Are Frequent Flier Miles Still Worth It, 5 Things To Look For

Is It Still Worth It? Frequent Flier Miles

Americans have loved frequent flier reward programs since they started to be offered. Earlier this year, Delta’s SkyMiles frequent flier program had over 41 million members. United’s Mileage Plus reward program had over 52 million members. The AAdvantage Program, offered by American Airlines, had 60 million members. But, when was the last time you looked into one of these programs?

Recently, the airline industry has struggled to stay afloat. Rising gas prices and terrorist activities have threatened the livelihood of the airline industry. Because of this, airlines have had to start charging more and more fees. There are now fees for checking more than 1 bag, checking even 1 bag, etc. Is it even worth it to have a frequent flier card anymore?

When you think about it, the days of “free” reward travel are virtually gone. You really can’t use enough airline points anymore to have your trip completely paid for. The airline companies have had to charge different fees to prevent this so they can stay in business. Credit card experts recommend cashing your frequent flier credit card in and getting a gas reward card instead.

If you don’t want to give up your frequent flier credit card just yet, here are some tips that can help you save some money.

1. If the airplane ticket costs less than $200, pay cash for it. If the ticket costs more than $200, use your mileage points.

2. It may be time to cash in your card if you find out that your frequent flier airline decides to cut back the number of cities it serves. Think about cashing in your card especially if they stop service to your city.

3. Cash in your airline miles, no matter what, if they are nearing the date of expiration. Don’t assume that you’ll have those miles forever. Use them now instead of having them go to waste.

4. If you don’t pay off your credit card every month, frequent flier programs may not be for you. This is because each programs has a high annual APR.

5. Think about the sign up bonuses. Other reward credit card programs do not come with an automatic sign up bonus. Most airline programs do come with at least a 20,000 or 25,000 mile sign up bonus. This may be beneficial if you want to start taking trips before you start using your card.

You need to think long and hard before signing up for a frequent flier program. The airline industry has just gotten so expensive. Even if you do earn a “free” ticket by using your points, you may be charged a lot of fees. Think about whether or not you should just cash in your airline reward credit card

Posted in Credit Cards | No Comments »

8 Extreme Ways to Save

Extreme Ways to Save

Our economy today has forced millions of people to take a look at their finances. People that haven’t been saving are beginning to get a little worried.

I remember watching my grandma when I was a little girl and wondering why she did some of the things she did. She grew up in the Great Depression and saved everything. She would use shampoo and conditioner until there was a few uses left and then tuck it away. She really did save everything. I compare that to how I live and I save nothing. Certainly, there is a happy medium between the two lifestyles. Here are some more extreme ways that you can save.

1. Hypermiling. AAA warns against it because it is dangerous. But, hypermilers have discovered the secret to saving gas. They turn off their engine while the car is moving. The secret is to glide into parking stalls or where ever you need to go. It really does use less fuel.

2. Stop saving money. If you are saving money and getting into credit card debt, it completely nullifies your saving efforts. Stop saving money if this means that you are getting into debt. Work on paying off all of your debts and start saving after that.

3. Sandwich bags. When you are done using sandwich bags, rinse them out and dry them. Sandwich bags can easily be reused. You could save about $30 a year doing this.

4. Cleaning supplies. How much do you spend on buying cleaning supplies? Try making your own. You can use vinegar and lemon as kitchen cleaners and ammonia as window cleaner. You could save approximately $10 a month this way.

5. Good Old H2O. Americans are notorious for drinking tons of soda pop, coffee, juice…anything but water. These beverages cost a lot when you think about it. You’ll more than likely save about $50 a month by drinking water instead. And, you’ll be healthier too.

6. Move back home. How much is your rent? How about your mortgage? Are you spending more than half of your monthly budget on your housing costs? Think about moving back in with your parents. If doesn’t matter how old you are, you can save a lot this way.

