Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:09:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: When credit cards put you in jeopardy

When credit cards put you in jeopardy   When credit cards put you in jeopardy CNN - (CNN) -- Americans are drowning in debt. Consumers have racked up more than $2.2 trillion in purchases and cash advances on major credit cards in just the last year. And it's become a habit for them to spend more than they have. The overall credit ... Link - Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:53:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: Credit card rates stay up

Credit card rates stay up   Credit card rates stay up Kansas City Star - That's the question asked by many consumers expecting an immediate break on their credit cards in light of the Fe deral Reserve 's series of short-term interest rate cuts. In fact, some consumers complain that their interest rates are increasing ... Link - Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:53:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: BBL introduces contactless credit cards

BBL introduces contactless credit cards   BBL introduces contactless credit cards Nation - Thailand - The card can be used at Burger King, McDonald's, Sizzler, The Pizza Company, 94 Coffee, Au Bon Pain, Starbucks and Umm! ... Milk. Customers can also use the card at supermarkets, including Gourmet Market in both The Emporium and Siam Paragon and Home ... Link - Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:59:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: Pushing Credit on the College Crowd

Pushing Credit on the College Crowd   Pushing Credit on the College Crowd US News and World Report - On Facebook , Chase hosts a Web page that lets students sign up for its credit cards as well as join the Chase group online. Visa has a partnership with Urban Decay, a makeup company aimed at young women, and has advertised through cellphones. Link - Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:54:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: Australia's credit card bill tops $42b

Australia's credit card bill tops $42b   Australia's credit card bill tops $42b News.com.au - Cut costs : Find a no-fee credit card Tool : Compare credit cards' fees and features More personal finance news in our Money section AUSTRALIA'S credit card bill has continued to grow, hitting a record $42 billion, new figures show. The Reserve Bank ... Link - Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:35:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: Credit card rates stay up - Kansas City Star

Credit card rates stay up - Kansas City Star   Credit card rates stay up - Kansas City Star Credit card rates stay up Kansas City Star, MO - 1 hour ago By PAUL WENSKE That's the question asked by many consumers expecting an immediate break on their credit cards in light of the Federal Reserve's short-term ... Vermonters Push Credit Card Reform WCAX Credit Cards Five Towns Jewish Times Online all 3 news articles Link - Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:49:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: The worst credit card deals in America - MSNBC - SendMeRSS

The worst credit card deals in America - MSNBC - SendMeRSS   The worst credit card deals in America - MSNBC The worst credit card deals in America MSNBC - 2 hours ago The bank, the largest credit card issuer, since its 2006 acquisition of MBNA, says it's all part of its "periodic" review of customer credit risk. ... Hello Rebate Check, Goodbye to Credit-Card Debt Bloomberg all 7 news articles Link - Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:56:27 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: PetSmart offering pet picture credit cards - SendMeRSS

Something for you pet lovers out there.

PetSmart offering pet picture credit cards - SendMeRSS   PetSmart offering pet picture credit cards MSN MoneyCentral - Pet lovers now have a new way to take their furry friends with them, wherever they go. Phoenix-based PetSmart is offering a new Visa card with a picture of the cardholder's pet as the image on the card. The new PetSmart PetPerks Visa card allows ... Link - Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:09:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: A Money-Saving Plan for the Spring Break Clan - SendMeRSS

A Money-Saving Plan for the Spring Break Clan - SendMeRSS   A Money-Saving Plan for the Spring Break Clan MSN MoneyCentral - Credit cards offer a simple way to pay for things quickly, but using a rebate credit card means earning rewards with every swipe. Consider these savings: Shell sent two passionate expert scientists on a 5,000 mile road trip with nothing but a car ... Link - Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:53:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: Ex-Carbon court worker gets house arrest for using computers for ... - SendMeRSS

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned...and with access to a computer. Another reason to watch out for your credit card info, folks.

Ex-Carbon court worker gets house arrest for using computers for ... - SendMeRSS Ex-Carbon court worker gets house arrest for using computers for ... Allentown Morning Call - A former Carbon County Court employee apologized Tuesday for using a courthouse computer and another owned by her mother to exact vengeance on her boyfriend's family by opening credit cards and other accounts in their names. Then, Melissa Sue George ... Link - Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:02:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: More people tap 401(k) accounts for cash - SendMeRSS

More people tap 401(k) accounts for cash - SendMeRSS More people tap 401(k) accounts for cash Boston Globe - But Charlton, a 40-year-old account executive at an Irvine, Calif., trucking company, said he had little choice because he and his wife could not keep up with monthly expenses after American Express reduced the limits on three credit cards. As home ... Link - Tue, 19 Feb 2008 22:08:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: The impact of the credit crunch on British workers - SendMeRSS

