Capitol Hill seems to be taking up the pro-consumer fight on two fronts this week with the extension and expansion of the Home Buyer Tax Credit and the sped-up start date of the Credit Cardholder’s Bill of Rights. Today, Obama officially signed off on the Homebuyer Tax Credit extension, which will extend the original November 30, 2009 deadline to April 30, 2010 and also opens up a $6,500 tax credit to eligible repeat buyers. On the frontlines of credit card reform, the proposed measure to speed up the Credit Cardholder’s Bill of Rights, from its original February 2010 date to December 1, 2009 was signed off by the House and is now awaiting Senate approval.

The passing of the revised Homebuyer Tax Credit, coupled with mortgage rates dropping below 5% again for the first time in 4 weeks, has many politicians and analysts hoping for another boom in the housing market to last well into 2010.

As for the credit card reform, if approved, the earlier-than-expected December date would be “just in time for the holidays,” when consumers are likely to more heavily rely on credit cards and could most benefit from the restrictions the reforms will place on the price-gouging practices of the credit industry. Cardholders and lawmakers in support of the proposal complain that since the passage of the Act in May, credit card companies have been abusing the grace period as a last ditch effort to raise interest rates, change card terms, add fees, lower credit limits, and even close accounts in order to recoup losses that the coming regulations will cost them. The reform is needed to help protect consumers by “locking a ban on interest rate hikes on existing balances, and tricks that have kept far too many consumers trapped in a never-ending cycle of debt,” reports CNNMoney.

On the other hand, credit card issuers have contested that the expedited start date would ultimately hurt the entire industry. Making the reforms effective a full two months sooner than planned won’t give their systems enough time, issuers argue, to get acclimated to the new regulations, and they have even gone so far as to defend the recent interest rate hikes—some as high as 30%–as fair considering the current state of the economy. Another lawmaker defended the measure, saying, “They have retained the right unilaterally and retroactively to raise the interest rate on what you already owe them. It is the single unfairest (sic) economic transaction I can think of that doesn’t involve a pistol!”

The CARD Act’s major provisions that will affect cardholders includes prohibiting arbitrary rate increases on existing card balances, requiring customer permission to opt into the ability to overdraw on accounts, and the “reasonable and proportional” penalty fees that require issuers to review all interest rates and reduce it where warranted. The measure awaits the Senate’s vote and Obama’s signature to become law.

The consumer protections and consumer incentives of these two key pieces of legislation are under hot debate as to whether the stimulus measures will be effective enough to spark sustainable activity in the struggling economy.

At Credit Karma Blog, what goes around comes around… So what do you think about this post? Agree, disagree, or have something more to say? We’d love to hear your reactions!

With less than 2 months till Christmas, its prime time to be writing up your Christmas gift list, doing some window-shopping, and scouring deals for Black Friday (3 weeks away!). But are you also getting your wallet ready for the holiday spending spirit? Budgeting and practicing within-your-means spending is going to be key to surviving through to New Years with your credit score intact and your finances out of debt.

Not to put a damper on the joy of the coming months, but realistically this holiday season could be a minefield of risks that could blindside your credit report and bank account. Racking up charges up to your credit limit could lower your score, extra fees on credit cards and the risk of overdraft charges on debit cards take chunks out of your savings, and just like with holiday pounds, you could gain debt faster than you can work it off. WiseBread posted an interesting blog about “frugality fatigue,” suggesting that after the recent years of tightened spending and penny-wise habits, people are looking to spend and return to the old ways of credit cards and overspending. An American Express survey of consumer attitudes found that 80% of consumers still intend to buy gifts this holiday season, with 36% planning to spend $100-$499, 28% to spend $500-$999, and a full 30% spending $1,000 or more.

