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Capital One Venture Card Now Matches 100,000 Miles

March 10th, 2011 by Joshua Heckathorn

 UPDATE: This offer is no longer available. If you're a fan of flying Southwest, you're probably also a fan of their easy-to-understand frequent flyer program— Rapid Rewards. Fly 8 roundtrips anywhere, and get one roundtrip free. Couldn't have been much more simple than that! Unfortunately, as of March 1st, Southwest's frequent flier program just got a lot more complicated. The major change is that they will now issue points instead of credits, and your points will have different values depending upon what type of fare you choose for your award. I'm not a big-time Southwest flier, but I think it's safe to say that a lot of their customers won't be happy with this change. I've had several friends already talk about getting rid of their Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards since they are moving to a new points-based system too. What I've been telling them is that if you're looking for a new airline rewards credit card, you should really check out this huge promotion that Capital One is starting today for its Capital One Venture Rewards card.

Zip Codes and Credit Cards: Security or Marketing Scam?

March 8th, 2011 by Logan Abbott

Giving your zip code along with a credit card purchase is common practice. It happens at the grocery store, at the gas station, at some of your favorite clothing shops. Most of us don't think twice about it; other more paranoid patrons will give a fake zip if they can get away with it. But what are those paranoid purchasers so scared of? Why do stores ask for your zip code in the first place?

Beware of Debit Card Caps

The new rules haven't been finalized yet, but there's a good chance that "swipe fees" (what banks and card issuers charge merchants when a debit card is used to make a purchase) will be reduced in July. So what does that mean for your wallet?

Updated by Joshua Heckathorn on Mon, 2011-03-07 16:00

7 Tips for Getting Your First Credit Card

March 3rd, 2011 by Logan Abbott

So you've finally decided to join the real world and open up your first credit card. Congratulations! No, seriously, you're making an excellent decision.  While you may be disappointed that the simplicity of life without any bills is over, you'll be patting yourself on the back in a few years when you realize the good credit score you've built up has given you greater financial flexibility to make major life purchases. That is, if you use your credit wisely.  Credit cards can be a responsible user's best friend, but a living nightmare for those who are careless with their spending habits. So how can you make sure your credit card is a positive force in your life?  Here are seven great tips on getting your first credit card and starting your credit off right.

New Credit Card Rules Shun Stay-at-home Moms

March 2nd, 2011 by Joshua Heckathorn

[caption id="attachment_2894" align="alignleft" width="231" caption=" "]stay at home moms[/caption]

I was raised by a full-time mom. She was incredible. In fact, my Dad used to always say that she deserved a salary much higher than his for all she accomplished around the home.

Of course, that doesn't mean he put her on payroll, but she always had what she needed to spend on food, the kids, and herself. His income was her income, and that worked for us, as it does for millions of other families.

Don't Become a Foreclosure Statistic

There were more than 1 million foreclosures in 2010, according to , a leading online real estate marketplace and publisher of the country's largest and most comprehensive foreclosure database. In fact, banks seized a total of 1.05 million properties, topping the previous record of 918,000 in 2009.

Updated by Joshua Heckathorn on Mon, 2011-02-28 16:00

Rent Payments Now Included on Experian Credit Reports

Experian recently announced that it began including residential rental payment data on credit reports as of January 2011. In the past, the only way rental payment information would ever show up on your credit reports was if your account was sent to collections or you were evicted. Nothing positive was ever tracked—only the negative marks.

Updated by Joshua Heckathorn on Mon, 2011-02-28 16:00

Top 5 Funniest Celebrity Credit Card Ads

February 25th, 2011 by Logan Abbott

The 2011 Academy Awards are fast approaching. With celebrities top of mind, we thought it fitting to present our own award ceremony of sorts - the top 5 credit card ads featuring celebs of all time.

Don't Use Retirement Funds to Pay Off Debt

It can be tempting to dip into retirement money when no cash is left in the bank and there are bills to be paid, but you must resist the temptation! Retirement funds are for one and only one thing—retirement. They need to be left alone so you can take care of yourself when you're old and gray.

Updated by Joshua Heckathorn on Wed, 2011-02-23 16:00

Credit Cards of the Future... Today!

February 23rd, 2011 by Logan Abbott

What if you could access all of your credit accounts using one credit card?

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