The impact of the credit crunch on British workers - SendMeRSS The impact of the credit crunch on British workers World Socialist Web Site - Significant levels of short-term debt—unsecured or secured against property, as well as credit cards—is widespread. Over the last ten years the economy under the Labour government has grown in large part because of consumer spending financed by ... Link - Mon, 18 Feb 2008 04:52:00 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

Fwd: Credit cards loosely tied to Fed rate cuts - SendMeRSS

Credit cards loosely tied to Fed rate cuts - SendMeRSS Credit cards loosely tied to Fed rate cuts Detroit News - WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve's dramatic rate cuts in recent weeks were expected to make it cheaper for consumers to use credit cards. But credit card interest rates remain high and in many cases have even climbed. Bruised by a rise in ... Link - Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:03:00 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

Fwd: Rate cuts no help to credit cards - SendMeRSS

Rate cuts no help to credit cards - SendMeRSS Rate cuts no help to credit cards New York Daily News - The Fed has repeatedly lowered interest rates amid fears of a recession, but that doesn't mean credit card companies are following suit. The Fed cuts are aimed at freeing up credit throughout the economy, but consumer advocates say they haven't had ... Link - Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:33:00 GMT - Feed (2 subs)

Fwd: A family's struggle against great debt - SendMeRSS

A family's struggle against great debt - SendMeRSS A family's struggle against great debt Philadelphia Inquirer - Anthony and Lisa Grande's house stands out in their Levittown neighborhood. "It's the big house," Lisa said when giving directions. The Grandes borrowed more than $100,000 - much of it on credit cards - to double its size four years ago because they ... Link - Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:05:00 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

Fwd: Don't let credit score decide financial path - SendMeRSS

Don't let credit score decide financial path - SendMeRSS Don't let credit score decide financial path Chicago Tribune - I always cancel credit cards I've stopped using, even if closing the accounts hurts my credit score by raising my debt-to-credit ratio. Why keep unneeded accounts open and risk identity theft? I don't follow the advice to split charges evenly among ... Link - Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:19:00 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

Fwd: Six held with 82 fake credit cards - SendMeRSS

Six held with 82 fake credit cards - SendMeRSS Six held with 82 fake credit cards Khaleej Times - MUSCAT — Police in Oman have arrested six Malays, including a woman, and a Thai for possessing fake credit cards, some of which were used to buy gold and electronic goods in the country. A Royal Oman Police (ROP spokesman said "this was among the ... Link - Mon, 18 Feb 2008 04:23:00 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

Fwd: Tip put on credit cards may shortchange servers - SendMeRSS

Tip put on credit cards may shortchange servers - SendMeRSS Tip put on credit cards may shortchange servers Vindicator - Some restaurants expect employees to share in the cost of processing fees. THE RECORD (HACKENSACK N.J.) HACKENSACK, N.J. — Should the restaurant wait staff have to pay its share of the processing fee when the tip is put on a credit card bill? Some ... Link - Mon, 18 Feb 2008 05:06:00 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

Fwd: Credit customers need a bill of rights - SendMeRSS

Credit customers need a bill of rights - SendMeRSS Credit customers need a bill of rights St. Petersburg Times - Despite a decline in interest rates overall, more banks are making up for losses in their mortgage lending by raising rates on credit cards, even for customers who play by the rules. Last month, Bank of America sent some of its card holders letters ... Link - Mon, 18 Feb 2008 05:13:00 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

Fwd: [Common Sense With Credit Cards] Used a Credit Card Abroad? It's Your Mon...

Used a Credit Card Abroad? It's Your Money-Back Moment - Washington Post

Used a Credit Card Abroad? It's Your Money-Back Moment Washington Post, United States - 22 hours ago By Joan Goldwasser If you used a credit card overseas between Feb. 1, 1996, and Nov. 8, 2006, you may be eligible for at least a $25 rebate check from your ...

Link - Sun, 17 Feb 2008 05:10:00 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

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Posted By Keith Adams to Common Sense With Credit Cards at 2/17/2008 07:31:00 PM

Fwd: [Common Sense With Credit Cards] Local bank set to launch a rewards programme...

Local bank set to launch a rewards programme for credit card customers - Cayman Net News

Local bank set to launch a rewards programme for credit card customers Cayman Net News, Cayman Islands - 8 minutes ago Marilyn Galloway, General Manager, Card Services, hailed the programme as one of the Caribbean Region's most comprehensive and far-reaching credit card ...

Link - Mon, 18 Feb 2008 03:23:43 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

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Posted By Keith Adams to Common Sense With Credit Cards at 2/17/2008 07:31:00 PM

Fwd: [Common Sense With Credit Cards] The right card for your spending - The Times...

The right card for your spending - The Times

The right card for your spending The Times, South Africa - 5 hours ago The market research firm Razor's Edge Business Intelligence has done an annual comparison of credit cards for the past three years. ...

Link - Sun, 17 Feb 2008 22:14:49 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

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Posted By Keith Adams to Common Sense With Credit Cards at 2/17/2008 07:31:00 PM

Fwd: [Common Sense With Credit Cards] Debt 101: Surviving the credit card temptati...

