6 credit mistakes that can ruin your holidays

A recent 2012 study by USAA of consumers' shopping expectations revealed that there will be less budgeting and more spending this holiday season. "In addition to the decrease in the number of shoppers cutting spending and budgeting,

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is going to remain the cop!

A day after President Barack Obama won a second term -- and consumer rights firebrand Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts won a seat in the Senate -- experts said the election carries one very direct result for credit card holders:  A continuation of the crackdown on lenders and nonfinancial institutions that began in Obama's first term.

Prepaid cards are one of the fastest growing segments of the financial services industry!

Prepaid cards have gotten a bad rap, mostly because of the high (and often obscure) fees many of them charge. Many consumers will recall high-profile stories about the pitfalls of prepaid cards, such as the Kardashian sisters’ prepaid ‘kard,’

Credit card and its advantages in the use of payment

While many are familiar with the risks, few people are aware of the many benefits of using a credit card instead of cash or debit. Here are seven reasons why you might want to reevaluate how you pay for your everyday purchases.
It’s Convenient

The place of you live influences on the use of credits!

Where you live can make a big difference in how you use -- or misuse -- credit, but it's more complicated than just your address.

When credit bureau Experian released its third annual State of Credit report in August 2012, listing average credit scores for municipalities all over the United States,

In the conditions of crisis a fight proceeds for an income!

Seeking new income after federal rules limited fees from overdrafts and debit cards, Wells Fargo (WFC), U.S. Bancorp (USB), and other big banks are pitching short-term, high-cost loans that resemble the payday loans more commonly offered by strip-mall storefront operations.

Using a variety of types of credit can boost your FICO score

That’s a question many consumers are likely facing as balances begin to creep up again post-recession. Although total outstanding credit (revolving debt, including credit cards, plus non-revolving debt, including student loans),

New mobile technology leads to new fraud techniques

What evolves almost faster than technology? Nefarious ways to steal money from people using that technology. The hot new tactics among cyberthieves: QR code fraud, mobile-technology malware and email scams powered by gift cards, not credit cards.

Kaiser Federal Financial Group Announces Third Stock Repurchase Program

Kaiser Federal Financial Group Inc., Covina, Calif., (Nasdaq:KFFG), the holding company for Kaiser Federal Bank, has announced that its board of directors authorized the third stock repurchase program pursuant to which the company intends to repurchase up to 5 percent of its issued and outstanding shares on completion of the second stock repurchase program, or up to approximately 434,732 shares.

Your banker - American Express!

When Kanye West raps about the need to “American Express myself,” it’s a fair bet that he’s not talking about shopping at a Walmart. And yet, defying decades of upscale marketing, American Express (AXP) has partnered with Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) on its newest product, a prepaid debit card, Bluebird, that’s now on sale in 4,000 outlets nationwide.

A little-known credit card service can smooth out travel hazards

You hit a travel snafu, big or small. Maybe you need advice on which shoes to wear for a tour of Athens. Your luggage gets lost in Lithuania. Or you get attacked by a shark in Zanzibar. If you have a credit card with emergency travel assistance, you can summon help with a phone call.

Overview: About Credit Cards MasterCard

The Interbank Card Association was formed by a group of banks, and they initially selected the card name as "Master Charge" in 1966.

The National Retail Federation released its yearly predictions for Halloween spending

Each year, I begin fall with thrifty intentions: My Halloween costume will be creative and home-made. I will not buy candy because no trick-or-treaters come to my apartment anyway.

Credit card use continues to stabilize and posted a 1.88 percent gain from the previous year.

A pair of studies from a leading credit reporting agency shows that credit card use continues to stabilize, especially in parts of the country hit hardest by the recession. Equifax's recent National Consumer Credit Trends Report measured increases in auto loans, student loans, and new credit cards. Meanwhile,

Mortgage Rates Unchanged

Mortgage rates were steady to very slightly higher in most cases on Monday, though some lenders were in slightly better territory than on Friday.

Credit Card Rates may be reduced due to New LIBOR

Credit Card RatesEarlier in the year the London Interbank Offering Rate, or the rate at which banks lend to other banks, was found to be a faulty measure of the actual cost of borrowing.

Lloyds Banking Group established a new bank in London

Lloyds Banking Group has finalised the property arrangements for its Verde divestment programme (and the creation of a new bank) by securing a lease of the 5th floor at 20 Gresham Street, London EC2.

