Weekly Tips

Weekly Tips

Weekly Tip: Contact your credit card issuer to get a lower interest rate.

Are you sick and tired of having a high interest rate? If you have a good payment history with your credit card issuer, you may just want to call and talk to them. Simply asking for a lower interest rate will often get you a lower interest rate. Credit card issuers don’t want to lose loyal customers, so if you have established a good history with them, they will be willing to do a lot to keep your business.
 
So how do you actually do it?
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Tue, 2014-06-03 15:27

Weekly Tip: Avoid paying unnecessary ATM fees.

Today consumers are paying billions of dollars a year unnecessarily to banks in the form of ATM fees. If you want to get cash from a bank that is not affiliated with your bank, chances are both banks will charge you a fee that can range between $3 to $6 per transaction. Here are a few tips so that you will never have to pay for an ATM Fee:
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Wed, 2014-05-28 17:13

Weekly Tip: Use a credit card with no foreign transaction fees when traveling overseas.

Traveling internationally is expensive. Travelers have to pay for costly flight tickets and lodging, plus the food, entertainment, and more once they get overseas. And with the U.S. dollar being weak compared to many European countries, it can end up getting very pricey. So, if you are going internationally, it is important to save whenever you can. An easy way to do this is by using a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Thu, 2014-05-15 11:07

Weekly Tip: Start saving for retirement early.

Retirement may seem like a lifetime away, so many people assume they can hold off on saving now and make it up later. But it is important to start saving as early as you can. Waiting too long can make it nearly impossible to catch up, and consumers who wait will end up with significantly less money when it comes time to retire, even if they save a higher percentage of their paycheck. 
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Wed, 2014-05-07 11:37

Weekly Tip: Change your passwords regularly.

It is important to regularly update the passwords on all your accounts. Why?
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Tue, 2014-04-29 10:29

Weekly Tip: Always pay at least the minimum on your credit card bill.

Whether you are in debt or not, it is important to at least pay the minimum on your credit card bill each month. By paying late, you can significantly damage your credit score. If you miss a payment or don’t pay it at all, not only will you have to deal with late payment fees and higher interest rates, but it can stay on your credit report for 7 years. A late payment alone can really hurt your score, making it almost impossible to get approved for credit cards, loans, rent properties, and more. So, even if you don’t have a lot, make sure to pay at least the minimum on time.
Updated by Alice Bryant on Wed, 2014-04-23 09:12

Weekly Tip: Sign up for automatic payments.

If you haven’t already, think about signing up for automatic payments. Everything is done online today, and going paperless can be incredibly helpful. For one, you won’t have to remember about making a payment each month. By using paper, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed and forget about one bill or another. And if you do forget one, you’ll have to deal with extra fees, interest charges, and more. You can end up lowering your credit score and in a lot of debt by missing a payment due date. But by signing up for automatic payments, you won’t have to worry about simply forgetting.
Updated by Alice Bryant on Fri, 2014-04-18 09:21

Weekly Tip: Limit the number of credit cards you have.

Although there is no set number of credit cards you should have at any given time, it is important to keep a limit on the number of credit cards you have open. For one, having too many credit cards can get complicated fast. With all the extra papers and monthly statements, you can easily end up making late or missed payments. Plus, you’ll be racking up a lot of debt. 
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Wed, 2014-04-09 13:45

Weekly Tip: Notify your card issuer if your name or address changes.

If you are in the process of a big change, it’s very easy to be too caught up to even think about your credit card issuers. However, it is very important to notify them in the event of a name change or an address change. 
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Wed, 2014-04-02 09:21

Weekly Tip: Have a mixture of different credit types.

In order to have a great credit score, it is important to mix up your credit. While using credit cards will build your credit score, it will only go so far. The 3 major credit bureaus- Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion- take into account both revolving credit and installment credit when determining your FICO credit score. 
 
Updated by Alice Bryant on Fri, 2014-03-21 11:53

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