How to swim with modern financial sharks
Posted on May 27th, 2010
Sometimes people thought that credit cards are likewise sharks. This allegory learn us how to deal with credit cards. We know what to expect, but we look around as unfortunate victims until it happens. Then we complain that we knew what to expect and should have done something to prevent it. Yes, if the credit cards had teeth we would probably call them sharks. The difference is this particular breed of sharks continue to nibble your money until you chewed into financial ruin if you’re not careful.
Let’s take a closer look at several credit card teeth. Often credit card late fees can quickly increase the cost of having your credit card. If this is not enough card company credit can greatly increase your percentage. Read full post…
New credit cards allow for ’speedy shopping’
Posted on September 2nd, 2010
Australian consumers can now get special “speed shopping” credit cards that remove the need to swipe, sign or punch in a PIN.
MasterCard and Visa hope the technology will change the way Aussies shop forever by cutting queues and encouraging people to carry less cash, the Herald Sun reported.
The cards work by allowing shoppers to spend up to $100 by simply placing their plastic on a reader at the checkout.
By putting a cap on the spend value, suppliers say the cards will be unattractive targets for fraudsters and other criminals.
The cards also have smart chips to stop skimming and counterfeits and banks can still detect lost or stolen cards and suspicious buying patterns, the Herald Sun said.
Such news is sure to interest Aussies looking to compare credit cards in search of the best spending options. Read full post…
How Often to Check Your Credit Report?
Posted on August 30th, 2010
Credit Q&A: “How often to check your credit report?”
Credit reporting seems to be all the rage these days, now that a ton of companies have realized how profitable the fear of the unknown can be.
Now don’t get me wrong – staying on top of your credit history is extremely important, especially when it comes time to apply for a credit card or a loan.
But it may have been blown out of proportion just a bit in recent years.
There are a ton of services out there nowadays to keep track of your credit, such as credit monitoring, which tracks it continuously, and free credit reports, which allow you to access your credit report for free for a week or so, before converting into full blown credit monitoring programs.
See credit monitoring vs free credit reports for more on that.
Choosing which is right for you will depend on your unique situation. As I me
So, What’s the Minimum Age for a Credit Card?
Posted on August 29th, 2010
For a while there, it seemed like there was no legal minimum age for a credit card at all. We’ve all heard tales of babies getting credit card applications, and I personally know someone whose young goat got one. (I’m not kidding here).
Things are still nebulous on this front, even in the wake of the infamous Credit CARD Act of 2009, which straightened out a lot of things credit card related. Let’s take a brief gander at the issue.
Well, legally…
Remember the heady days when credit card companies tempted college students with the promise of nectar and ambrosia–that is, beer and pizza–if they’d just sign up?
Online shoppers get chance to buy ‘bargain batts’
Posted on August 28th, 2010
Australian online shoppers have been offered the chance to make huge savings on insulation batts.
Online auction site GraysOnline said yesterday (August 25th) that more than 100,000 bags of insulation batts would be auctioned off at up to 90 per cent below the normal price after Labor’s failed home insulation scheme led to a huge surplus of the product.
According to the Daily Telegraph, packets of 16 batts will be auctioned off for as little as $9 each, meaning that savvy online shoppers could buy enough insulation for a three-bedroom house for under $200.
“A lot of the different companies were caught with the product when the federal government changed their rulings about what they were doing with the scheme,” GraysOnline chief executive Cameron Poolman said. Read full post…