Whether you plan to spend $100 or $1,000, the next two months of gift shopping, eating out, entertaining, and traveling could deplete your savings and hit your credit score harder than you are prepared for. Besides healthy credit and stable savings, there are many good reasons to be prudent with your holiday budget this year so you can start 2010 in good financial health. The following tips can help you save money and care for your credit without skimping on the holiday extravagance:

Protect your Credit

1. Plan ahead to minimize overspending – Before you even go to the mall or shop online, make a list of who you have to buy for and stick to it. It will help you stay on budget and on track, and minimize the possibility that you might start browsing and shopping for yourself. Also, remember as you shop not to overspend just because you might be charging credit. Rule of thumb: spend only what you can afford to pay off RIGHT NOW; shop like your credit card is a debit card and go straight home after shopping and pay off your credit card so you won’t be tempted to carry a balance and rack up interest charges.
2. Opt out of traditional credit cards – Pre-paid credit cards are a good alternative to credit cards because you don’t risk overspending on what you deposit, you can still build credit, and you won’t pay interest; the trade-off is you have to pay an annual fee. Or think about paying cash or using a secured card, both of which will not hurt your credit score.
3. Steer clear of store credit cards – Read the fine print of a store credit card or retail card and you may find that the membership benefits or special discounts you’d receive for opening the card isn’t worth the high interest rate and extra charges that comes with it. Store credit cards typically have a interest rate far higher—sometimes double the APR like Macy’s 23.99% APR or JC Penney’s 24% APR card—than a normal credit card. Also, store credit cards often stipulate that you must spend a certain amount through the year in order to qualify for discounts or benefits, have high late payment fees that increase with the balance, require a minimum purchase within a period of time to keep the benefits, and more. However, store credit cards are beneficial if you are sure to pay off your balance in full every month, that way you can get your 15% discount without risking paying a 25% interest rate. For information on specific cards pros and cons, check out Store Credit Cards: A Rip Off?

Shop smart, shop early

1. Save on shipping – More and more on-line retailers are extending offers of free shipping to get more customers clicking and buying. Look out for major retailers like Target, which launched its holiday free-shipping promotion on Nov 1, Walmart, which ships free to a nearby store, and more stores mentioned here to see where you can save. More tips:
   • Some online merchants time their free-shipping deals right before the week of Thanksgiving and Christmas to move inventory faster.
   • Websites like freeshipping.org and coupon sites like slickdeals.net and fatwallet.com list specific merchants with free or discounted shipping. Also, mark your calendar for Free Shipping Day, when participating merchants offer free shipping this Dec 17 and guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve.
   • Amazon’s “Super Saver” shipping gives free shipping for most purchase orders over $25; if you are a few dollars short of $25, www.slickfillers.net lists items as low as $0.35 so you can fill in the few dollars or cents and get free shipping.
2. Get it while it’s hot and in stock – Ever heard of deal-of-the-day sites that only sell one product at a time, at a deeply discounted price, until it runs out and moves on to the next item? They are insanely popular all over the web and addictive to watch and track to see what the next item will be. Deal of the Day Tracker monitors most of these sites, which sell everything from discount duds to army knives and electronics, and shopping here could save tons of money on high-quality gifts and also practical items. Some sites, like Red Tag Crazy, can alert you via text message, e-mail, or instant message so you can know what is selling like hotcakes at 3 am.
3. Check your mail - Going through your junk or spam mail can pay off if you find some special offers from retailers’ emails. More and more retailers are sending customers special offers by e-mail or mail instead of mass advertisements of sales. Sign up for mailing lists or loyalty clubs at stores you want to spend at (for buying gifts for others, not for yourself!), and pay attention to email (you might have to wish out of your junk mail folder) that might hold big sales or coupon codes exclusive to customers on their mailing list.

At Credit Karma Blog, what goes around comes around… So what do you think about this post? Agree, disagree, or have something more to say? We’d love to hear your reactions!

