- The Best Cities to Get out of Credit Card Debt – 2017 Edition
Consumers across the country are burdened by credit card debt. A recent report from ValuePenguin found that 38% of U.S. households have credit card debt that they need to pay off. Among households who carry a balance from month to month, the average credit card debt is around $16,048. And those with the lowest net worth… read more…
- How Long Does It Take to Get a Credit Card?
Applying and getting approved for a credit card can be done in minutes but receiving a physical card in the mail typically takes 3 – 10 days. Some credit card issuers will offer instant use of your credit account and… read more…
- How Does Credit Card Interest Work?
When you go shopping for a credit card, one of the most important factors you should consider is the amount of interest you’ll pay on outstanding balances. How is credit card interest calculated? To find out, you need to know… read more…
- How to Avoid Foreign Transaction Fees
Traveling outside of the country doesn’t have to be expensive. There are ways to save on everything from plane tickets and food to hotel accommodations. One easy way to cut costs when you’re abroad is to avoid paying unnecessary fees.… read more…
- What Is Revolving Debt?
All debts aren’t created equal. Many scoring models, including the FICO® scoring model and the VantageScore, distinguish between two types of debt when calculating your credit score. In other words, they treat revolving credit and installment credit accounts differently. If… read more…
- When to Make a Credit Card Payment
When do you pay off your credit card bill? Some people pay their full balances every month by the due date listed on their credit card statements. Others carry a balance from month to month but make the minimum required… read more…
- Thanksgiving by the Numbers
When people think about Thanksgiving, they may imagine an extended family enjoying a feast of turkey, squash, corn and pumpkin pie. That’s certainly a key part of the American tradition, but it doesn’t tell the whole story around the holiday weekend. With… read more…
- Pros and Cons of Credit Card Churning
Many credit cards come with enticing rewards. Some promise to give consumers cash if they spend a certain amount of money within the first few months. Others offer sign-up bonuses in the form of miles or points. To take advantage of… read more…
- How Your Credit Card Utilization Can Affect Your Score
Credit scoring models take multiple factors into account when assessing your credit risk. The FICO® scoring model, for example, looks at your payment history and your credit mix. Another important factor that it considers is your credit card utilization rate.… read more…
- What Is a Good APR?
APR stands for annual percentage rate. The APR on a loan or other debt gives you a more complete picture of how the debt will accumulate than you would get from the interest rate alone. A good APR depends on… read more…
- America’s Most Affordable Travel Destinations
Not everyone can afford to travel. Depending on where you want to go, traveling to a distant land or a tropical beach might require you to cut back on how much you are putting toward savings or even dip into savings marked for another financial goal (as always, it’s best to save up for the… read more…
- Should You Switch to Paperless Billing?
Trying to pay off credit card debt can be stressful. But switching over to paperless billing can make it easier to manage your payments. When you sign up for this service, all of your account information is available online, making… read more…
- The Economics of Disney World
By 2022, one of the telling indicators that the U.S. economy had bounced back after the COVID-19 pandemic was that visits to Disney World had rebounded. American families were visiting the Magic Kingdom again, and spending more on their visits.… read more…
- America’s Best Wine Destinations of 2016
1976 was a year that changed the wine world forever. On a spring afternoon in Paris, a British wine merchant brought together a panel of esteemed French sommeliers to hold a blind tasting comparing several French and Californian wines. It was an all but foregone conclusion that the French experts would prefer the French wines.… read more…
- The Economics of Fast Fashion
If you’ve ever popped into a clothing chain for some cheap “retail therapy” you’ve participated in the fast fashion industry. With fast fashion, clothing brands have rejected the seasonal model of dressing in favor of a near-constant stream of new… read more…
- The Most Efficient U.S. Airports
Flying somewhere this holiday season? You won’t be alone. Nearly 1 million flights passed through U.S. airports in November and December last year. With air travel volumes still ascending, 2015 promises more of the same. That means higher ticket prices, longer lines at security and every traveler’s nemesis: overbooked flights. And big crowds are just one reason… read more…
- What Is Debt to Credit Ratio and How to Calculate?
Credit cards can make shopping a breeze. You can go from store to store without carrying cash or accumulating jingling coins. It might seem like these pieces of plastic give you an endless amount of money to spend, but it’s important to remember that… read more…
- Credit Union Credit Cards
If you’re tired of dealing with your bank, you can look for a new one, stuff your money under your mattress or you can try a credit union. If you’ve never considered the last option before, here is some information. Joining a credit… read more…
- What Is a Good Debt-to-Income Ratio?
We all have a sense that more income and less debt are both good things. But what’s the ideal ratio between income and debt? If your debt-to-income ratio is too high, any shock to your income could leave you with… read more…
- Should You Use a Cash Advance to Pay for Closing Costs?
If you’re buying your first home or refinancing your mortgage, you’ll need to make sure you’ve got enough money on hand to seal the deal. Closing costs typically make up between 2% and 5% of the purchase price and they have to be paid before the loan can be finalized. When you don’t have the… read more…
- The Pros and Cons of Paying Rent With a Credit Card
If you normally use your credit card to earn rewards on the things you buy every day, charging your monthly rent payment can be a quick way to rack up even more points or miles. Paying your rent with a… read more…
- The Pros and Cons of Multiple Credit Cards
Is having multiple credit cards a sign of financial savvy or impending financial doom? That’s a tough one to answer, since there are pros and cons to toting more than one card. Let’s review: Find out now: Which credit card… read more…
- Are Debit Cards Safe?
In many ways, debit cards feel like a safer choice than credit cards. For example, you won’t rack up interest with a debit card, and the money comes out of your account right away. However, because they can directly access… read more…
- 5 Ways to Deal With a Financially Irresponsible Spouse
We’ve all heard the statistic that says an increasingly prevalent cause of divorce is financial issues. It takes more than love to keep a marriage intact, and unfortunately, many people don’t realize that until it’s too late. Marriage requires communication and honesty,… read more…
- Should You Co-Sign for Your Child’s Credit Card?
Signing up for a credit card is one of the easiest ways to establish a new credit history when you’re starting from scratch. Getting approved isn’t always easy for college students, however. Thanks to the 2009 CARD Act, young adults… read more…