Many credit card users are familiar with travel benefits offered by their credit cards including car rental coverage and lost luggage protection. Some credit cards go beyond this level of coverage, providing travel insurance that covers cardholders in the event of unforeseen events, accidents or illnesses.
Whenever you get a new credit card, you might be a little baffled by the long string of numbers. Yes, there are a lot of people with credit cards, and the issuers need to have a variety of numbers in order to make sure every person gets a unique identifying number. But that’s not the only reason. Every one of those numbers on the front of your card (and the three or four on the back) serve a purpose.
You have probably heard of a balance transfer, but how does it work and will it really save you money?
Transferring a balance can provide some relief from that debt keeping you awake at night because you can save interest payments if you transfer your balance to a card with a 0% APR. You will also be able to pay off your debt faster since you will only be paying the actual money owed, rather than the interest charges it’s been accruing.
A store credit card, also commonly referred to as a co-branded credit card, is a credit card that is sponsored by both a retailer and a credit issuer. Aside from providing shoppers with an additional payment method, store cards are commonly intended to enhance the user’s shopping experience while promoting customer loyalty. But should you get one?
The credit card market is very competitive. Card issuers are in heavy competition for your business. As a result, credit card companies are quick to offer perks to win consumers over.
However, not all perks are created equal. In fact, consumers need to take certain steps to ensure those perks don’t turn into expensive financial headaches that cause damage to one’s financial life for years to come.
Not only is the Discover it card great for earning cash back, but it’s also an excellent tool for paying down existing debt due to its 18-month balance transfer offer. With this special financing, you’ll get 0% APR for a year and a half. Plus, you’ll earn cashback rewards on every purchase you make.
The icing on the cake is that this card is absolutely free. You’ll never have to pay an annual fee. Let’s take a closer look at what this card has to offer.
Managing your credit cards can be time consuming, especially if you are in debt. There are a host of moving parts with credit cards, from the interest rate to the due date and annual fees. It can be easy to stumble and miss a payment or be tempted to take out a cash advance in a pinch.
Closing down a credit card will usually hurt your credit score, especially if you’ve had the credit card open for many years. If you no longer want to use a particular credit card, you don’t have to close it down. There are other options out there to prevent you from using the card and accumulating high balances.
Let’s explore why it’s a bad idea to close down your credit card.
It’s that time of year where everyone is talking about the goals they plan to set for the new year. There’s a lot of talk about getting to the gym more and eating less junk food
While all this is well and good there is a three-digit number that may be getting sadly ignored. Not your weight. Your credit score. While you are going to want to keep that number on the scale low you are going to want to get that credit score to gain as much as possible.
It’s no secret that the invention of credit cards completely revolutionized the shopping experience. Now the payment experience is under a revolution of its own. Services such as Apple Pay allow shoppers to save their credit information on their iPhone and use it a payment method. You’ll find that with the availability of services such as Apple Pay and the iCloud keychain, the only thing anyone needs to shop is an iPhone.
If you’re in credit card debt, you are probably all too familiar with how interest works. Any time you leave a balance on a credit card, the credit card issuer charges interest. The interest rate on credit cards can be as high as 15%, so a credit card balance of $500 can easily turn into $1,000 or even higher over time. Before you know it, the debt balance is so high that achieving debt-free status can seem hopeless.
The Discover it
Credit cards can be used for cash just like an ATM. This isn’t what credit cards are traditionally used for though. They allow consumers to buy now and pay later, so many people use them as a line of credit. You can spend as much as you would like on the card, staying within the card’s credit limit, and then must pay back the entire balance in full by a due date established by the credit card company. If you pay anything less than the full balance, interest charges will start to accrue.
Credit cards should not be viewed as a way to access cold hard cash like an ATM. The goal of a credit card is as follows: a bank issues you a line of credit (also known as the card’s credit limit) and you are allowed to use the card to finance various expenditures up to the credit limit. You must pay back all of your expenditures in full on a due date set by the credit card issuer.Â
If you want to hit the road in 2018 and make it your best travel year so far, we have some great suggestions for you. These are our favorite tips on how to maximize your credit card benefits and loyalty program perks while also earning and saving miles and points.
It’s a scary feeling when your credit card is stolen. Think about how much could go wrong. A thief now has the opportunity to charge whatever they want on your card and leave you responsible for footing the bill. It’s a thief’s dream, but a consumer’s worst nightmare.
As soon as you realize your credit card is missing, there are a few actions you should take immediately to limit your liability from any unauthorized purchases that may result from your card falling into the hands of the wrong person.
Applying for a credit card isn’t a difficult process. The major credit card issuers have online applications that can sometimes inform you within minutes if you’ve been approved for the card. But there are some factors to keep in mind when applying to ensure that your credit score doesn’t suffer unnecessarily.
What have you taught your children about credit? Even if you think you have never given them a lesson, you probably have. The way you spend your money, talk about money and live your life in general are absorbed by your little ones. Has your child ever asked you for something and you had to tell them you could not currently afford it. They might even suggest using a credit card as they have likely seen them used to buy things. Your child may be under the impression that a credit card is like free money if you haven’t explained how they work.
It seems like every few months we’re hearing about a new data breach that has compromised our personal information. The Equifax breach from a few years ago, for example, affected nearly half the United States population.
Even though we’d like to think our information is secure, vigilance is crucial. It’s important that you always have a good understanding of what’s on your credit report.
Capital One is making it easy for everyone to stay in the know with CreditWise from Capital One. This service, which is included for free with every Capital One card, you’ll be notified if there are any changes to your credit report. It’s an easy and free way to keep your credit safe.
You’ve probably heard about charge cards and credit cards. While the two terms sound similar, there are plenty of differences. Depending on your financial goals, it’s important to understand these products so you can properly decide which card to select.
Let’s explore the differences and similarities between charge cards and credit cards.