Personal finance management tools aren’t new; sites like Moneystrands and Quicken Online have been around for years. These sites specialize in helping stressed-out consumers and overwhelmed spenders keep track of their money. Now, credit card issuers are countering bad publicity by becoming more and more consumer friendly in their approach, offering personal finance management tools to help customers manage their finances by emphasizing budgeting and saving rather than just credit card-charging.

This happens to be good timing in light of the entire credit card industry under tough scrutiny by both the government and the public in the last few months due to the increased interest rates, credit limit reductions, fee hikes, and more changes issuers have been scrambling to put in place before the reforms of the CARD Act go into effect in February 2010.

These controversial actions taken by the credit card issuers hasn’t made for a very good image of big names like Chase and Wells Fargo in consumers’ eyes. Getting back on the consumers’ side means showing customers that big credit card companies aren’t just out to squeeze money out of them. These personal finance management services, plus ending some of the more controversial changes in their terms and practices, are the credit card companies’ olive branch to consumers.

Check out what kind of financial management tools your issuer offers. Even if you are not a cardholder, some of the following sites are open to all consumers:

1. American Express Money Manager Tool – As a free benefit for American Express cardholders, the newly-launched Money Manager Tool helps you stay on top of your finances by giving you a complete view of all your accounts, credit cards, and loans in detail and have a big picture view of your money management. You can link all of your personal financial accounts in one place, and customize graphs and budgets so you can monitor your spending and budgeting the way you want to. While very similar to other personal finance management websites, the Money Manager tool is different in that it is exclusive to AmEx customers and also allows users to consolidate rewards statements for frequent flyer and hotel points. If you want all the perks of a typical money management site plus extra credit-card specific features like tracking your travel rewards points, this is a benefit AmEx customers should take advantage of.
2. Wells Fargo Smarter Credit– This website is open to all consumers, and has learning tools, articles, tips, and information aimed at helping consumers establish/rebuild credit, reduce debt, get more credit, and manage and protect credit. This site is useful because you can pick out the tools and tips most relevant to you according to where you are on the credit learning curve. Aside from some helpful articles and budgeting sheets, there is an interactive money management tool called My Spending Report with Budget Watch to help you track every purchase and set monthly budget goals, exclusive to Wells Fargo customers.
3. Discover’s Spend Analyzer – Another newly-debuted personal finance tool that offers online tracking and spending of purchases for Discover customers. Using the standard model of money management websites, you get the run-of-the-mill features of categorizing spending, comparing spending patterns over time, and sorting transactions by detail so you can manage how you use your Discover Card. However, this online tool only tracks spending of your Discover card, and not all of your financial accounts. But, a unique feature is the “Paydown Planner”, which helps create a plan for reducing your Discover card’s balance and get you out of debt, which is one of the most effective tools a credit card-specific financial management service can offer.
4. Chase Blueprint – This is a personal finance tool tied straight to select Chase cards that allows customers to determine how they want to apply payments across their statement balance. Check out my review of Chase Blueprint to see how it works and see if it’s the right kind of money management helper for you.
5. Capital One MoneyWi$e – A partnership between Consumer Action, an advocacy group, and Capital One created this personal finance resource website that offers helpful tools and articles specific to your money goals, whether that is educating your teen on credit or learning how to build wealth. It has an interesting click-through format that features people’s stories as well as interactive activities. Worth checking out since its open to all consumers.
6. Citibank – Citibank’s website features a “Planning” section that encompasses many categories that the other issuers’ personal finance resources don’t cover, such as Retirement Planning and Investment Planning. Click on the type of “Planning” you want, and you’ll receive a comprehensive list of articles, strategies, as well as tools and calculators to help you plan towards your goals. While there is no interactive money management tool, the information and calculators provided are very useful because they give you specific strategies and tools unique to your goals. The site is better suited for addressing specific financial goals rather than overall money management.

At Credit Karma Blog, what goes around comes around… Are these services helpful to you as a customer, and do you want to see your credit card issuer reach out with more tools, advice, and help like this? Comment back– we’d love to hear your reactions!

