Credit Card Smarts

When looking for a credit card, you should consider the fees that might be charged, from annual fees to balance transfer and other fees.

One of the fees that you might not have to worry about, though, is the late fee.

Some credit card issuers are beginning to make their offerings more attractive by waiving certain fees — at least once.

Getting Rid of Late Fees

The new Discover it card features the ability to waive your first late fee.  So, while you might have to pay late fees later, the first time you are late, you won’t have to pay a fee.

The Citi Simplicity credit card is another one that is waiving late fees.  In this case, though, there are no late fees at all.

These cards take away some of the sting for those who forget to pay their bills.  Accidents happen so it’s nice to know there are cards with some flexibility.

In some cases, it might be possible to waive a late fee just by calling your credit card issuer.

If you are a customer who doesn’t have a history of paying late or missing payments, you might have your fee waived just for asking.  Really, you don’t have anything to lose by asking.  Remember to remind the customer service representative that you have been a loyal customer.

Even if your credit card issuer doesn’t have a policy of waiving late fees, you might still be able to save when this type of thing happens. [Read more...]

Chances are that, during the holidays, you are going to be shopping quite a bit.

Most of us make purchases of toys for our kids, gifts for friends and relatives, food for entertaining, and decorations. The spending seems to ramp up during the holiday season.

If you’re going to spend the money anyway, it’s a good idea to make the best of the situation, and take advantage as much as possible.  With the right strategy, you can incorporate smart credit card spending into your holiday budget, and make the most of each dollar spent.

Make Your Purchases with Rewards Cards

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You don’t want to carry cash to pay for everything when you go out, especially if you’re buying something that’s a little more expensive (maybe it’s just me but I hate having to carry too much cash around).

Or maybe you want to be able to buy things online (it’s tough to squeeze your cash into the computer to pay).

Thing is, you don’t have good enough credit to get a credit card to use.

What do you do?

One of the ways that you can work to rebuild your credit score is to make use of a secured credit card.

A secured card can provide you with a jumping-off point for your credit, particularly if you are having trouble qualifying for a more traditional unsecured credit card.

Another popular card you see these days is the prepaid card.

A prepaid card and a secured card can both help you pay for items, in fact they both require money up front.  But they are quite different types of cards.

As you choose which piece of plastic will work best for you, it’s important to understand the difference between a secured credit card and a prepaid debit card.

A Secured Credit Card Versus a Prepaid Debit Card

Secured Credit Card

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