Treated Like a Criminal at Checkout? Don’t Put Up With It
June 9, 2010 – 10:53 am | No Comment

Credit card fraud is a serious issue, and retailers and credit card issuers have enacted a number of measures to help protect your identity and their bottom-lines. But the backlash of tighter security is that …

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Home » Archive by Month

Article Archive for July 2008

5 More Credit Card Myths to Watch Out For!
July 31, 2008 – 6:38 am | 4 Comments

I’ve talked about credit card myths before, but I’ve discovered there are more out there. You may have heard of these, but let’s talk about them and see what you think!
Myth # 1: Your credit …

7 Ways Students Ruin Their Credit
July 31, 2008 – 6:12 am | 2 Comments

We all know college is a lasting experience that stays with us for the rest of our lives – sometimes in ways we wish weren’t the case. In any event, there are seven things college …

Freezing Your Cards and Other Zany Ways to Stop Overspending
July 29, 2008 – 6:57 am | One Comment

Are you spending so much that your credit card is cowering in your wallet? If you are giving your cards such a workout that your accounts are often empty, you need to stop overspending. This …

Forgotten Wedding Gift Solved
July 28, 2008 – 7:07 am | 7 Comments

I’m really on the whole wedding wavelength, if you haven’t noticed. With my friend getting married soon and me being the maid of honor, every little wedding snippet, detail, piece of news, or general industry …

Card Issuers May Know You Better Than You Think
July 27, 2008 – 6:48 am | 4 Comments

Here’s a funny thought: your credit card company is watching you. Ok, perhaps it’s a little more creepy than funny, but you get the point. The fact is, while our signatures don’t really mean squat when it gets right down to it, our pattern of behavior does. What we’re spending money on, how much, and how often can easily raise a red flag to the credit card company.

According to an Amex insider, the fraud and identity theft department have people that sit at a computer scanning transactions all day long. Despite how incredibly boring that sounds on the surface, consider the implications that it carries. Someone somewhere knows exactly what you’re doing and they’re drawing conclusions about you, as well.

Kristy’s Weekly Roundup
July 26, 2008 – 5:39 pm | No Comment

Another week has blown by and I’m left wondering where the year went. Do you realize it’s only five months until Christmas?? Time to start shopping.Ok, so on to this week’s posts. Another fabulous week …

Can the Rich Teach The Rest of Us Anything About Money?
July 26, 2008 – 6:41 am | 3 Comments

If you’re not part of the club, the wealthy can seem a little odd. The outlandish clothes straight from the catwalks, the weird spending habits. While you may love reading all the gossip, what you really should be doing is sitting up and paying attention. Turns out that there are some things that the rich do consistently to make money – gobs of it. Here’s how you can do the same…

10 Tips for Foreign Travel with a Credit Card
July 25, 2008 – 6:54 am | 2 Comments

If you plan to travel the world this summer, it may be a good idea to have your credit card, just in case. If you do take your card, here are 10 tips to make your life a little easier while traveling.

Tip # 1: Expect Fees

While most of us expect this anyway, it’s important to understand that there could be fees. If you’re using an ATM, you’re probably going to get a foreign ATM fee which will vary depending on your card issuer; however, some charge as high as $5 per foreign ATM transaction. In addition to ATM fees, you may get charged for a conversion fee if you’ve had money converted from one currency to another…

How to Make a Budget That You’ll Actually Stick To!
July 24, 2008 – 6:37 am | 3 Comments

Face it: the word “budget” isn’t exactly the sexiest word in financing. It conjures up the images of the 1950s housewife, carefully keeping a list of expenses. It’s also just little bit nerdy – like …

Virtual Credit Card Numbers: A Security Risk?
July 23, 2008 – 2:17 pm | 11 Comments

A friend of mine has a Citibank credit card and has frequently used their virtual credit card number program. For those unfamiliar with the program, essentially, the consumer downloads a free piece of software that generates virtual credit card numbers. The consumer can then assign an expiration date and a set limit to the card. The idea behind the program is that it limits the exposure to your actual credit card information. Instead of using your real credit card information online or over the phone, this allows virtual numbers to be used that are then routed back to your account through Citibank…

How to lend money to Friends without ruining the Friendship
July 22, 2008 – 11:18 am | 5 Comments

It doesn’t matter whether you’re the potential lender or the potential borrower – having a loan between two friends opens the potential for some real problems. Even the best of friends can find their relationship soured once money enters into the equation. The fact remains, though, that sometimes there are people who need money and people who care about them willing to lend it. It may seem cut and dry, but it’s a situation that should be entered into with caution…

401(k) Credit and Debit Cards
July 21, 2008 – 6:20 am | 8 Comments

I’m disgusted. Ok, perhaps that’s a bit harsh. Irritated really isn’t, though.

We got an email at work today saying that our company may participate in this new program that allows debit and credit cards to be issued for 401(k)s – something called ReservePlus. Essentially, if our company signs up for this program, there’s a limit set for how much you want to spend from the account and this becomes the “limit” of the card.

What this boils down to is this card gives employees a different way to access a 401(k) loan…

Kristy’s Weekly Roundup
July 20, 2008 – 1:40 am | 4 Comments

Another week has gone by and it literally feels like only a few days to me. I went and saw ‘The Dark Knight’ last night and if you haven’t seen it, you should! …

10 Tips for Seniors to Get Out of Debt
July 19, 2008 – 12:37 pm | No Comment

If you’ve found yourself in the dubious position of having racked up a ton of credit card debt, you may feel like you don’t have a lot of options. While these tips are specifically geared towards the senior community, anyone can follow them.

Tip # 1: Draw up a financial road map…