Debt is the new four letter word to avoid. Everyone, from Uncle Sam to the average American, is taking action to get out of the red: Bloomberg reports that the U.S Treasury Department is selling a whopping $81 billion of long-term debt next week to steer away from the country’s legal debt limit of $12.1 trillion; and Philly.com reports that Americans have been buying less stuff on credit cards, which helped drop the total U.S credit card debt peak of $975 billion in Fall 2008 to below $900 billion this summer.

Your card balance may not be in the billions, but are you taking steps to take care of your credit and eliminate your debt? This week’s roundup is especially for you to start taking steps to get out of the red too.

Credit Card News

• Thinking about canceling your card? Before you do, read The Wall Street Journal’s article, “Credit cards: break up or make up?“.
• Is it possible to live without credit cards?, FiveCentNickel asks.
• If you are shopping for a credit card, do your homework first with The Boston Globe.
• Reduce Debt Faster shares 3 ways to lower credit card payments.
• Prepaid credit cards gaining favor reports The Salt Lake Tribune.
• Study finds prepaid cards less expensive than debit cards from banks blogs Almost Frugal.
• The BBC looks into what’s in store for the future of credit cards?
• Credit card debt elimination guide @ Clear Choice Credit Cards.
• The Digerati Life looks at how to opt out of interest rate increases.

Debt News

• Cash Money Life asks an important question: Do you know how much interest you are paying each month?
• A fun, alternative approach from Five Cent Nickel: Use weight loss strategies to get out of debt.
• Don’t wait until January to think about budgeting Being Frugal warns!
• Good debt vs bad debt: isn’t it all bad? Your Money Relationship answers the burning question.
• Gather Little By Little recommends using your emergency fund to pay off your debt.

Have you ever been charged a $39 fee for overdrawing $3 on your debit card for a cup of coffee? Ridiculous, right? Congress thinks so too, and is aiming to do something about it.

Overdraft fees hit consumers hard last year as lenders raked in $24 billion, a 35% increase from two years ago reports the St. Louis Business Journal, which makes overdraft charges the banking industry’s single largest driver of consumer fee income. Now, Congress is siding with consumer complaints that banks and credit unions’ are taking advantage of customers with outrageous overdraft fees and less-than-full disclosure about their overdraft protection programs, and is proposing industry-wide limitations on overdraft practices.

Complaints Turn Into Changes

Debit cards—once the safe alternative to credit cards—is becoming a debt trap for consumers. Right now, banks and credit unions often automatically enroll customers in their most expensive overdraft protection program—up to $39 every time you overdraw your account. Like the above example of incurring a $39 charge for overdrawing $3, overdraft fees can often be disproportionate to the actual overdraft purchase so you are penalized an outrageous fee for a tiny infraction. Banks have also been accused of squeezing as much money out of customers as possible by rearranging the way transactions clear so you get charged overdraft on bigger ticket items, or as many as 9 times in a single day.

To reform other consumer complaints against these practices, some of Congress’ proposed changes include:

• Issuers must get customer’s permission to enroll them in an overdraft protection program, and the option to opt out of it
• Must notify customers that they are overdrawing on their account, and must warn them before any overdraft fee is imposed so they have the opportunity to cancel a charge
• Capping the number of overdraft fees consumers can be charged to once a month and six a year, after which purchases would just be denied
• Require issuers to have “reasonable and proportional” overdraft policies in which charges are proportional to the cost of processing the overdraft
• Prohibit issuers from manipulating the order in which transactions clear to create more charges

On the other side of the argument, banks and credit unions claim that it’s a courtesy to customers to provide overdraft protection to save them from embarrassment or inconvenience of a rejected charge or a bounced check. To that, one Congressman in favor of reform retorted, “Don’t do people favors without asking them.” The proposed changes are still being weighed in Congress as to how much more regulation—on top of the changes some issuers have taken upon themselves already—can be tolerably placed upon big banks. Banks and credit unions are strongly opposing the legislation, arguing that it would lead to higher fees for all customers, such as returned check charges.

