Credit Cards Tips for You

If you’re interested in the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card, but missed out on the big 50,000 sign-up bonus that quickly came and went in November, Southwest hasn’t left you completely hanging.  There’s still a 25,000 point bonus to be had after making your first purchase.

This is actually the same deal Southwest and Chase were offering new cardholders back in August, so it’s nothing new.  As I said when I reviewed the card offer back then, it isn’t a bad deal for a $69 annual fee, but it’s not superb either.  And based on what we’ve seen in the past, I think it’s fairly safe to say that we’ll continue to see sign-up bonuses for the Rapid Rewards Card bounce back and forth between 25,000 and 50,000 points (maybe more?) in the coming year.

So my recommendation stays the same.  If you really need to take advantage of the free Southwest flight now, go for it.  The 25,000 bonus points you’ll receive after your first purchase are worth over $400 in Wanna Get Away fares.  Factor in the 3,000 point anniversary bonus, and the $69 is definitely worth it.  However, if you can mana

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If you have ever thought about applying for a credit card then you will no doubt have at least heard of 0% balance transfer credit cards. This is a popular type of card but can be a little bit confusing if you are not familiar with the concept of balance transfers. Read on to find out more.

Most credit card companies offer at least one type of 0% balance transfer card, but most offer a few variations on it – often with other, added benefits or rewards. This could include an initial interest free purchase period, or benefits such as discount schemes, depending on the specific card you choose.

0% balance transfer credit cards essentially do what their name suggests: they allow you to transfer a balance from somewhere else (an existing credit card, for example) and then give you a period in which to pay it off at a 0% rate of interest. The act of transferring the balance pays off the original creditor, so it can be a useful way of consolidating what you owe onto one card.

As well as balance transfers, this type of card also comes with the benefit of 0% money transfers (from your card to your bank). Y Read more…

For many families, gasoline is a significant expense.  Even when the price of oil temporarily declines, the price at the pump barely seems to budge. For these reasons, consumers often pick up flyers at the pump and apply for reward cards affiliated with major gasoline retailers.  Unfortunately, most gas credit cards offer little value, charge high interest rates and are useless outside the boundaries of the station. This is unfortunately the case with the Exxon credit card, which possesses all the faults typical of gas station cards while lacking any discernable benefit when compared to standard cash back credit cards.

In a throwback to an earlier time of retailer specific charge cards, Exxon still offers two versions of a card that can be used at Exxon or Mobil stores and nowhere else. These cards are really only useful if you live across the street from an Exxon or want an easy to get credit card to build credit. Otherwise, having one of these cards just ads an extra bill to the pile every month, increasing the chance of late payments. T

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Companies that provide expensive, short-term loans to desperate borrowers face tougher regulation by the government.

Pressure over the activities of companies providing payday loans led the prime minister’s office to say on Wednesday that a code of practice to protect vulnerable borrowers could be introduced. David Cameron’s spokesman also said that a cap on the often extortionate interest rates had not been ruled out, but indicated that a voluntary code of practice was preferred.

Payday loans are small, unsecured loans to tide people over until their next pay packet. Campaigners argue that their high cost means poor borrowers can be sucked into a cycle of debt.

The prime minister’s spokesman said: “We know there are concerns about these companies and the way they operate. We want to ensure that vulnerable people are properly protected and are working with the industry and consumer organisations to ensure that people have the protections they need.”

Asked if he would consider an interest rate cap, which some campaigners want, he replied: “That is not a new issue. It has been looked at in the past. Clearly it is an issue that we can look at.

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Now you can claim your debit card rewards faster- much, much faster- thanks to the MasterCard “Money On The Go” program. With a Prepaid Debit MasterCard 11 ratio of reward points, with each point worth a very generous $1.00, your points are redeemable towards 80,000 brand name products offered at its on-line reward site, the “Money On The Go Network.” As a member, you earn a one dollar reward point for every dollar loaded onto their Mongo Prepaid MasterCard and can redeem up to 1,000 reward points every month at their on-line rewards mall. But that’s not all! The “Money On The Go” has also included their LeisureXpress and SaversXpress benefits that save members 20-50% off at over 200,000 national recognized retailers. So sign up today!