Search Results for: blog credit card facts

Beware of Credit Card Blocking

If you travel frequently, you no doubt have had a run in with a credit card block. Blocking a portion of your available credit is a legal practice used by hotels and rental car companies. They put a hold on anticipated costs that you may incur while staying in a hotel or using a rental car. It is standard practice, but at times it can cause a few headaches. It is good to be aware of credit card blocks to avoid some pitfalls. The two most common both involve your credit limit. The number one hassle with a credit block … Continue reading →

How I Use My Credit Cards to Earn $200+ Each Year

Yesterday I wrote about how I changed my thinking about credit cards and changed my debt status. But in finding spending harmony I didn’t shun credit cards altogether like many financial advisors tout. (Having too many credit cards was never my problem, though. Maxing out the one I did have was.) No, instead I learned how to use credit cards to make them earn for me. Sign Me Up for That Reward Program! For the longest time I couldn’t get a Discover Card because my credit was so bad. (Not only did I have that maxed out balance on my … Continue reading →

Credit Card Facts

Curious to know a little more about your credit card? Maybe you want some fun facts to impress your friends? Let me share some interesting trivia I found out about your wallet’s cards. What do the numbers on your card mean? Let’s break this into some basic parts. The first number indicates the credit card company. MasterCard is always a 5, Visa is 4, Discover is a 6 and American Express is 37. The rest of the numbers indicate the bank issuer and the account number, except with American Express who doesn’t use a bank issuer, the rest of their … Continue reading →

Valentine’s Day Proposalversaries: Facts and Figures

Yes, today is Valentine’s Day, but if you happened to get proposed to on Valentine’s Day then it’s also your Proposalversary. I was curious about how many couple’s get engaged on Valentine’s Day so I tried to find some statistics. I was kind of surprised by what I learned. For one thing, who knew the U.S. Census Bureau kept (sort of) certain statistics of the nature I was looking for? For another, there were at least two other days I hadn’t even considered that were quite popular proposal days. I listed these and all my other revelations below. Did You … Continue reading →

Facts about home invasion And Protecting Your Home and Family.

. It’s seems like the news reports are full of more and more stories of home invasions. There has always been a risk of burglary and most homeowner insurance policies cover the losses of a burglary. Burglars usually hit during the day when everyone is busy and the house is empty. Burglars tend to choose a different house when they see an alarm system, strong locks and doors, and barred windows. Insurance companies will often offer a discount when homeowners have these things in place. A burglar will usually run away if the homeowner should come home or be inside … Continue reading →

Hotel Sticker Shock

Earlier this year, my family took a pre-spring break trip to a popular water park hotel just north of Chicago. We chose a standard room that slept four and included passes to the massive indoor water park. For $119 per night, I thought it was a steal. Unfortunately, by the time taxes and resort fees were added on, the bill for our two-night stay ballooned to more than $300, not including meals or parking. Resort fees can really take a bite out of your vacation budget, regardless of whether you book a summer stay or one in the dead of … Continue reading →

Car Insurance – True or False? – Round Two

How much do you really know about car insurance? This is one of those subjects that can end up costing you a lot of money if you cannot discern the truth from the myths. Do you think you can pick out the facts from the fiction about car insurance? Earlier this year, I wrote a blog that emphasized some of the misinformation about car insurance that tends to travel around the internet. Some of these pieces of incorrect information have been repeated so often that they are starting to almost sound like facts. How much do you know about auto … Continue reading →

Becoming Your Own Financial Expert

Earlier, we talked about finding a financial expert who really speaks your language and who “gets” you and your needs. Well, no one knows you better than you do, right? What better person could you find to trust with all your private information, to keep your best interests at heart, to know what’s important in your life, than you? “But I don’t have a degree in finance,” you might say. “How can I be my own expert?” You are the expert in your life because you are the one living it. You are the only one who knows about those … Continue reading →

No Fees!

Make sure your credit cards are paying YOU and not the other way around. In order to max profits, many credit card companies have a long list of fees they can charge you to use their card. Avoid these fees as much as possible, and instead opt for rewards cards that pay you instead. Shop around for your credit card like any other purchase. There are even vast differences between cards issued by the same company. Make sure you ask the right questions and understand completely the fees and rewards programs offered. The following are some common fees and ways … Continue reading →

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Debt Status: A Lesson in Needs vs. Wants

I am married to Mr. Finance who does not believe in debt. At all. Before we got married I believed a little debt was part of the American way of life. Who didn’t have a balance on their credit card? Wayne didn’t. Never has, never will. Yet, he had a credit card. “But how come you don’t have any debt? What about the things you want? You’ve got all that credit and could buy so much.” “Credit isn’t money, Courtney. If I want something I make sure I have the cash in hand first. I might use my credit card … Continue reading →