Next Steps

Some banks have already reformed their overdraft policies in response to public heat. Bank of America will no longer charge fees if customers overdraw less than $10, Chase and Wells Fargo have cancelled fees for accounts overdrawn by less than $5, and Chase also promises not to charge more than 3 overdraft fees a day (down from a previous limit of 6). But you can protect yourself too. Consumers can take it upon themselves to be more responsible about not overspending, keeping track of expenses, and being aware of your own bank’s overdraft policies. If you want more information, check out How to Avoid Being Charged Overdraft Fees for extra tips.

At Credit Karma Blog, what goes around comes around… So what do you think about this post? Agree, disagree, or have something more to say? We’d love to hear your reactions!

Here’s something fun to take your mind off the long work week: a little bit of Jaywalking on Money Matters on All Financial Matters. While you’re sharing a few laughs with co-workers, make sure you browse the rest of these links so you don’t end up like those Jaywalking victims. Enjoy!

Credit Cards

• The Chicage Tribune announces that those annoying gift card dormancy charges are now canceled.
• Credit cards are indeed an indulgence confesses Money Ning.
• Market Watch reports that Congress to take aim at overdraft fee limits.
• Check out Money Under 30’s two-part series, “Radically re-thinking credit cards“.
• You won’t believe what the latest bank fee is for: paying off credit card on time every month, USA Today reports.
• Mighty Bargain Hunter responds to the article above, and takes a different side — anti-credit card legislation hurts just about everyone.
• Credit cards to charge good behavior fees blogs Frugal Dad.

Debt

• Liz Weston answers a question on ways to pay off costly debt.
• Graduation present or pay off debt? wonders Clever Dude.
• CNN Money reports that unemployment in cities eases in September.
• Did you know that even good debt can be bad, blogs Moolanomy.
• Have good credit? The Digerati Life suggests best debt consolidation loans for you.
• Not my debt - what do I do? PT Money solves this dilemma.

Pre-Paid debit cards are the “Other Plastic”, an alternative to credit cards that won’t rack up interest charges, increase your debt, or give you that queasy feeling of buyer’s regret the next day. If you are unable to pay off your balance and with credit card interest rates sky-rocketing to nearly 30%, you’ll want to curb your credit use this holiday season. Think of pre-paid cards as plastic cash, which will prevent you from spending beyond your means and make you think twice when you splurge because splurging will deplete your money immediately, rather than be just a line item on a receipt to be paid off later.

Pre-paid credit cards are especially useful for people with poor credit or no credit history who can’t get approved for a typical credit card. It’s a credit-healthy way to spend responsibly while building positive credit history and a better credit score. It’s simple: you pre-load the card with money, spend as you wish, and you have no bills to pay at the end of the month. You still get the perks of the convenience of a credit card, while avoiding unnecessary fees and finance charges. Best of all, you can still build a positive credit history (but always check with your issuer if they report to the credit bureaus). Your pre-paid card will be your training wheels to help you get the hang of credit without the risk of incurring debt or defaulting on payments. This is also a smart option for younger consumers affected by the upcoming CARD act provisions .

The pre-paid trend isn’t just limited to credit cards; these other pre-paid products can help you monitor your spending and still get what you want:

