Credit card debt is an epidemic in the Western world, most notably in the United States. The combination of large outstanding balances, penalty pricing and late fees often conspires to keep consumers in a vicious cycle. It doesn't help that 74 percent of Americans put holiday gifts on their credit cards, according to a 2006 survey by the Family Credit Counseling Service. |
Thought you couldn't get a rental car if you didn't have a credit card? That's probably what you've heard for years from rental car agents at airports, but it may be getting easier for some travelers to rent a car without a credit card. A CreditCards.com survey of the top rental car companies indicates that nearly all of the companies allow you to rent their vehicles without credit cards. However, it may take some work on your part -- and patience -- to get the vehicles. |
Don't have a credit card or don't want to use one to rent a car? A CreditCards.com survey of the major rental car companies found it's difficult but not impossible to rent a car without plastic. Keep these 12 tips in mind the next time you approach the rental car counter with no plastic in hand. It just might help you avoid a frustrating rental experience. |
During the holidays, you showered your loved ones with gifts, whether you could afford it or not. You would have felt guilty if you couldn't give them what they wanted.That's what a credit card is for, right? Unfortunately, now that the holidays are over and the bills are arriving, your new year may be off to a rough start. According to Consumer Reports, only 65 percent of credit card users predict they will have holiday debt paid off by the end of January. Nineteen percent expect to still be paying off holiday debt in March or later. These sets of articles will help you understand why you keep finding yourself in holiday debt, how to get out of this mess and how to prevent it from happening again next year: |
The holidays bring a flurry of emotions and obligations, and people find it easy to get lost in holiday spirit. You may feel guilty if you can't afford to buy your loved ones what they want, so you put presents on the credit card. Come January, the holiday joy turns into debt regret. It's important to shed this debt quickly, and to learn how to prevent the same troubles next year. Drowning in debt after the holidays is all too common. "It's important to first take a deep breath and realize you're not the only one struggling with looming holiday debt," says Michael Gold, a certified financial planner who works in investments at Wachovia Securities. The average American household is already saddled with debt before holiday spending, so "digging an even bigger hole of debt during the holidays is a major concern for most." |
Federal regulators have taken a first pass at creating rules to stamp out illegal online gambling via credit cards. Judging from the reaction, the Feds came up snake eyes. The rules are an attempt to block online gambling by requiring banks and credit card companies to prevent "illegal" transactions. A public comment period on the rules ended in mid-December, and the reviews were harsh. The payment industry is up in arms, claiming the act is vague and unenforceable, while gamblers feel it is an attack on their personal freedom. |
Hi, I have a delinquent credit card for $10,000 and I want to fix my credit again but I don't want to pay 30.99 percent interest on the card and I don't have 10 grand lying around any more. What should I do? My son has one of those Amex cards and has offered to add me to the account and transfer the balance to it. Should I do it that way? Or should I just wait for it to charge off because it has been delinquent for over a year? |
Credit card customers are awash in choices, able to pick from any number of customized rewards programs, affiliations, fee structures -- even the images decorating the front. But an upstart player is taking on the card network giants, hoping that its innovative features and security -- combined with a deal it hopes merchants can't refuse -- can cut through the noise to find a home in your wallet and on your computer. |
What do you get when you add "contactless" credit abilities to your cell phone? A single device for making calls and credit card purchases. You yak, you wave, you buy. Credit cards that use contactless technology are already becoming familiar to consumers through devices such as the Mobil Speedpass. You make purchases simply by waving such devices in front of contactless readers wherever you find them. Credit issuers want to add the technology to your mobile phone, so you can scan it, too. |
In 2006, I invested and lost $13,000 in an Internet scam. To get the money I got cash advances from credit cards. Now I'm stuck living with my in-laws and am tired of living here. I couldn't afford the interest rate so they put all of my debt in their names. My question is if I get the debt put back in my name and quit paying it, will I have bad credit for the rest of my life? Or what will happen if I file bankruptcy? |
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