Credit Card Guides

A credit limit is the maximum amount you can spend on a credit card. Issuers determine this limit based on factors such as your income, credit score, debt-to-income ratio and payment history. They also periodically review how you use your credit card accounts to assess whether you’re eligible for a higher credit limit. If your […]

It used to be that many people hadn’t heard of secured credit cards. If you said the words “credit card,” folks assumed you were talking about a regular, unsecured credit card, and didn’t even know there was another kind. However, these days secured cards are making a huge splash, and more and more people are signing up for them.

If you’ve ever been slapped with a credit card fee, you know it’s no fun at all. You can incur a fee for making a late payment, getting money out of an ATM, buying something with your card overseas.

If you’ve been reading about the changes in credit card payments lately, you might be wondering how it’s going to affect you.

Having a good credit score is essential if you want to do things like get the lowest possible interest rate on your mortgage or be approved for an elite rewards credit card. Some potential employers will even check your credit history before offering you a job. So, if your credit is less than stellar, possibly even downright bad, what can you do to turn it around and have great credit?

For many people, the idea of cleaning up damaged credit and improving their score is a daunting one. If your credit is poor, fixing it might seem like an insurmountable task. But if this is you, don’t worry. There are actually small things you can do that make boosting your credit score and rebuilding your credit history a completely achievable goal.

Earning credit card rewards is one of the best things about using a credit card as your primary method of payment for everyday purchases. But if you’re looking for a new credit card and are focused only on finding one that offers you the best and biggest rewards, you could be missing out on some of the other important features that make credit cards indispensible financial tools for so many people.

If you have a cash back credit card, chances are it’s one that offers you 5% back in certain spending categories that change each quarter. These types of cards are some of the most popular cash back cards, and for good reason. It’s an easy way to earn cash back in different categories, and gives you a variety of ways to earn credit card rewards.

It’s easy to lecture people about getting into credit card debt, but it’s also easy to get into debt over your head without even realizing it. First, you’re charging one small purchase that you plan to pay off as soon as you get paid, and the next thing you know, your credit card balance is higher than your next paycheck and you end up having to carry the balance over from month to month.

There are a few reasons why someone might not have any credit history. Young people who have recently graduated from college often don’t have a credit card yet, because they’re just starting out. Recent immigrants to the US also arrive without a credit history. And then there are people who have simply never had a credit card, for one reason or another.

Double and triple points can boost your rewards balance, while rotating categories of 5% back often let cardmembers earn up to $75 cash back per quarter.