Credit Card Now

The television commercials promising college degrees or professional certificates fast are hard to miss. The smiling TV actors offer assurances of future economic security and success. But might these programs be compared to subprime mortgages disguised in academic regalia?  

Schools like University of Phoenix, ITT Technical Institute and a host of others are part of the growing for-profit education sector that may the next industry to crash, burn and drag us all down with it, according to Steven Eisman, the investor famous for predicting the subprime mortgage crisis that set off the recession.

The glaring similarity between the subprime mortgage business and for-profit education is the issuance of loans to people who cannot repay them. Read more…

Unfortunately, bad credit cards are no longer the only type of credit scam out there. Even though they’re the most prominent, there are more and more people willing to take advantage of anyone in need. Part of this probably stems from our struggling economy — more people are struggling financially, and more people need credit. Part also comes from the fact that we’re an increasingly credit based society.

Regardless of the reasons, though, it’s important that you recognize the signs of bad credit cards and credit scams before you get sucked in.

Warning Signs of Credit Scams

Here are some warning signs that you’re falling victim to a credit scam.

-They advise you to use an EIN to get a new credit card.

Read more…

There’s a hot new offer out on the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card, but it’s only good for the next week:

For a limited time only, get 30,000 Starpoints® after making just $1,000 in eligible purchases during the first 3 months of Cardmembership. This is our richest offer yet for the Card. The offer will only be available June 30 – July 6, 2010.

This offer is available on both the personal and business versions of the card. Previous Starwood Amex cardholders are not eligible.

Link (via FT)

Having to apply for a vehicle loan can become consuming and frustrating, especially if this is your first occasion. The most important thing you want to take into consideration is your interest payments. This can truly influence your repayments and it is critical to understand just how much you will actually wind up paying for your new car or truck.

The simplest means to estimate your repayments is by by means of one of the various online car interest calculator that are available.

The way to do this is to get all the information you need together first, essentially you need four items:

Loan amount
Loan term
Interest rate (APR)
Date the loan starts

Locate a decent on-line car interest calculator, similar to the one described at the last part of this article and pluck in your information.

Read more…

Nearly two years ago, I blogged on this site about some of the financial challenges I faced while on a two-week trip in Europe. Other than pay toilets and the large minimum amount required to use a credit card, an issue I frequently encountered in France was the lack of acceptance of American credit cards on the metro ticket machines.

Chip-and-PIN cards, which are popular in Europe, hold a very special place in Emily’s heart.

Read more…