• Pre-paid cell phones have been around for awhile, and are still the no-hassle alternative to a contract phone. You pay for the minutes you want and load up more when needed; the only catch is that you might run out of minutes sooner than you think. You don’t even have to worry about a credit check, which some carriers do when you sign up for phone. One of Credit Karma’s favorite deals is the T-Mobile’s FlexPay for BlackBerrry Curve 8900.
• Gift cards are the “more personal than cash, less hassle than a present” staple at birthdays. You might have thought these were on the wane, but PlasticJungle.com has revived the gift card marketplace by allowing consumers to trade, sell, buy unused gift cards so you can buy stuff at places where you actually shop. It’s a better answer to retail therapy that won’t max out your credit or damage your score.
• Pre-pay your college tuition? Believe it. Some programs, most notably the Florida Prepaid College Plan in Florida and the Independent 529 Plan for 270 private universities nationwide, are urging parents to consider prepaid college tuition plans to secure their children’s future at a more affordable rate today. How much you can save depends on how soon you start saving, and with the inflating cost of higher education, locking in your costs at today’s tuition prices will save you potentially thousands. Keep in mind that these prepaid plans does not account for books, food, transportation, and lab fees that can add up to nearly half the cost of the entire college price tag.

Bottom-line?
Pre-paid is a good way to go if you are prone to overspending or need to get you back on track to good credit . With credit still tight in the marketplace but consumers showing a growing appetite for spending, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a lot more gift cards being swiped at the register or showing up under the Christmas tree this year.

If you own a credit card or read this blog regularly, you should be familiar with the restrictions and fees credit card companies have been imposing on cardholders in recent months. Cardholders have been complaining about jacked-up interest rates, sudden fees, lowered credit lines, closed accounts, and unfair penalties. These changes to the terms on your user agreements for credit cards may not necessarily be due to your poor credit management or late payments; another reason is that banks have been trying to increase the profitability of consumer accounts before the reforms of the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights take effect in February 2010.

With the credit crunch and rising consumer defaults, banks are doing what they need to do to stay in business. Consumers need to look out for the fine print on any notice of changes to your credit card from your issuer, like the one that Bank of America customers received, and see what you can do to protect your credit and your credit score.

ATM surcharge and fees

The Cost: As high as $5 per transaction. Every time you go to use another bank’s ATM for quick cash, you are likely to get slapped with increased fees from both ends of the transaction—the ATM’s bank and your own bank. You have to pay an average surcharge of $2.22 to use another Bank’s ATM, up nearly 13% since last year according to Bankrate.com. Then there is the fee your own bank will charge you for using another bank’s ATM, which has risen to an average of $1.46 from last year’s $1.25.

How to Avoid it: You can only plan ahead and be prepared with cash, or you can switch banks. If you want to stick to your bank, the best way to avoid this fee is to estimate how much cash you need for the day and withdraw what you need from your own bank’s branch so won’t be desperate for cash and tempted to use any ATM. If you’re sick of surcharges and fees, opt for an online bank, such as ING Direct, Bank of the Internet, NetBank, and First Internet Bank, that will reimburse ATM surcharges up to amount per month. Charles Schwab Bank and E-Trade off unlimited rebates for ATM surcharges.

Annual Fees

The Cost: Anywhere from $29-99. Bank of America announced last week that they plan to tack on a $29 to $99 annual fee to an undisclosed amount of its credit accounts starting in February. If cardholders don’t voice too much of a protest, other banks may follow in BofA’s steps very soon.

How to Avoid it: BofA calls the annual fees an “experiment”, so complaining might get some results. If you have an excellent credit score in the mid 700s range, you are in luck. You can try and negotiate with your issuer and even mention that you will take your business elsewhere; chances are they will want to keep a reliable customer like you. If you have poor credit, you can close your account to dodge the fee, but your already-low credit score will take a hit. If the account happens to be your oldest credit card, you might want to consider paying the fee because your credit score will take a big drop with closing your oldest credit line.

Reduced Limits

The Cost: None, but you will have lowered credit limits and a potentially lowered credit score. About 20% of U.S cardholders between October 2008 and April 2009 saw their credit card limits slashed involuntarily, and in some cases, their accounts arbitrarily closed, according to a FICO study. However, 73% of the cardholders complained that they were penalized with no apparent credit problem. Lowered credit limits means higher credit utilization (a ratio of your current credit balances against your total available limits) which unfortunately also means an average of a 20 point drop on a credit score; that could be the difference between being approved or not approved for a loan.