Correcting your credit score!

Your credit score can be a blessing or a curse depending on how good it is. A good credit score will help you to get approved for loans and services. It will also allow you to get a better interest rate on your debt.

M&T Bank profit grows by 60%

M&T Bank Corp. MTB +5.35%   said Wednesday its third-quarter profit increased to $293 million, or $2.17 a share, from $183.1 million, or $1.32 a share, in the year-ago period.

Your financial life and your signature

Legend has it that to make sure it wouldn't be missed, John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence with flamboyance and flair. Today, financial scenarios requiring your signature don't require quite as much bravado as Hancock, but how and what you elect to sign can have serious repercussions on your financial life.

Creative awards for credit card holders

Credit card rewards are getting more creative, offering access to everything from early concert ticket sales to racing your own stock car to tandem sky diving.

Merchandise credit cards present a tempting short-cut to a better rating.

For those with bad credit, catalog credit cards (also known as merchandise credit cards) present a tempting short-cut to a better rating.

Bluebird card: Wal-Mart and American Express teamed up to offer a head-turning payment

This week, the financial and retail giants introduced Bluebird, a prepaid debit card that promises no required minimum balance, no monthly maintenance fees, no annual fees, no activation fees and no overdraft fees.

Bond yields should remain in a low range

Treasuries rose the most in almost two weeks after the International Monetary Fund cut its economic forecasts and said there is an “alarmingly high” risk of a steeper slowdown.

Citi comes to the stock market in India

Citi has become the first international custodian bank to offer securities lending services on the National Stock Exchange in India.

The amount of debt held by households is equal to 85% of GDP

Consumer spending's Economists now expect consumer spending to rise significantly in 2013 propelled by a rebound in consumer borrowing. The high water mark is 3.5% economic growth on the back of a recharged consumer who has repaid debt and is ready to spend once more.

Mortgage Rates Hold 3.25% rates availability

Mortgage rates held steady on Wednesday despite slightly weaker levels in the underlying secondary mortgage market.  Prices of the mortgage-backed securities that most directly affect mortgage rates have held inside very narrow ranges so far this week, building the sense that markets are waiting for guidance from Friday's major employment data. 

Bank of America announced that it would drop its controversial product!

Bank of America announced that it would drop its controversial product intended to backstop consumers when they cannot make a payment on their credit card. The product, known as debt-cancellation, is a type of insurance whereby customers accept a small monthly charge to have their debts reduced, forgiven, or requirement to pay suspended in the event of a job loss or disability.

Discover refund the money to its customers who participated in the above programs from December 2007 to August 2011.

Discover Joins Rivals in Regulatory SettlementsDiscover Financial Services will refund $200 million to customers and pay a $14 million fine as part of a new settlement that targets non-credit card financial marketing. The settlement comes after Capital One settled over a program that sold payment protection insurance to its customers.

Credit Scores Show in Experian Report no consolation

After losing out to Wausau, Wis., in 2011, Minneapolis reclaimed its top spot this year among U.S. cities with the highest credit scores.

What to know about penalty APRs

You may be proud of your low-interest credit card now, but if you’re not careful, that low APR could be jacked up so high it’ll make your head spin.

We study The Best Cash Back Reward Credit Cards

Credit cards have become the preferred method of payment for many people. However, not all credit cards are created equal. Some are better than others and this is usually (though not always) reflected in the relative popularity of any given credit card.

PayPal and Discover combined into a payment network

PayPal credit card industryIt’s no secret that eBay, the owner of online payment service PayPal, wants to take on the credit card industry. The company recently announced a new partnership with retailers such as Home Depot and Starbucks to allow customers to pay for their purchases with their PayPal account.

AAA migration on the technology with a chip-and-PIN

The largest travel organization in the United States is trying to make things a little easier for its credit card users who charge purchases internationally.

Are you thinking about refinancing your mortgage?

With interest rates remaining at all-time lows, home owners are often tempted by stories of reduced interest payments, more favorable loan terms and the ability to obtain thousands of dollars in cash from the equity in their homes. But refinancing your mortgage might not be a good idea. Home owners considering refinancing should first take a look at the pros and cons.

