Posts Tagged ‘credit card management’

Credit Cards: Don’t Be A Sucker

Saturday, January 28th, 2012

Credit Card Failure

Use a credit card like a sucker and you lose.

DON’T BE A SUCKER

Credit cards and the companies that issue them are no better than yesterday’s trash.

Or so it seemed from the information rolling out of both Washington and the news corp for the last several years.

The CARD Act was signed into law in 2009 with many of the changes taking affect the following year.  Along with the Act came a brand new bureau to oversee the laws:  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau changes

In a report on their web site, the CFPB calls the following changes ‘significant’:

  • Jacking up  your interest rates:  not as often.
  • Late fee amounts:  substantially reduced.
  • Over limit fees:  damn near gone.
  • Significant confusion: remains.

Fees and exorbitant interest rates continue to exist.  The companies have to tell us first but it’s  in print so small even my eagle eyed kids can’t read it.

Bottom line: fees are not gone.

Companies are going to make money or cease to exist.

Fact remains:

Use a credit card like a sucker and you lose.

Credit Cards

How to avoid being a sucker:

Only use cards if you can pay them off every month, and you can truly, surely, and verily not be tempted to overspend!

There are internet sites to help you find the best cashback credit cards or cards  with bonuses like 5% cash back on gas, or other extras that might work-for you.

Credit cards can be a useful financial tool.  If you use credit cards wisely, they won’t monstrously devour your life and sanity.

Be wise with credit cards.

Or run from them like the devil himself is after you.

Because he is.

Reader Questions:

Are you afraid of credit cards?  Do you have a reason to be?

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Success: My Search For 5% Cash Back Gas Card!

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

{The is the fourth article in a  series of articles on credit card tips.  These posts cover  many common credit card topics  with action steps you can put to work immediately.}

  1. 5 Steps to Lower Your Cards Interest Rate
  2. Taking Charge of Your Credit Card Debt
  3. Searching for a Rewards Card

Reward Credit Cards

Gas at 4 dollars-now they’re talkin 5 bucks for you Californians….  That’s a huge hit every time you fill up at the gas station.  Almost 80 bucks to fill up my old truck.  Has it hit you yet? I’m sure payin at the pump has taken a chunk out of your paycheck.

Now that the days are getting longer I’ll start biking to work a coupla’ days a week.

Good for my figure, I figure, and good for my billfold!

But for now:

As I have previously written here, I am searching for a gas rewards credit card to  numb the gas pump pain a little.

Think about it. A 5% cash back on gas card makes $4.00 a gallon turn into $3.80.  You may think  20 cents and say, who cares.  I see  $4.00 less every time I  fill-up.

I care-A Lot!  Multiply that times two for my wife’s gas, and it becomes real money in a year.

That’s better than driving across town to save 3 cents a gallon…..

Back to my card search

My rewards card criteria:

  • No annual fee.
  • Reasonable interest rate-not that I care cause I don’t carry a balance-but don’t like gouging….
  • The highest possible percentage back on my gas purchases-the holy grail is 5%.
  • Master Card or Visa-as I frequent gas stations that don’t accept my AMEX Delta Rewards Card.

I have stressed here over and over, don’t use rewards cards or any credit cards:

  • If you can’t pay it off, in full, EVERY MONTH!
  • If you have a spending control issue. Yes you know who you are!
  • If you have a low credit rating and haven’t dealt with the issues involved.

I followed the suggestions of Flexo at Consumerism Commentary, put on my pith helmet, grabbed my walking stick, and jumped into the credit card jungle.  You know the jungle- filled with lions and tigers and bears-oh my!

Success! I found a card that met my criteria: the Pentagon Federal Credit Union Visa gas rewards card.

Bummer, it looks like you have to be an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the USA to qualify.

Success again: Tucked away in the small print…  It seems membership in other organizations also qualified.  One of those is the National Military Family Organization. And they  accept civilian members for $20.oo /year donation.  YESSSS!

A reasonable price for getting my 5% gas card, IMHO…

I jumped through the hoops of joining the NMFO-which was just a couple of keystrokes. Then applied online for my Pen Fed Visa Gas Card.

I’m proud to announce they accepted my application and will be sending me a card ASAP.

I have a video here to show you the steps in my journey.  If you need a similar card check it out-it might save you a little computer time. That’s what I’m here for-to lighten your load, ease your burden, walk a mile in your shoes..(yeah, I know you’re turning green and about to vomit, sorry!)

Let me know if you apply for a similar card or if you have questions about my search.

Contest:

I am having a contest at The Millionaire Nurse Facebook page.  I will be giving two autographed copies of my book, The Millionaire Nurse to those who refer a friend to “Like” my fan page.  Here are the details:

How do you win? Simply invite your friends to become a fan of www.facebook.com/TheMillionaireNurse When they do, they need to write “New Fan – (Your name here)” Then YOU and the NEW fan will be entered to win! Contest ends on April 30th…we can’t wait to see who wins!!!

Check out the details on my Facebook page, and while you are at it-friend up.  Love to add you to my list.

Carnivals and Link Love Lately!

Carnival of Banking And Money Management at Credit Eh

Festival of Frugality at Wealth Pilgrim

Totally Money Carnival at the College Investor

Carnival of Wealth at Dividend Investor

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