Credit Crisis

Credit Crisis

13 Ways to Raise Quick Cash

Running a little short this month? It happens to all of us at one time or another. But, before you reach for your plastic, you might want to check out one of these 13 ways to raise some quick cash.

1.) Does anyone owe you money? It might be time to try to collect the money that you lent your cousin last fall. Even if you don't collect it's good to remind them about the debt.

5 Common Financial Scams and How to Avoid Them

Our sensitive financial information is transferred on a daily basis. Whether it’s making a purchase online or checking our bank account, it’s no wonder that thousands fall victim to financial scams each year. Millions of dollars are lost annually by unsuspecting consumers who don’t manage to catch the signs of a financial predator looking to take whatever they’ve got. Whether you use personal checks or secured credit cards, you need to be aware of financial threats so you can stay vigilant. Here are five common scams with tips on how to protect yourself.

The Pros & Cons of Using a Credit Card in Emergency Situations

A wise man once told me "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."  Or maybe that's just a popular saying? In any event, unforeseen situations can spring up at any moment, and sometimes they force you to reach for your credit card at the least opportune times. While it's impossible to predict emergency situations before they happen, at the very least you can arm yourself with knowledge of the pros and cons of using your credit card to charge your way out of life's little mishaps. Here's a run-down of a common sticky situation, and how credit cards can and cannot help.

Hurts So Good

Dollar bills

At its most basic level, economics is really the science of trying to explain and predict human nature. Everything we do throughout a day, every decision we make, is based on supply, demand and price.

Even things we do that seemingly have nothing to do with money can be boiled down to these principles. Where you sit at lunch, the friends you choose and even whom you married can be explained through economic terms. (A word of advice—don’t tell your spouse you married him/her because of supply, demand and price. Trust me, that conversation doesn’t go over well.)

Early Adoption of the Credit CARD Act?

senate Barney Frank, Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) are tired of waiting for their new bill to take effect. In fact, last week they announced new legislation that would move the effective date for the remaining provisions of the Credit CARD Act from next February to Dec. 1, 2009 - exactly two months from today. In a press release issued by the House Financial Services Committee on 9/24, Maloney claimed that "credit card companies are taking advantage of this period between the signing of the bill and the current effective date." There's no doubt about that. As you may have experienced yourself, millions of consumers have been forced to deal with reduced credit limits and interest rate hikes averaging 20% ever since the bill was passed, and Maloney believes the "breadth and depth of the rate hikes happening now point to the need for faster consumer protections."

Should I Save or Should I Go?

Photo by Kevin Collins

The US personal savings rate has been in the news a lot recently because Americans seem to be saving more than ever.  According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the personal savings rate reached a 15-year high in May at 6.9%.  This means that for every dollar an American earns, he or she is putting a whopping $0.069 in the bank for a rainy day.

Auto Loan Rejection: Great Credit, but Insufficient Credit Mix

A friend of mine from Southern California (let's call him Alex) recently left me a voicemail claiming to have a few questions about credit. When I caught up with Alex a few days later, he was quite upset because he had just been rejected for an auto loan from the national bank he's frequented for years.

He had his heart set on purchasing this car, and he just couldn't figure out why the bank would decline his loan. He even tried a different bank where he had some family connections; however, the result was the same - declined due to "insufficient credit mix".

Credit Card Bill Headed to Senate

senate

Legislation that will forever change how credit issuers do business is swiftly moving through Congress with the strong support of President Obama and his administration. In fact, the House has already passed its version of the Credit Card Holders Bill of Rights, and now the Senate is gearing up to vote on its own version later this week. We still don't know exactly what will end up in the Senate's final version of the bill, but you can bet it will be even more thorough and complex than what the House put together.

Obama Calls for Credit Card Reform

President Obama has already made transparency a key theme for his administration, and it's clear he expects the same from leading companies in the credit card industry. Sitting at a long table surrounded by key executives from corporations such as American Express, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Capital One, Obama stated, "No more fine print, no more confusing terms and conditions. We want clarity and transparency from here on out" (). Has the moment finally come?

Credit Card Execs Prepare for Obama Beat Down

The Obama administration has been largely silent about the credit card holder bill of rights since last year's presidential campaign. However, a meeting scheduled for today with key executives from 14 major credit issuers suggests Obama is finally gearing up for an extended beat down that will have lasting effects on how credit card companies do business.

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