Finance Globe

Even a great credit score isn’t enough to guarantee your credit card application will be approved. It’s true, you can be denied a credit card even if you have excellent credit. That’s because your credit score isn’t the only factor credit card issuers consider when they decide whether to extend credit to you. Your Income/Ability to Repay Up until last year, you could get a credit card even without having your own income as long as...

Letter writing has become a little outdated thanks to email, text messages, and social media. But, writing a letter is sometimes the best way to deal with issues with creditors and other credit businesses. In fact, certain laws require you to communicate problems in writing for the creditor (or credit bureau or debt collector) to be held to their responsibilities. When you’re writing to creditors, debt collectors, or a credit bureau, go beyond a stamped envelope...

Everyone knows that January is the time to buy holiday ornaments, wrapping paper and winter clothing at rock bottom prices, but did you know that you can save tons of money on many more exciting things this month? So, while you're out stocking up on wrapping paper at 99 cents a roll, consider shopping around also for some big ticket items you didn't think you could afford. Below is a list of items typically available at...

Creditors and debt collectors may never stop trying to collect on old debts, not as long as there’s still an outstanding balance. You might be contacted about debts years after they’ve dropped from their credit report. As an incentive to get you to pay these old debts, some creditors and collectors offer to settle the accounts with you. But before you take the offer, there are a few things you should know. What is Debt Settlement?...

In this age of electronic transactions, it’s hard to shop without plastic. Credit cards and debit cards make life much easier, allowing you to swipe for purchases instead of counting up the dollars and cents needed to take care of your balance. Unfortunately, past financial problems make it hard for some people to get access to a credit card and sometimes even a debit card. For those consumers, prepaid cards are an alternative. But, these cards...

The saying “It’s too good to be true” is never more evident than with credit card reward programs. Clever marketing makes many credit card reward programs seem like you’re getting a great deal, but there’s typically a catch that you won’t realize unless you dig deeper. Tiered Rewards and Thresholds The tiered reward system is common with cash back rewards credit cards. The cards promote a certain percentage, say 3%, but you only earn that highest...

Now that the holiday season has passed, it’s time to start thinking about the next big event - tax season. The Internal Revenue Service announced that the deadline for filing 2011 tax returns and paying any taxes due will be on a Tuesday, April 17th this year. You will have two more days because the normal tax due date falls on a Sunday and the 16th is Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in the District of...

Many financial problems are either a symptom of or directly caused by bad credit card habits. Getting rid of the worst credit card habits will save you money and help your credit score. Here are nine bad credit card habits you should break before they break you. Not paying attention to your due date. After the Credit CARD Act of 2009, there’s no reason you shouldn’t know your credit card payment due date. Your due date...

Your credit score is a three-digit number that essentially grades the information in your credit report. It’s the number creditors and lenders use to decide whether to approve your application and at what interest rate. Many people have wisely pulled their credit scores before applying for a loan only to find out the lender has a different, possibly lower credit score. Or, you may check your credit score across all three major bureaus and notice there...

A low credit card interest rate is hard to get and easy to lose. If you have a good enough credit history to qualify for a low interest rate, make sure you keep up the good habits required to keep that good rate. Make your payments on time. One of the easiest ways to avoid losing your interest rate is to make your payments on time. Thankfully, the 2009 credit card law gave consumers more leniency...