7. No-spend. Try holding a no-spend month. People have begun spending no more than $250 or less for the entire month. This budget includes everything for gas, entertainment, food and any other expense. It will help you realize all of the unnecessary things you are buying. You could save as much as $1000 a month this way.

8. No more carpet. The Clever Dude blog has recently pointed out how expensive it is to have carpet. Between the costs of cleaning, shampooing, the electricity to vacuum, and even other costs of having allergens in your carpet can really add up. Some people have saved about $200 a year by getting rid of their carpet.

These are all extremely extreme. But, if you are serious about getting out of debt and saving money, it may be worth it to implement one, two or more of these suggestions.

Posted in Saving Money | No Comments »

The Bailout Bill is Passed by the Senate – Now What

The Bailout Bill is Passed by the Senate

The U.S. Senate has now made it possible for the House of Representatives to vote on the bailout bill again. Many House members would rather avoid the subject, but can’t. The bailout bill is the largest proposed financial rescue plan in U.S. history. It has been a major topic of debate for the last several weeks. Millions of people are infuriated with the bill but lawmakers insist that it is absolutely necessary to ward off a deep, long financial recession.

The first time the bill reached the House of Representatives, it was just the plain old bill. House members were concerned about the number of taxes it would place on the taxpayer. This time around is a different story. The bill has been entirely revamped and loaded with tax cuts and other incentives. These incentives are meant to entice House members who voted against the original bill. The rejected first bill caused the stock market to face a record drop, something everyone is trying to avoid this time around.

The new bailout bill was passed in the Senate with a 74-25 vote. The House is expected to vote on the new package on Friday. Until then, lawmakers will hold their breath and hope fore the “best.” Today will be spend “sweet talking” those members who voted against the original bill. The problem is that the bailout bill was never in danger of being rejected in the Senate. So, just because the bill was approved in the Senate yesterday, doesn’t mean anything as far as the House of Representatives goes.

Here’s how the new plan works. It would allow the government to spend billions of dollars to buy bad mortgage loans and securities and other assets held by troubled banks and other financial institutions. If the plan works, it would help frozen credit to begin moving again. This would prevent a serious recession. The original bill was rejected because 133 House members feared that it wasn’t in the best interest of the tax payer. It allowed company CEOs to be rewarded even when their companies failed. CEOs would be rewarded while the taxpayer bailed them out.

This isn’t the case with the new bill. The newly approved bailout bill (by the Senate) does not allow these “golden parachutes” to continue. Instead, it implements “growth-oriented tax cuts.” The new bill seems to have a benefit for everyone. It provides help for rural schools for people in the West, disaster aid for people in the Midwest and South, and it extends the deductibles of state and local taxes to help states without income taxes (mainly Florida and Texas).

Lawmakers are trying to get the bill passed as quickly as possible in order to get our economy back on track. The financial crisis is already being felt by ordinary citizens like you and me. People are feeling the crunch in terms of hard to get credit and retirement accounts that really aren’t moving anywhere. Let’s hope that something can be done to get our economy rolling again.

Posted in credit | 1 Comment »

Thousands of Jobs and the Housing Market

Thousands of Jobs and the Housing Market

It really isn’t “news” to anyone that our economy is struggling in a major way. Only two years ago, the housing market was doing extremely well. Real-estate agents, mortgage brokers, and loan officers were raking in the cash. It an untimely sequence of events, the tide has turned.

Houses on the market had several bidders in 2006. People could still get 100% financing. The prices of homes kept going up and up and up. Looking back, these times were good. The housing market was controlled and stable. Now, everything is out of control and extremely unstable.

The same people who were thriving not long ago are struggling to make ends meet. The epidemic hit without any sort of warning. Everyone, including businesses, is looking for ways to bring in additional income. American Home Mortgage laid off over 7,000 employees, and that was over a year ago. Imagine how desperate things have gotten since then.

