Finance Globe

Responding to a pre-approved credit card offer doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily actually get the credit card once you apply. Before you get your hopes up about a great credit card offer, know that you’ll still have to go through the regular qualification process and you could be denied the credit card or approved for one with less attractive terms. The wording is tricky and you’d have to read the fine print on the credit card offer...

A hit 70’s song said breaking up is hard to do. When you have a credit card that no longer benefits you, leaving may not be as tough as you think. Sometimes better credit cards come along and the cards that used to treat you well may not do the same thing any longer. Here are some examples of times you can break up with your credit card issuer. Your credit limit’s been cut. Imagine this...

Even a great credit score isn’t enough to guarantee your credit card application will be approved. It’s true, you can be denied a credit card even if you have excellent credit. That’s because your credit score isn’t the only factor credit card issuers consider when they decide whether to extend credit to you. Your Income/Ability to Repay Up until last year, you could get a credit card even without having your own income as long as...

The saying “It’s too good to be true” is never more evident than with credit card reward programs. Clever marketing makes many credit card reward programs seem like you’re getting a great deal, but there’s typically a catch that you won’t realize unless you dig deeper. Tiered Rewards and Thresholds The tiered reward system is common with cash back rewards credit cards. The cards promote a certain percentage, say 3%, but you only earn that highest...

Many financial problems are either a symptom of or directly caused by bad credit card habits. Getting rid of the worst credit card habits will save you money and help your credit score. Here are nine bad credit card habits you should break before they break you. Not paying attention to your due date. After the Credit CARD Act of 2009, there’s no reason you shouldn’t know your credit card payment due date. Your due date...

A low credit card interest rate is hard to get and easy to lose. If you have a good enough credit history to qualify for a low interest rate, make sure you keep up the good habits required to keep that good rate. Make your payments on time. One of the easiest ways to avoid losing your interest rate is to make your payments on time. Thankfully, the 2009 credit card law gave consumers more leniency...

Credit card billing statements are handled electronically, but that doesn’t mean they’re error free. Billing errors - including uncredited payments or returns, finance charge calculations, and unauthorized charges - are more common than you might think. In a November 2011 report, the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported that credit card billing disputes were the top complaint received from consumers. So, if you’re dealing with a billing error, you’re not the only one. But, before you...

With credit cards, you have a certain amount of time that you can pay your balance in full and avoid paying interest on your credit card balance. That time period is known as the grace period. The Credit CARD Act of 2009 requires grace periods, on credit cards that have them, to be at least 21 days long which gives you have enough time to pay your balance in full and avoid interest. Grace periods vary...

Retail or store-branded credit cards are often the go-to credit card for people who are just starting out with credit or people trying to rebuild a bad credit score. Even if you’re not on the market for a new credit card, you’ll be asked to sign up for some retail card almost every time you go shopping. While sales clerks will try to entice you to apply with promises of 10% to 15% on-the-spot discount, be...

Thanks to the Credit CARD Act of 2009 credit card disclosures are much easier to understand. Credit card issuers mail these disclosures with every credit card offer and the document contains a wealth of information about the credit card pricing. If you’re deciding whether you should take a credit card offer, the credit card disclosure will include much of what you need to know to make a good decision.1. All the interest rates that apply to...