Credit Card Now

I don’t know why I’m surprised when airlines add new fees. Sadly, it seems like there is no end in sight. The baggage fees instituted a few years ago when the airline industry was suffering were what kicked off the trend, and since then, airlines have begun charging for the likes of blankets, soft drinks and paper tickets, not to mention the fees incurred for redeeming frequent flier rewards. There have also been rumors about budget airlines, such as Ryanair, charging to use the toilets, but fortunately, that hasn’t happened yet.

On Wednesday, American Airlines got creative and announced a new fee for “Express Seats,” according to a press release.

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Has it not felt like an eternity since President Obama first signed the Credit CARD Act into law? Here we are almost 15 months after the stroke of his pen, and we’re still waiting for the final round of new credit card rules to take effect.

Fortunately, we don’t have to wait much longer. Beginning August 22nd, here are five of the final key changes you should expect to see from your credit card companies:

1. No More Inactivity Fees

That’s right—your credit issuer can no longer charge you a fee for not using your card enough!

2. $25 Max on Fees

Unless one of your payments was late during the previous six months, your credit card company cannot charge you a fee in excess of $25. If you

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A recent TransUnion study found that the percentage of Americans behind on their mortgage but current on their credit cards increased nearly 55 percent between early 2008 and the third quarter of 2009.

And while the amount of consumers we’re talking about is still relatively small (6.6%), I find the overall trend to be quite compelling. Clearly, consumers are beginning to think differently about the priority of their debts.

When I bought my first home in 2005 (at the peak of the market in my area- grrhh!), it was ingrained in my mind that no matter what, I would always strive to pay my mortgage first. I

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Should you be allowed to sit in your skivvies and gamble away your time via online poker? And go into credit card debt if you lose?

We have written extensively about the issue of online gambling, since the most popular way to pay for that habit has been credit cards.

A 2006 federal law, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, placed the onus on credit card issuers to make sure their cards weren’t being used for online gambling.

Now, in a twist, California Attorney General (and gubernatorial candidate) Jerry Brown has announced that his office will start using the Web to prevent problem gamblers from going into cardrooms.

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News that book retailer Barnes & Noble may be up for sale shouldn’t send consumers speeding to the nearest store, gift card in hand.

Barnes & Noble announced on Aug. 3 that it was considering a possible sale of the company. But a potential change in ownership won’t leave its gift cards valueless, Barnes & Noble and an independent expert say.

“The fact that the board is exploring strategic alternatives has nothing to do with the day-to-day business,” says Mary Ellen Keating, the company’s senior vice president of corporate communications. Barnes & Noble is continuing to accept its gift cards as usual, Keating says.

And it will likely continue to redeem store-issued plastic. Read more…