How to Avoid it: You can fight back, or at least make the most of it. Try calling your bank and asking to have your credit limit increased, especially if you are in good credit standing. Otherwise, you can minimize the damage to your credit score by lowering your credit utilization accordingly and paying down your balances. Make sure you don’t go over your new credit limit or maintain a high credit utilization rate—your funds and credit score will shrink.

Overdraft fees

The Cost: As high as $35 per overdraft. If you make several purchases on an overdrawn account in a single day, banks often charge more for repeat overdrafts. That means that you don’t just pay an increased fee on overdrafts—you’d pay it several times over in a single day. Some issuers, including JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America, are planning to reform overdraft fees following criticism from Congress over the exorbitant practices.

How to Avoid it: Monitor spending on your debit card or stick to using a credit card. When you do get overdraft charges, especially if it was multiple charges in a short amount of time, call your issuer and try and pare it down to a single fee–sometimes issuers will do 4 overdraft fees in a single day while the customer doesn’t even realize they overdrew on their account. Avoid using this by using a credit card so you can’t overdraw your account–however, make sure you pay off your balance in full each month and don’t exceed your credit limit or else you’ll be paying fees all over again.

Interest rate hike

The Cost: As high as a 29.99% interest rate hike. Issuers have been squeezing in interest rate hikes for the last few months and will continue to do so in the upcoming months to profit as much from consumer accounts before the credit card reform legislation sets in. Rates rose by 20% just in early 2009, which is already taking a big financial toll on consumers who rely heavily on credit cards or with outstanding balances.

How to Avoid it: If you have good credit, try calling your issuer to have the interest rate dropped. Doing a balance transfer to another credit card with a lower interest rate is another option to ease your payment charges; make sure you don’t get hit with a transfer fee on the new card. However, the best, long-term way to avoid getting burned with these ever-increasing rates is to pay off the debt you have and to hold back on spending so you don’t carry a balance from month to month.

If you want to know more specifically the changes on credit cards each issuer is taking, check out Credit Card Changes by Issuer and Date for a good list of the fees that you might be unaware you are being charged. As banks look for ways to make a profit on plastic while they still can, these fees and hikes might be a red flag to ease up on your credit usage to avoid unnecessary charges all together.

Its “hump day” again, when Wednesday feels like forever since Monday and forever till Friday. Two factors that shouldn’t be a hump in your personal finance is your credit card and your debt. While you’re trudging through with your 3rd cup of coffee, read on to find out how to make it through the rest of your work week with less debt and more credit.

Credit Card

• How to save and make money with credit cards reports Saving To Invest.
• Money Under 30 warns, “Beware credit card skimmers and how to spot them.”
• Consumerism Commentary reports on Bank of America adding annual fees to credit cards.
• Pay or Walk? Annual credit card fees test limits; read about it in the Associated Press.
• Check out Mainstreet’s scoop on gift cards getting a makeover.



• Washington Post asks, is frugality falling out of fashion? Read more on the returning hunger for retail therapy.

Debt

• Worried about debt? Tips on managing your loans from Wisebread.
• Los Angeles Times questions, how about a bailout for student debtors?
• More Americans fall behind on debts reports Reuters.
• Ever wonder what the average household credit card debt is? Bargaineering tells all.
• Cash Money Life blogs on DIY debt consolidation options.

Choosing the right credit card can be daunting when credit card applications bombard you with unfamiliar terms like variable default rate, cash advance transaction fee, and more APRs than you can imagine. Shopping for your next credit card starts with identifying your spending habits and how often you plan to use your credit card. Are you looking to earn rewards, for an emergency card, or an everyday-use card? Then check out the terms and conditions, especially the ones that affect your particular credit usage. Knowing your credit card and your specific needs before you sign on the dotted line can help you hone in on the key terms that will benefit or cost you.