The housing market crisis has begun leaking into other industries as well. Financial experts, accountants, office personnel, software engineers, other computer IT people who once worked in the housing industry have been forced to look for other work. This influx of people who have come from the housing market have bombarded the job-search industry.

Have you seen that commercial where this guy is about to play hit a tennis ball and right before he hits it, a woman steps up and smacks it away from him? It then shows more and more people enter the tennis court, all trying to play with 1 single ball. The commercial is for a top-level job search company. However, there remains a lot of underlying meaning. Many people are battling over one job.

The American unemployment rate has gone up. Thousands of people have lost their jobs due to unforeseen circumstances. Nobody really saw this crisis coming. We need to ban together as a country and all work diligently to solve this problem. This isn’t a problem that is just hitting Wall Street or the housing industry. It is beginning to affect us all and we all need to be prepared to work together and get this crisis solved.

Posted in housing market | No Comments »

Especially Made for Bad Credit

Especially Made for Bad Credit

If you have bad credit, you know how hard it can be to qualify for credit cards. Is there any way you can re-prove yourself to lenders? Will any lenders give you a second chance? How can you start rebuilding your credit? If you want to start rebuilding your credit, you must work hard. You need to sit down and figure out a budget. Chances are, if you have bad credit, you really didn’t use a budget in the past. Instead, you just kept spending until one day, it was completely out of control.

There are several credit cards now that are designed especially for people with bad credit. These cards were established to help you get on track. Take advantage of this opportunity to start rebuilding your credit and prove that you can be an “A” credit borrower. Here are some of the most popular cards that can help you get back on track.

Total Visa Card
-Receive an instant online application decision
-This card reports your status monthly to all three major credit bureaus
-Take advantage of free 24-hour online management tools
-Rated well for outstanding customer service

Tribute Gold MasterCard Credit Card
-Designed for people with bad credit
-Reports often to all major credit bureaus
-24/7 Free Online Account Access
-Get a quick online decision

Bank Freedom Prepaid MasterCard
-$0 Issuance fee
-$0 Monthly fee with direct deposit
-Low fees
-Save money
-100% Guaranteed Approval
-No credit check
-Note-this is a secured credit card (or debit card)

Orchard Bank Classic MasterCard
-Accepted millions of places
-Use your card online, to make reservations and in stores
-Email and text message reminders
-Online access: 24/7

Applied Bank Secured Visa Credit Card
-9.99% Fixed APR rate
-Your rate will never change, even if you are late
-Choose your credit limit-up to $5,000
-No credit requirements
-No income requirements
-Credit bureau reporting.

Take advantage of the opportunity you have to rebuild your credit with one of these credit cards. These cards were designed especially for people with bad credit and who want to improve their credit score. Show lenders how responsible you are by qualifying for one of these cards and using it responsibly.

Posted in Build Credit | No Comments »

What Your Credit Score Means to You

What Your Credit Score Means to You

Your credit score tells people so much about you. It tells lenders how responsible you are, both in general and financially. Your credit score is calculated directly from your credit report. On your credit report, you’ll find different addresses where you’ve lived, a job history, a history on every credit account you’ve ever opened, payment schedules for each credit account, any information that your lender feels is pertinent, and much more. If you want to have a good credit history and credit score, both things need to mean a lot to you.

We all know those individuals that don’t seem to care about anything. These people are often either flippant or forgetful about due dates, sticking to a budget, etc. These are the people that have bad credit. Sure, there are always those individuals that have had a long streak of bad fortune. Some people have run into financial hardships and can’t seem to dig themselves out, no matter how hard they work. I sincerely feel for these people. I wish that there was something set up to reward these individuals for trying so hard to get back on track. Instead, these hard-working people that can’t seem to get ahead in life can’t get loans, can’t make minimum payments and are generally looked down upon.