Debt 101: Surviving the credit card temptation in college - Shreveport Times

Debt 101: Surviving the credit card temptation in college Shreveport Times, LA - 19 hours ago By Lauren R. Sowell Jennifer Moreau, a fourth-year student at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, knows quite a few people who have looked to credit cards ...

Link - Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:15:33 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

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Posted By Keith Adams to Common Sense With Credit Cards at 2/17/2008 07:31:00 PM

Fwd: [Common Sense With Credit Cards] Merchants want lawmakers to regulate credit-...

Merchants want lawmakers to regulate credit-card fees - BurlingtonFreePress.com

Merchants want lawmakers to regulate credit-card fees BurlingtonFreePress.com, VT - 18 hours ago The state legislation, titled the Vermont Credit Card Disclosure Act of 2008, is being supported by the Washington, DC-based Merchants Payments Coalition ...

Link - Sun, 17 Feb 2008 09:22:35 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

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Posted By Keith Adams to Common Sense With Credit Cards at 2/17/2008 07:31:00 PM

Fwd: [Common Sense With Credit Cards] Thrown out for losing my card - Times Online...

Thrown out for losing my card - Times Online

Thrown out for losing my card Times Online, UK - Feb 16, 2008 Egg, the internet bank, threw out a customer simply because he had previously lost his credit card, according to a leaked e-mail. ...

Link - Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:05:55 GMT - Feed (1 subs)

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Posted By Keith Adams to Common Sense With Credit Cards at 2/17/2008 07:31:00 PM

Fwd: [Common Sense With Credit Cards] Higher rates will keep credit cards profitab...

Higher rates will keep credit cards profitable - Chicago Tribune

Higher rates will keep credit cards profitable Chicago Tribune, United States - 19 hours ago So why are many people's credit cards growing more expensive? Hundreds of thousands of Capital One and Bank of America cardholders have been notified in ... The Democratic Candidates and Your Credit Cards U.S. News & World Report Card Sharks Forbes Consumers Lobby Congress to End Credit Card Abuses Consumer Affairs Jackson Clarion Ledger all 11 news articles

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Posted By Keith Adams to Common Sense With Credit Cards at 2/17/2008 07:31:00 PM

Fwd: [Common Sense With Credit Cards] New travellers' credit-card protection -...

New travellers' credit-card protection - Times Online

New travellers' credit-card protection Times Online, UK - Feb 16, 2008 A landmark decision by the House of Lords means that travellers who use their credit cards to buy goods or services overseas can now hold credit-card ...

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Posted By Keith Adams to Common Sense With Credit Cards at 2/17/2008 07:31:00 PM

Fwd: [Common Sense With Credit Cards] Closing credit cards may or may not affect c...

Closing credit cards may or may not affect credit score

Register-Guard - Answer: Closing out your card accounts probably will lower your credit score temporarily. But if whittling down your stack of credit cards means you'll be better about spending within your means, don't let that small blip stop you. Paying your ...

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Posted By Keith Adams to Common Sense With Credit Cards at 2/17/2008 06:40:00 PM

Using Credit Consolidation Loans To Reduce Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt is more prevalent now than ever before. Credit card companies pursue college students and young adults that are eligible for a credit card and encourage the use of it. Unfortunately, these students and young adults don't always have the necessary financial management skills necessary to keep themselves out of debt. Many college students find themselves thousands of dollars in debt by graduation time. Those who do not learn from their experiences may find themselves as adults in debt with poor credit. One solution for these students and other adults that find themselves drowning in credit card debt is the credit consolidation loan.

It is extremely easy for credit card debt to spiral out of control. You make your minimum payment one month and again the next month, but if you are adding to this debt on a ongoing basis you are going to end up sinking in interest and high payments. People who find themselves in this precarious situation with thousands of dollars in credit card debt will benefit by taking out a credit consolidation loan and using it to pay off their credit cards. They should then close their credit card accounts and request that they are marked with “customer requested account to be closed.”

Credit card balances should first be transferred to the credit card with the lowest interest rate possible. You will then take out a credit consolidation loan with your lender. The loan will be used to pay off your credit card and then you will make monthly payments to pay off the loan. You should close all other accounts accept the card with the lowest interest rate. This card may be kept for emergency situations only such as fixing a broken down car or buying gas when you are stranded. The card should not be used for purchasing new shoes for a party when you just don't have enough cash to buy them with. Frivolous purchases are the easiest way to get into more credit trouble.

Most lenders will ensure that you make timely payments on your credit consolidation loan. If you are even one or two days late they will be sending you letters and making phone calls to you. They will make sure that your payment history with them is very good. This may actually help your credit in the long run. The one downside is that if you have a poor credit rating you are most likely going to have a high interest rate on the loan, but on the other hand, at least you are taking care of your financial situation.