REWARDS SEEKER - If you are itching for your next vacation, a rewards credit card can get you on a flight to Hawaii sooner. Just make sure you read all the rules and restrictions of the rewards program to make sure your credit usage will qualify you for the flight mileage or travel packages that you want.

• Know what kind of rewards you can get to make sure you are able to redeem enough to make the card worth it for you. If you are a frequent flyer or stay at top-of-the-line hotels, then you can potentially earn lots of rewards from your card. The Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card is a great choice for jetsetters because it offers one of the best hotel loyalty and airline miles program with the least restrictions. But, in order to take advantage of a bonus 15,000 points on your Starwood card, you would have to spend the equivalent of $15,000 within 6 months to get 3 free nights in selected hotels. If you can hit this spending threshold without going bankrupt, then this is the right kind of card for you.
• Look at the APR for purchases at the bottom of the application because rewards card tend to have higher variable APRs than other cards (you are getting hotel stays and airline flights out of it after all). A rewards card works best for people who don’t carry a monthly credit card balance, or else you might end up paying for the rewards you accumulate many times over in steep interest charges.
• Also, look out for an annual fee; you’ll get the most out of a rewards card by using it regularly enough to benefit from the rewards program that fee pays for.

FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY – You want a credit card handy to back you up for when you have a financial emergency or want to buy a big ticket item. For the times you need credit quick, watch out for any extra APRs or fees that could make you pay extra for credit card features you won’t be using often.

• Cash Advance APR is an important interest rate to check out on the application, especially if you’ll be tempted to use your credit card to withdraw cash often. The rate is often high for most cards and usually upwards of 20% or more, which means even a small $50 cash advance can rack up a $10 fee.
• If you want to use your credit card as a backup to your checking account for the times you overdraw your funds, check out the Overdraft Advance APR, which also tends to be upwards of 20%. Depending on the increments your credit will deposit into your checking, anywhere from $20 to $200, relying on your credit card to keep replenishing your debit can cost you fees and interest.
• Finally, be sure to pay off your balance so you won’t get stuck paying high interest on your occasional purchases. If you only use your card for emergencies or big ticket items, a 0% APR credit card like the Citi Platinum Select Card gives you a 0% APR for the first 6 months, which is like getting an interest-free loan on your balance.

EVERYDAY PLASTIC ADDICT- Your credit card is your best friend, and it goes everywhere with you and pays for everything. For regular plastic users like you, a cash back credit card will give you the most benefits from daily charges.

• Be responsible with frequent credit use and make sure you don’t spend more than you can afford to pay back. One glance at the default APR, which is often double the original APR at around 30% or more, will tell you how much you’ll be paying in interest if you don’t pay your monthly balance on-time and in full.
• Since you may be using this card more than your other credit cards, you might want to think about doing a balance transfer, which will transfer the balances of other cards to one card so you can pay off the balances more efficiently and at a potentially lower APR. Read the fine print on balance transfer APR plus an extra transaction fee for balance transfers. If your card has a lower APR and a 0% balance transfer APR, you can pay off the balance of other cards at a lower interest plus you don’t have to pay extra interest on the transfer.
• Finally, know your credit limit and make sure you don’t end up paying an over-the-credit-limit fee, also covered in the fine print, for all of your regular or impulse purchases that rack up.
• Credit card-addicted users like you benefit the most from a cash back credit card like the Chase Freedom Credit Card, which gives you $50 back on your first purchase and will let you earn more money as you spend. Most cash back credit cards offer around 1% cash back earning power on every purchase, plus a higher rate for everyday purchases, such as Chase’s 3% cash back in rotating categories like department stores, home improvement, and gas.

One last note on the fine print: Despite what the Pricing and Terms page will tell you about the rates, fees, and costs that you should know before you complete your credit card application, these conditions are subject to change according to the issuer and the Prime Rate. Check out the Credit Cardholder’s Bill of Rights for your rights as a cardholder and the new regulations, like a 45 day advance notice on interest hikes, that keep issuers in check.