Now, back to the flippant people that could care less about anything. These people honestly make me mad. HELLO? Get a job, make your payments and stop depending on other taxpayers to get you out of your current situation. This may sound extremely harsh, but, let’s face it…we all know those people that completely take advantage of everyone else. These people could care less what their credit score is saying about them. Why? Because they know that they can always turn around and collect an unemployment check or some other form of federal aid.

If you take pride in your work ethic, if you take pride in your self, if you take price in your financial decisions, then you are way ahead of the game. You understand what your credit score should mean to you. Take pride in that score and keep watching it go up and up and up. Keep making your payments on time. Keep paying off your balances in full each month. Keep shopping around for the best rates and features, without going overboard and getting too many credit cards or credit accounts. Your credit score should mean the world to you and you should do everything in your power to protect it.

Posted in credit score | No Comments »

American Express Cash Back Credit Cards

American Express Cash Back Credit Cards

American Express has been rated the best credit card company in terms of customer satisfaction. If you are looking to get a new cash back credit card, American Express is a safe choice. You’ll get great features and excellent customer service. Take the advice of thousands of customers and get an American Express cash back credit card. Here are just a few of the great cash back credit cards that American Express offers.

TrueEarnings from Costco and American Express
-Earn cash back on gas and a $25 statement credit with your first purchase
-Earn cash back on virtually all of your purchases
-Earn 3% cash back on gasoline purchases, 3% for restaurants, 2% for travel, and 1% everywhere else (including Costco)
-No annual fee with a paid Costco membership
-Dual purpose-American Express card and a Costco membership card
-No limit on the amount of cash you can earn

Clear from American Express
-Absolutely no fees of any kind
-Automatic Rewards
-Every time you earn 2,500 points, you get a $25 American Express gift card
-Flexible Payment options-pay in full or carry a balance
-No annual fee
-0% APR for the first 12 months
-World class Cardmember benefits: purchase protection, extended warranty, return protection
-Express approval

Blue Cash from American Express
-Get up to 5% cash back on everyday purchases
-You can even earn cash back on gas purchases
-No annual fee
-0% APR for 12 months on purchases
-Low balance transfer rates
-Express approval

SimplyCash Business Card from American Express
-Get 5% cash back when you buy office supplies and wireless services
-Get 3% cash back on gas purchases up to $12,000 per year
-Get 1% cash back on all other purchases
-No limits to the cash back you can earn
-0% APR for 12 months
-No annual fee
-Flexible payment options
-Get 3-25% cash back when you shop with FedEx, Delta, Hertz, and more

American Express offers the best customer service to its customers. American Express has been rated the best credit card company according to thousands of customer surveys. If you want great benefits and excellent customer service, get an American Express cash back credit card.

Posted in American Express Credit Card | No Comments »

The Secret Behind Credit Card Offers

The Secret Behind Credit Card Offers

If you are like me, you get at least two credit card offers in the mail every day. I know that I seem to get the same credit card offer over and over and over again. I typically shred these offers as soon as I get them. Why? Because I know the secret behind credit card offers.

Are you ready to know the secret? Are you sure you can handle it? OK, here goes. Don’t accept credit card offers from the credit card company itself. That may sound a little backwards to you. How else are you supposed to get a credit card if you don’t accept the offer from the credit card company? Use a credit card comparison site.

Credit card comparison websites are unaffiliated with any one particular credit card company. This means, you can find all the answers you need without getting biased reviews. These companies are there to give you all the answers you are looking for. Each company provides comparison charts where you can narrow down your search for the perfect credit card. My favorite site actually lets you choose several cards and puts each specification side-by-side. This is so helpful because you can compare everything from interest rates, to late fees, to annual payments, to rewards, etc.

Choosing the right credit card can be a difficult decision. Every card is different, just like every person or family is different. Don’t just accept the first credit card offer that comes your way. By doing this, chances are you are signing up for a card that won’t benefit you as much as another card will. Go to these credit card comparison websites to compare each card. Credit card comparison websites offer unbiased reviews of each card. You can be sure to get all the information you need before accepting your credit card offer. The secret behind credit card offers isn’t too much of a secret. All you have to do is do your homework, by going to a credit card comparison website, before choosing your next credit card.

