Credit Cards

Warning: Not All 0% Interest Rates Are The Same

May 27, 2013

As consumers, there are certain words and phrases that automatically trigger a positive response in our brains. Advertising agents, Marketers and Sales Representatives  are all very aware of these triggers which is why you see them everywhere. Two of the most popular triggers are: 1. FREE 2. 0% INTEREST I have already covered our obsession [...]

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Is Paying An Annual Fee On A Credit Card Worth It?

March 30, 2013

Like every other question in personal finance, it depends. There are a lot of credit cards with dismal rewards that do not warrant paying an annual fee. At the same time, I have seen numerous credit cards with rewards that more-than justify the annual fee. I’ll actually give you an example of one below. Thanks [...]

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What’s The Best Cash Rewards Credit Card Right Now?

March 26, 2013

I think my blog has become too economics-based recently and it’s downright depressing. So allow me to return to my roots of personal finance. As I have stated in the past, credit cards are a great spending tool, not a borrowing tool. When used correctly, credit cards can be very rewarding. When used incorrectly, credit [...]

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What Happens When I Swipe My Debit Card?

October 25, 2012

I receive a lot of questions via email. Since I’ve been writing about personal finance for (approaching) 2 years now, a lot of the questions I receive are repetitive (I don’t mean this in a bad way). When I see the same question or recognize a similar theme, it means that it’s time for an [...]

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Pilots are the Best Credit Card Salesmen

September 27, 2012

Miss Blinkin and I made a trip to Lake Tahoe last weekend which was absolutely amazing. We were able to capture gorgeous pictures without the aid of Instagram. But as amazing as Nevada/California was, it’s not -paddle boating on the lake- or -eating In n’ Out Burger- that is occupying my mind. Rather it’s the [...]

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Saving Money On Airline Fees: NerdWallet’s Quick Tips

July 23, 2012

Summer has arrived, and that means it’s vacation time! If you’re planning a trip to a far-off destination, you’re in good company. The industry association Airlines for America is predicting a record number of airplane passengers this summer, with an especially noticeable increase in international travel. While that’s great news for the airline industry, it’s [...]

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How To Effectively Use Credit Cards

April 17, 2012

I received a blog comment the other day that wasn’t too favorable. In a “real life” face-to-face situation, I would quickly become defensive and feel the need to justify myself; but in the realm of blogging I don’t have to. Not everything I say is going to resonate with readers. I realize that not everybody [...]

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Credit Scores Are Meaningless…Apparently

December 12, 2011
Thumbnail image for Credit Scores Are Meaningless…Apparently

There are thousands, if not millions, of articles on the web explaining the importance of credit scores. Lenders use them. Insurance agencies use them. Even employers are beginning to view them. My question to these authors is – if credit scores are important – then why does my near-perfect score appear to be meaningless? A [...]

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How To Stop Receiving Credit Card Offers

Thumbnail image for How To Stop Receiving Credit Card Offers November 27, 2011

Think back to when you were 10 years old. An envelope would come in the mail with your name on it. Didn’t matter who it was from, the excitement was still there. There was something about receiving mail that makes a kid feel important. Fast forward 20 years…Complete 180. Now you dread mail. It’s not [...]

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Lesser Known Credit Card Perks

November 9, 2011

Have you ever examined your cell phone bill closely? Over the past few years mine has skyrocketed from $40/month to $93/month. A lot of that increase can be explained by upgrading from a Zach Morris–style 12 lb brick to a sleek do-it-all computer. Another portion of my cell phone bill goes towards cell phone insurance. [...]

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