Some debt-laden consumers go to extremes to let their credit cards cool off. Quite literally. Some exile their cards in an icy “lock box” in their freezer. It’s believed that in the time it takes the ice to melt, the urge to spend will have passed. That’s usually a fix for someone who can’t easily ...Read More
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — A new report out from the Consumer Federation of America(CFA) leaves a big impression about the U.S. consumer, and it’s not a pleasant one. Americans, it seems, just don’t know much about their credit scores — specifically, how they’re calculated and what impacts them the most. That’s not good news for ...Read More
Most places you shop these days won’t let you out the door without being offered a credit card for additional savings. The way you answer that simple question could cause some pain to your pocketbook and damage your credit score. Credit is there to help and can be a life-saver when you’re in an emergency ...Read More
essence.com Credit card companies can be like a cult—once you fall out of their graces, they never let you back in. These cards offer loopholes back into the club of being a respected, good-credit Samaritan. Comment Disclaimer Comments that contain profane or derogatory language, video links or exceed 200 words will require approval by a ...Read More
I punched in my pin number and pressed “account balance.” In the seconds it took for the machine to spit out the receipt, my stomach churned with anxiety. I was a junior in college, presenting a paper at a conference in Utah. A huge accomplishment, but I wasn’t proud. I was 1,000 miles from home, ...Read More
Bad debt is unnecessary and unsustainable debt. It is unnecessary because it is usually accumulated in the process of buying merchandise not really needed in the first place. It is unsustainable because it usually carries financial charges and interest payments that make it grow exponentially. That’s why it must be cut and eliminated in three ...Read More
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had an exciting free-agency period and added a promising draft class, but I’m not so sure that means Raymond James Stadium will be packed in the 2012 season. Most of you know the history. The Bucs have sold out only two home games in the past two seasons and most of ...Read More
Dear Debt Adviser, I have bad credit with my bank, and I’m making payments on what I owe, but I still have no credit. What credit I have is bad because I am so young, and I have hardly anything in my name. What’s the best way for me to establish credit? -Blair Dear Blair, ...Read More
Q. I have bad credit with my bank, and I’m making payments on what I owe, but I still have no credit. What credit I have is bad because I am so young, and I have hardly anything in my name. What’s the best way for me to establish credit? A. You don’t have bad ...Read More
Dear Debt Adviser: I have bad credit with my bank, and I’m making payments on what I owe, but I still have no credit. What credit I have is bad because I am so young, and I have hardly anything in my name. What’s the best way for me to establish credit? — Blair Dear ...Read More