Auto loan and mortgage delinquencies also dropped significantly

Americans keep getting better at paying their credit card bills on time, according to the results of a new Experian study. Researchers reported that the dollar amount of bank credit card accounts over sixty days delinquent fell 21 percent in July 2012 from the same period a year earlier. Auto loan and mortgage delinquencies also dropped significantly over the past year, researchers said.

The joint use of credit cards in the Couple

Many couples have only one truly banked person in the relationship. It may be that only one person works, and another person stays home. Or, in this era of rising student loan bills, only one person puts their name on credit cards and mortgage loans to make it easier to qualify for financing. Other couples might have skeletons in their closet – one person has poor credit from decisions made long ago.

Mortgage Rates Flat To Slightly Higher

Mortgage rates are somewhat higher again today after news out of Europe created market momentum overnight in favor of higher stock prices and higher bond yields.  When bond yields move higher, mortgage rates are generally moving higher as well although today's rates did a fairly good job of holding steady at the prevailing best execution rate of 3.5% for 30yr Fixed Conventional Loans.

Fraud strikes 1 % of credit card transactions

Twice as many credit card fraud cases involve phone or online transactions than retail sales, according to new data from FICO. However, researchers found that sophisticated counterfeit rings have raised the stakes for merchants over the most recent twenty month survey period.

Capital One offering pricing of Secondary Common Stock

Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COF) today announced that it has entered into an underwriting agreement under which selling stockholder ING Bank N.V. has agreed to sell all of its 54,028,086 shares of Capital One common stock pursuant to a previously announced resale offering. 

Chase and MasterCard enhanced small business with credit card

Times are tough for many owners of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at the moment, so anything that helps smooth or improve their working lives is usually very welcome. Perhaps that's why Chase and MasterCard both independently decided to announce enhancements to their small business credit cards in July.
Small business credit cards get better

How to Invest in Gold

While gold has always been an option for diversifying your portfolio, investing in the precious metal is a great way to ensure your financial holdings withstand a fluctuating dollar. Learn more about why investing in gold may be a good choice for you, where to invest, and what to expect.

Mortgage Rates Completely remained in place

Mortgage rates were completely unchanged today despite the 3-day Labor Day weekend.  Historically, there has been a fair amount of volatility between the Friday before Labor Day and the Tuesday after.  The fact that today broke with tradition is a testament to the uncertainty facing markets ahead of several key events later this week and next week.  The Best-Execution rate for Conventional 30-yr Fixed Loans remained unchanged at 3.5%.

Capital One and ING DIRECT conducted a survey teens about work credit cards

As many as one in four American teenagers don't know the difference between a debit card and a credit card, according to a survey commissioned by ING DIRECT USA and its parent company, Capital One. 24 percent of respondents told researchers that they thought spending money with a debit card involved borrowing a bank's money instead of using their own cash.

Your children need in credit cards?

Odds are, your little ones have no idea what a Visa, Discover or MasterCard credit card is, much less know how to use it, right?

Well, if your little one is Suri Cruise, she not only knows how to use a credit card, but she has her very own card with her very own name. At least, that’s what’s being reported today.

Q2 Mortgage Banking Profits surge, during the second quarter of 2012

Mortgage bankers saw their profits surge during the second quarter of 2012, increasing from $1,654 on each loan originated in the first quarter of the year to $2,152. 

Successful's steps boost credit rating of your business

Many small businesses owners rely on their personal credit to secure funding for their work. But savvy owners know that personal credit is just a starting point: Those who work diligently to get and strengthen a commercial credit score put themselves in a better position to secure more credit, lower interest rates and better loan terms.

Credit card completely satisfy users

Americans are happier with their credit cards than they've ever been over the past six years. That's according to the latest J.D. Power and Associates study of consumer satisfaction among credit card customers, released to the general public this month.

Irish Bank finished the six months with losses

Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Limited (IBRC) has reported its interim financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2012.

IBRC reported a biannual operating profit of €359m (not accounting for disposals and provisions), and a loss for the six months of €724m.

Free new offer for restaurants from LevelUp

Boston technology company SCVNGR announced a new pricing plan for merchants using its LevelUp platform that brings the cost of credit card processing to zero. In a statement to reporters, SCVNGR spokesman Seth Priebatsch compared the shift to the decision Google made to charge nothing for use of its search engine. (Google is a strategic investor in SCVNGR.)