Credit cards are a staple of modern life. Like a telephone, television, or computer, you can live without credit cards but few people do, most have more than one, and many have specific purposes for each one (e.g. sitting room, travel, work). If you pay them off each month, or use them to self-finance purchases that you could not readily afford, credit cards are a great addition. Convenient, secure, and flexible, credit cards really do have a lot in their favor, but they are not all they seem. The true cost of credit cards is not the annual percentage rate (APR) alone. Fees also need to be included, and when they are, the true cost of credit is closer to 35 percent (regardless of your APR).

Most credit card issuers will add one or more of the following fees and charges:

ANNUAL FEE: Many credit card issuers, and more every day, require an annual fee for carrying certain credit cards.

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Not that long ago, I was pretty fastidious about how I had my financial accounts set up, so much so that I was bent on consolidating everything from bank accounts to mutual fund accounts to credit card accounts. Little did I know that there are consequences to being so gung-ho about organizing, simplifying and downsizing everything. This is because credit card accounts shouldn’t be treated like clutter. You can’t just think about doing away with them without giving it some careful thought.

I was in a situation recently where I had a MasterCard credit card account that I’d had for several years. I had an outstanding balance on it (it had been there for some time) and I had finally managed to completely pay it off. I had

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Although credit-challenged consumers typically have problems qualifying for a general purpose credit card, using store brand (also called private label) credit cards can help rebuild credit. There are advantages and disadvantages to doing this.

Debt management: Beware of temptation you can’t afford

• Department stores often lure customers into applying for their store credit cards by promising a deep discount for the day’s shopping: “Save 30 percent on everything you buy today!” is a popular approach. Falling for this pitch can be bad news if you don’t have a tight hold on your spending. The credit card company is betting that you’ll charge more than you can pay off in one billing cycle, and will pay interest on your purchases. Finance cha

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So far, we’ve taken a look at PenFed credit cards, and Chase credit cards, and today marks the CitiBank credit card offers installment of the weekly Saturday review of current offers from major banks. This series is designed to compare cards and features that are currently available.

Citi Platinum Select MasterCard

The Citi Platinum Select MasterCard is a low rate credit card that comes with some impressive benefits. First, the card currently offers a 0% APR introductory offer for up to 15 months for purchase and balance transfers. T

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For the first time in three years, credit-card issuers are ramping up their mailbox solicitations. But don’t expect to see your father’s credit-card appeals. Variable interest rates, higher annual fees and a host of new charges will be hidden in the fine print of these offers.

With new consumer protections in the Credit Card Act (officially called the Credit Card Responsibility and Disclosure Act) set to take effect Monday, the nation’s largest credit-card issuers upped their direct-mail solicitations to consumers by more than 45% in the fourth quarter from the prior quarter, according to two leading market-research firms.

But a new credit card these days will cost you. The average annual percentage rates, which climbed steadily most of last year, are now at the highest level in five years.

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Some Of The Easy To Get Credit Cards

I hope that through this article I can detail with some clarity the process of getting a new credit card as well as some of the easy to get credit cards for people with poor credit scores.

Credit cards are quickly becoming a favored way of paying for things because it allows you to make all kinds of purchases with paying just a fraction of the cost each month. This is why many middle class families have used them so frequently, because it allows them to get whatever they need without ruining their credit.

You could miss out on loan opportunities, utility and entertainment services, or even employment should you not take the responsibility of your credit score seriously.

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Though some consumers may be trying to avoid using their credit cards, a recent report indicates they may have also been more likely to get an offer for an account at the end of last year.

According to Synovate, a market research firm, providers of credit cards increased mailings by 46 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009. In all, mailings amounted to 398.5 million offers, an increase from the 272.5 million seen the quarter prior.

Though the numbers of mailings were up in the last quarter of 2009, they are still lower when compared to the year before. During the fourth quarter of 2008, lenders sent out 668.1 million offers for credit cards.

One of the reasons that lenders have cut back on making card offers is because of the tightened credit market during the most recent recession. Read all post…

A report regarding consumer credit in December showed that people are making further strides regarding trying to pay off their credit cards in an attempt at debt management.

According to the Federal Reserve Board, revolving consumer credit fell at an annual rate of 11.7 percent during December. Overall, revolving credit – which is mostly credit card debt – declined from $874.5 billion in November to $866 billion in the last month of the year.

The drop in revolving consumer credit may come as a surprise to some, especially since the numbers reflected the time of the holiday shopping season, where people may bust out their credit cards to make purchases. Read all post…