Posted on January - 16 - 2010

Growing Usage is Changing Prepaid Card Industry

When was the last time you used at a prepaid card to make a purchase? While for some it may have been a while, for others it is a daily occurrence as using prepaid cards have become a growing trend within the United States.

Unlike in the past, prepaid card issuers are much more competitive than every before. Within the last few months we have seem multiple card offers display unique features that my not have been associated with prepaid cards in the past. Even with these new features, these types of payment alternatives are becoming ever increasingly cheaper to use as the fees that are associated with them have dwindled well below what you may have been used to in the past.

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Posted on January - 16 - 2010

Five Reasons NOT to Break Up with Your Backstabbing Credit Card Issuer

If you’re like me, my wife, and most of the credit card users in the United States, you received a little note from your lender in 2009 outlining “simple changes” to your card’s terms and conditions. At my house, our lenders’ contract adjustments included:

• Hiking the interest rate on one card to 33%
• Dropping the credit limit on another card from $5,000 to $2,000
• Reducing cash-back rewards by about half
• Adding fees for frequent-flyer-mile participation
• Canceling one credit line without our prior knowledge

Our reaction to each one of these letters was probably like yours: lots of unprintable cussing, followed by the shredding of at least two platinum cards. However, I remember

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Posted on January - 14 - 2010

Advantages of Business Credit Cards

Business credit cards are one of the tools used by companies nowadays to secure their finances when making huge purchases like inventory and machineries. Instead of cash, a manager or business owner uses this card in its transactions to eliminate the possibility of misplacing the amount if in paper, and to expedite the process of buying products. Business management graduates and analysts believe that this improves the ability of the store to fully manage its funds.

Business credit cards allow employees and management to keep track of their expenditures. It is important for an owner of a business to separate personal expenses from business expenditures.

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Posted on January - 13 - 2010

New Credit Card Rules Mean Fewer Tricks and Traps

By the end of February this year, many of the main provisions of the Credit CARD Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in May of 2009, finally step into effect.

It’s been a long wait. Card issuers have spent the nine months leading up to the enactment of the new credit card rules changing credit terms to skirt the provisions with the most teeth. After a year of credit card interest rate hikes, new and steeper credit card fees, and otherwise tightened terms, you may wonder if the effectiveness of the new credit card law has long since been undermined.

Indeed, while card issuers undoubtedly have succeeded in bolstering their bottom line to a degree, there are still many reasons to breathe a sigh of relief. N

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Posted on January - 13 - 2010

Cash Back Credit Card Considerations

A lot of people want to apply for a cash back credit card. They look for the best kind which gives them the maximum amount of returns. However, no single credit card is a perfect match for all kinds of people. For example, a great credit card for one person might not work well for another. A lot of factors have to be considered when people make their choices.

1. The total amount that you charge to your card per annum – From a financial point of view, a top performing cash back credit card is one that gives back the highest rate of rewards. Although this is the main consideration that is made when getting a card, several other points must also be evaluated other than rewards. S

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