Category Archives: Credit Cards Articles

Sound Advice from Unlikely Sources: The Avengers and Credit Card Debt

May 16, 2012   Daniel Murphy   No comments

Last Saturday, I went to see my first superhero movie ever. Yes, you read that right. I have never seen “Superman,” “Spiderman” or any other superhero film. But when my friend invited me to go see “The Avengers,” I figured that there would not be a better superhero movie to start with; it’s chock- full of superheroes, like the Hulk, Iron Man and Captain America. The movie did not disappoint!

But not only is “The Avengers” full of jaw-dropping special effects and hilarious one-liners, it’s also a great source of financial advice. (Thats what we do h

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5 Tips for a Smooth Balance Transfer

May 08, 2012   Daniel Murphy   No comments

Hi Eva,

I have just over $3,000 in debt on my credit card, which has a $4,000 credit limit. I’m thinking of doing a balance transfer to a card that has 0 percent interest for a year. All my debt is from emergency car repairs and other bills when I didn’t have a job.

I have a job now, and it’s my plan to transfer the money over and wipe out the debt well before a year is up. What should I do with my old card? I know it would be bad to close it, but should I make purchases on it every once in a while? Also, since I’ve never done a balance transfer before, do you have any advice for me on what to watch out for? My FICO

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  Tags: Balance Transfer, Transfer

Festival of Frugality #329

April 09, 2012   Daniel Murphy   No comments

The Credit Karma Blog is honored to be hosting this weeks Festival of Frugality. There were lots of posts to pick from. We selected our three favorites out of the bunch, along with 15 other great blog posts. Thanks to all who submitted!

Aloysa presents My Mother Was a Mail-Order Bride posted at My Broken Coin. Though not exactly about frugality, this first in a three-part series will have you enthralled.

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  Tags: Frugality, Frugality 329

Healthy Ways to Pay Medical Bills with Credit

April 03, 2012   Daniel Murphy   No comments

If you’re uninsured and have medical debt, chances are about one in three that you are using a credit card or small loan to pay it off.

Even if you have insurance, these odds are high, according to a March 2012 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among those with private insurance, 27 percent said they were paying off medical debt over time (with a credit card, loan or other payment program). For those with public insurance, such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the number was 28 percent.

There’s no doubt that unexpected medical expenses can upend your finances. But i

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  Tags: Credit

Credit Card Act of 2009 In Review (Part 1)

March 29, 2012   Daniel Murphy   No comments

The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009 represents what is arguably the biggest attempt in history to overhaul credit card industry regulations.

President Obama signed the Credit Card Act in May of 2009. At that time some of the rules went into immediate effect, others kicked in three months later, and all of them were in full force by February of 2010. These include things like how your monthly statement is formatted and the way your card company makes decisions regarding your interest rate.

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  Tags: 2009, Credit Card

Shopping Gimmicks That Make Us All Suckers

March 08, 2012   Daniel Murphy   No comments

Spring cleaning season might get you in the mood to do some spring shopping. After all, you have to refill those recently purged holes in your wardrobe, don’t you?

But before you head to the mall, make sure you’re armed against the tricks retailers use to lure you to buy.

Here’s how to spot them and keep your eyes on your budget.

A tactile experience with an item in a store could induce a sense of ownership, reports SmartMoney. Even more, if you decide to try on an article of clothing, something called the endowment effect could set in. This

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  Tags: Shopping, Shopping Gimmicks
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