Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Syncing Up Your Credit Cards

Last week I posted about a service called BillGuard. BillGuard scans your credit card bills for questionable transactions so you don't have to. It's a great service. One of the things you do when you set up BillGuard is you connect your credit card(s) to the BillGuard web service. It's straightforward and easy. Once you do that, the magic happens.

I did the same thing yesterday. I connected my Foursquare with my American Express card. Once you do that, when you check in at places that have Foursquare specials, you get automatic credit when you pay with American Express.


Read full story


Thursday, June 16, 2011

5 tips to help you make more room for your debts

Think you've done everything you can to free up more money to pay towards your debts? Think again. Even if you budget carefully every month, the chances are there are areas in which you could cut back to make more room for repaying your debts.

These aren't tips for people who are really struggling with debt (if you are, you should seek expert advice on the help available). But if you're just looking to make your finances a bit more comfortable, the following tips could come in handy.
Switch energy provider

Energy prices have soared in recent years, so now more than ever it pays to keep a close eye on how much you're paying.

Read full story

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Shoppers cool down their credit cards

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — What you make of May same-store sales depends on what you want to see.

Retailers, pointing to a 4.9% gain from year-ago sales, see it as evidence that their business continues to improve. Wall Street sees it as a disappointment, coming in well below the 5.4% they expected. Then there’s the usual snipping among analysts over the weather’s impact and which merchants had the hottest product lines. Read full coverage on May same-store sales.

Read full story

Friday, December 17, 2010

Secured Credit Cards Explained

Most people face two problems when deciding whether or not to get a Secured Credit Card are first, not knowing how to choose one, and two, getting the money to secure a credit card. We'll talk about both of those here.

A lot of people believe that it will be expensive to get a secured credit card, but the truth is you can find secured credit cards that have a secured amount as low as two or three hundred dollars. Keep in mind, that when you receive the card you'll be able to use it right away, so even if you can't afford to spend $300, and you want to use it for expenses, you can do that, after the card arrives. Just remember, to pay it off at the end of the month if you use it to pay your bills.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Secured Credit Cards With No Annual Fee?

Hunting for a secured credit card is only hard if you make it that way. If you have already done the search for one, you're going to find that many of them have fees. The fees are going to vary, depending on the bank that you're going to apply with.

What kind of fees am I going to see?

  • The application fee: Some banks want to get everything out of you. This is where they will charge you just to process your application.
  • Monthly fees: You will get charged each month that you use your card.
  • Annual fee: You're going to be charged each year to use the card, no matter how often that you use it. As long as it's active, you're going to have to pay it.
  • Misc fees: You're going to have your typical fees such as your over the limit fees and more. You're going to have to look at the application to get more information.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Secured Credit Card - A Great Way to Get Started

Everyone is sure looking forward to get hold of his very first credit card. Having your own tiny piece of plastic that can 'make the world go round', as many would call it, could be a very exciting thought. Probably, but before signing up for one, you should make sure you have understood all the responsibilities that comes with it. There are so many forms of credit cards out there, not to mention the many institutions that offer the service. A little research about the different types of credit before jumping in the bandwagon could benefit you greatly. As you acquaint yourself with the world of credit, many would advise you to get a Secured Credit Card before going for any regular credit line.

What is a Secured Credit Card?

Just like other cards, a secured credit card is also a credit instrument issued by the same financial institutions that offer other forms of credit. It is also tied to specific terms that you have to agree on upon signing up, interest rates also apply to it, with minimum amount due in every billing cycle and is established with a specific credit limit. However, unlike most cards, a secured credit card is backed by collateral in the form of funds deposited in a savings or checking account and managed by the card issuer.

Continue reading >>>>

Thursday, March 18, 2010

How Can Secured Credit Cards Help Me?

Are you searching for a credit line to resolve your monetary worries, but, you do not have a credit history to back you up? Then worry no more, because secured credit cards could help you clear up your financial woes without the requirement for a credible credit history. But wait, how do their offers work? What are some essential considerations when looking for a secured credit card? The answers will be provided below.


A secured credit card as was mentioned above is a good option for a person who wants to build his or her own credit history. A lot of people use these cards with the intention to prove their capacity for managing their credit and finances so that eventually they could have a good credit score that will help them be entitled to standard or non-secured credit cards.