The credit card market is highly competitive, and options are available for almost everyone. But for those people who haven’t yet earned a sound financial reputation, those options are more limited. Credit card applicants without an established credit rating may be subjected to exorbitant fees and higher interest rates. But everyone has to start somewhere, and having a credit card, even one that’s not the best, and making responsible payments is an excellent way to build good credit. The following information can help anyone select their first credit card.
Secured Credit Cards
The easiest way to earn a credit history and rating is to apply for a secured credit card. Secured credit cards are basically debit cards that function as credit cards, with the cardholder making a deposit into an associated savings account. Alth
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A recent TransUnion study found that the percentage of Americans behind on their mortgage but current on their credit cards increased nearly 55 percent between early 2008 and the third quarter of 2009.
And while the amount of consumers we’re talking about is still relatively small (6.6%), I find the overall trend to be quite compelling. Clearly, consumers are beginning to think differently about the priority of their debts.
When I bought my first home in 2005 (at the peak of the market in my area- grrhh!), it was ingrained in my mind that no matter what, I would always strive to pay my mortgage first. It seemed logical to me that the house would take priority over other debt, and it still does, but a lot more people obviously feel different these days.
I’ve had several conversations with personal friends as they’ve tried to decide if they should keep paying their mortgage or simply walk away while staying current on other debts like their credit cards. In ea
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Recently I needed to rent a moving truck for the weekend and was surprised to find out the company I have gone through in the past had changed their rules and now required all renters to have a credit card and not a debt card in order to rent their trucks. This got me thinking about other instances where you might be in this situation where you only have a debt card, but the company only accepts credit cards. Take for instance renting a car. There are car rental companies out there that will only accept credit cards as payment for renting their cars. After searching around I have found there are also companies that will accept debt cards and even cash as a payment option. If you need to rent a car, but don’t have a credit card this article may be for you.
Some rental companies that allow their customers to use debit cards or cash have other policies in place that will apply, but nevertheless, you can rent a car without a credit card. I
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There are so many rewards cards available today that it can get a bit overwhelming when trying to decide what type of card you need. Some credit cards offer special bonuses to try and make their card more appealing to consumers. If your in the market for a new card or you just want to see what the competition looks like, this article breaks down some of the popular rewards cards based on the type of bonus they offer. There are essentially three categories for bonus offers: Cash Back Bonus Offers, Points Bonus Offers, and Miles Bonus Offers.
Cash Back Bonus Offers
Credit cards that allow you to earn cash back on purchases are becoming more and more available. There are many cash back credit cards on the market today, including several that offer special cash bonuses of up to $100 for new cardholders.
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