It’s no surprise credit cards have numerous fees, but did you know there are also multiple interest rates? The annual percentage rate (APR) is the interest rate charged by banks on credit cards. When you use a credit card, actions you take are subject to up to five different APRs. You may incur one, all, […]
Cardholders are sometimes surprised to find blank checks appear in the envelope with their monthly credit card statements. Card issuers often refer to these as convenience checks — but the truth is they’re not all that convenient. “The trouble with these convenience checks is that the banks often treat them like a cash advance, which […]
An instant approval credit card provides applicants with an immediate decision on the status of their credit card application — whether it’s an approval or denial. While pretty much all credit cards offer an instant decision, that doesn’t mean everyone who applies gets approved. When you apply for a credit card, there are various requirements […]
Today, American Express® is the largest payments network in the world, but the company wasn’t always a credit card issuer. American Express was founded in 1850 as a freight forwarding company — in other words, a mail delivery company — and used their delivery services to establish trust with consumers. As the years progressed, Amex […]
When you got your first a credit card, it came with a lower limit. Now that you’ve had the card for at least a year and used it responsibly, you feel like it’s time to get a higher credit limit. Only 40% of credit card users have asked for a higher credit limit on one […]
Are you one of those people who avoid credit at all costs just to save yourself from debt? If so, you may see yourself as a wise money manager. But your savvy saving practices may not work in your favor when the time comes to get a credit card or a loan. Oddly enough, having […]
Are you looking for a credit card with plans to carry a balance on it? You’ll want to find one that makes the cost of borrowing that money as low as possible — in other words, you want to get the lowest average annual percentage rate (APR) possible. In simple terms, an APR is the […]
If you have an American Express credit card, you may have been in the awkward situation where you go to use your card to pay but the merchant said it couldn’t accept it. While that may not happen regularly, it can create issues if an Amex card is the only form of payment you typically […]
New to credit? You may have come across secured credit cards in your search for a credit card, but are wondering how they differ from unsecured credit cards and if they’re the right choice for you. In short, they’re quite similar — except that secured credit cards require something called a security deposit, which we’ll […]
If you’re paying a mortgage every month, you may have wondered whether you could use a credit card to pay it in order to earn more points, miles or cashback rewards. It’s a tempting thought. If you’re paying $2,000 a month on your home mortgage, for example, and you have an unlimited points credit card […]
You’re a parent who wants to help your children start building their credit foundation early. Or you’re a credit cardholder who wants to help a friend or family member build or rebuild their credit. How can you, as a cardmember with good credit, help? You can do this two ways — by adding a joint […]
When you pay for purchases online, you may have come across the Visa Checkout option and wonder if it’s worth creating an account. Visa Checkout is an online and mobile payments platform that allows you to enter a username and password at checkout and complete your purchase without requiring you to manually input your credit […]
