As we told you in September, a woman is suing a debt collector for her husband’s final heart attack and death. [More]
personal finance
Merchants Demand Credit Card Fee Relief
By 12.10.09
Merchants are pushing for more credit card fee reform, for the fees they have to pay. Every time you swipe at checkout, whether it’s a credit or debit card, the merchant has to pay two fees. One is a flat per transaction fee, the other is a percentage of the total sale, called the interchange fee. Those rewards cards you’re so fond of? They have the higest interchange fees. Those rewards and cashbacks don’t come from a magical reward tree, they’re paid for by the interchange fees. In other words, the Quickie Mart is paying for your “free” airline miles. [More]
Personal Finance Roundup
By 12.9.09
The holiday shuffle [The Washington Post] “In the gift card game, the rules keep changing. So do the winners and losers.”
It Pays to Be True to Your School: 5 Ways Your Alma Mater Can Save You Money [Wise Bread] “Alumni associations are doing everything they can to make things better for graduates of their college during this difficult time. Amazingly enough, some of the savings are pretty substantial.”
Personal Finance 101: What Does FDIC Insurance Really Mean? [The Simple Dollar] “What exactly is FDIC insurance? How does it work?”
Give Wisely at Work [The Wall Street Journal] “Be careful when playing Santa at the office. Giving certain gifts could get you in trouble.”
10 creative ways to wrap gift cards [MSN Money] “Does giving a gift card seem cold or impersonal? The trick is all in the presentation. For a few extra bucks, add a personal touch to an otherwise generic package.”
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: RichSeattle)
Gift Idea: A Book About Money
By 12.8.09
Books on managing your money better are an especially apt holiday gift this year. If you need some ideas, Vanguard recommends these 16 books. Mastering your personal finances, the gift that keeps on giving. [More]
Chase Executive Customer Service Drops APR From 26% To 9%
By 12.8.09
Crippled by a high interest rate that ate up his monthly payments with finance charges, reader Eric says he used the patented executive customer service technique on Chase to get his APR reduced from 26% to 9% and 3 months of fees refunded. Here’s his story: [More]
Ooh Shiny: Sears Card Gives Free Credit Scores
By 12.8.09
How would you like a free credit score with not very much baloney? The Sears Card from Citibank gives you just that, with no annual fees. [More]
Reach HSBC Executive Customer Service
By 12.7.09
HSBC Card & Retail Services
James R. Lane
Vice President, Executive Resolutions
831-772-6248
james.r.lane@us.hsbc.com
Quantifying Credit Score Killers
By 12.5.09
Whenever “credit score experts” give advice, you rarely hear hard numbers. They are eager to advise keeping your credit utilization low or how you shouldn’t apply for too much credit, but can never tell you how much it helps or hurts.
Personal Finance Roundup
By 12.4.09
Six personal finance books with lasting lessons — even for tots [The Washington Post] “A sampler of books for all ages to whet your personal-finance appetite.”
How Divorce Affects Your Social Security (Or Not) [Wall Street Journal] “Here are the general requirements for collecting retirement benefits based on an ex-spouse’s earnings.”
20 Money-Saving Ways to Reuse Old Pantyhose [Wise Bread] “Here are 20 creative ways to repurpose today’s worn out nylon pantyhose, even if you’re not planning to rob a bank.”
How to give when the giving gets tough [CNN Money] “13 creative ways to maximize your charitable impact without writing a huge check.”
10 Tips for Selling Your Home in the Sluggish Winter Months [US News] “What you need to know to sell your home in the off-season.”
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: Mike Rollerson)
Pay Off $50k In Debt On A $20k Salary In 10 Steps And 5 Years
By 12.4.09
This 30-year old receptionist and single mother of 3 climbed out of a $50,000 debt hole in 5 years using these 10 steps. [More]
Sears Solution MasterCard Gives Free Credit Scores, But Has Annual Fee
By 12.2.09
The Wallet blog has a cool tip about a credit card that give free TransUnion FICO credit scores. Sweet! Closer inspection reveals it’s not such a good deal, unless you have stellar credit history. [More]
Slothful Home Loan Modifiers Earn More Money When You're Delinquent
By 11.30.09
With a rising wave of foreclosures looming, the Treasury is stepping up pressure on lenders to finish modifying home loans and to pick up the pace. Potentially exacerbating the problem is that many loans are held by servicers whose fees increase the longer borrowers remain in default. [More]
Mint Upselling To "Free"CreditReport.com
By 11.23.09
It didn’t take long for Intuit to start ruining a great product. They’ve begun upselling Mint.com customers to two “free” credit report sites that are anything but. UPDATE: Turns out Mint was already doing this pre-Intuit. Bully for them.
JP Morgan Chase Yanks Mandatory Binding Arbitration Clause From Credit Card Contracts
By 11.20.09
In response to legal and political pressure, JP Morgan Chase is removing the mandatory binding arbitration clause from its credit card contracts. Customers will receive a new member agreement reflecting the change first quarter 2010.
Personal Finance Roundup
By 11.18.09
10 secrets of off-season homebuying [MSN Money] “With the housing market in its sluggish months, savvy buyers can squeeze out some nice deals. But first you’ll need to do your homework.”
Newly Frugal Behavior Is Permanent, Say Some Consumers
By 11.12.09
A new study says that 26% of US consumers “have no plans to return to their free-spending ways,” which probably doesn’t sound like good news to retailers. Even worse (for retailers), about a third say they’ve become less loyal.
Checklist Your Way To Thanksgiving Success
By 11.12.09
It’s time to get ready for Thanksgiving. Stay in budget and manage your time effectively with ShelterPop’s pre-Turkey Day checklist. What do you do around your house to prepare?