Posted in Credit Card Offers | No Comments »

3 Steps To Becoming An “A” Credit Borrower

How You Can Be An “A” Credit Borrower in 3 easy steps; read on -

Ever since you were a little kid, you’ve known how good it is to get “A’s.” Maybe your parents rewarded you with an allowance or treats if you brought home all A’s on your report card. Well, you may thing that getting A’s no longer applies to you now that you are all grown up. But, did you know that A’s are probably more important now than when you were in school?

You don’t hear a lot about getting A’s as an adult. You might stop and think, “What could I possible get an A on now? I don’t even take tests or turn in assignments.” Here’s the thing…you are taking tests and turning in assignments whether you realize it or not. We’re talking about getting an A on your credit report and as a credit score.

If you earn an A on your credit report, you can get rewarded very well. The better your credit report is, the more likely you are to qualify for the loans you want. Lenders will give you just about anything you want if you have great credit. If your credit score is above 720, you probably have A credit. You can easily get A credit if you work hard at it. Here’s what you can do to be an “A” credit borrower.

-Make on-time payments. You can boost your credit score simply by making your payments on-time. You’d be surprised how quickly your credit score can improve by paying your bills on time for a few months. If you are on the verge of being an “A” credit borrower, try doing this for several months in a row (you should be doing this anyways!).

-Keep low balances. “A” credit borrowers don’t keep high balances on their credit cards. They have discovered the real way to use credit cards…make purchases with it and pay off the balance every month. This will keep you from getting over your head in debt and will give you great credit in no time.

-Keep it simple. You don’t need to have a mortgage, a car loan, and 20 credit card accounts to get good credit. In fact, financial professionals recommend that you keep your credit card accounts to a minimum. This means, it is fine to have a few credit cards, but don’t go overboard. Have a good variety of credit types, but keep it simple.

It is so simple to become an “A” credit borrower. As an “A” credit borrower, you’ll be able to get the best loans and the best rates out there. Lenders will trust you with their money because you’ve proven yourself to be a responsible adult who understands money management. Follow these simple tips to become an “A” credit borrower and see how much financial freedom you’ll gain.

Posted in credit score | No Comments »

How Discover is Reaching Out to Help Students

We’ve heard a lot lately about how major credit card companies are reaching out to students. Some companies are doing more than others. Discover is one of the companies that is helping students build their credit in a major way. Discover’s student credit cards are some of the most popular cards out there today.

Discover offers some of the best student credit cards. It’s programs are excellent and help students build their credit while also establishing good credit card habits. Discover has really turned the stigma about students and credit cards around. People, especially students, have begun to understand why getting a student credit card is so important. Student credit cards are one of the best ways to establish good credit early on.

Here are some of Discover’s most popular student credit cards.

Discover Student Card-Tropical Beach
-A great way to build your credit history
-No minimum income requirement
-No cosigner required
-Online account management tools that are free and easy to use
-0% APR for the first 6 months
-No Annual fee

Discover Student Card
-A great way to build your credit
-0% APR on purchases for the first 6 months
-No income requirement or cosigner
-No Annual fee
-Online account management tools

Discover Student Card-Monogram Collection
-Earn up to a 5% cash back bonus
-More earning potential than any other card
-Unlimited cash rewards, automatically
-Earn up to 20% cash back when you shop online
-Earn double rewards with you shop with over 80 Cashback Bonus Partners

Cash back credit cards or reward credit cards are a great way for students to earn cash back (or rewards) while building their credit. Discover offers some of the best student credits and some of the best cash back credit cards. Don’t wait to start building your credit until after you have already graduated. Enjoy the benefits of a Discover student credit card and you can get valuable rewards while you build your credit.

Posted in Discover | No Comments »