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Expanding economy has consumers feeling flush enough to keep borrowing

Jan 9, 2019
The Federal Reserve reports that outstanding consumer credit rose by $22 billion dollars in November, after an even bigger rise in October. That puts U.S. consumers on track to increase their total debt on credit cards, student-loans and car-loans by 6-3/4 percent this year. How might that record-high consumer debt impact the U.S. economy?  Click the […]

Capital One, Discover scale back credit card offerings

Nov 5, 2018
Companies trim credit limits, balance transfers to limit risk in case of slowdown.
Financial expert Carmen Wong Ulrich says credit cards aren't bad --  until you start looking at them as free cash.
iStockphoto

Credit card interest rates are rising

Oct 9, 2018
The average rate is just over 17 percent, and it's expected to keep going up.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

NerdWallet is changing how we shop for financial products

Sep 19, 2018
"Money is complicated. ... We try to make it easier," CEO Tim Chen says.
Tim Chen, the CEO and co-founder of NerdWallet, said the company started as a spreadsheet after his sister asked for help finding a credit card.
Courtesy of NerdWallet

Why does everybody want me to check my credit score?

Aug 8, 2018
Once a closely held secret, free scores are abundant.
Major credit card companies could be getting into the buy now, pay later space.
DAMIEN MEYER/AFP/Getty Images

How those big credit card reward programs could help you save on insurance costs

Jul 23, 2018
Credit Card reward programs are not just about travel perks.
Chase

Rising credit card delinquency seen as tied to climbing interest rates

May 22, 2018
U.S. household debt hit a record $13.2 trillion in the first quarter of 2018, but Americans seem to be handling it okay. Consumer debt levels are stabilizing, according to The New York Fed’s quarterly household debt report. But rising interest rates seem to be squeezing household finances in at least one area: credit card debt. […]

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Macy’s: Rewards for all, no card needed

May 16, 2018
Struggling to keep the customers coming to stores, Macy’s is expanding special deals by offering rewards and discounts to all shoppers, not just its credit card holders. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

According to experts, consumers should give gas station credit cards a pass

Apr 11, 2018
Compared to other credit cards, a new report out this morning from creditcards.com suggests gas station credit cards often carry higher interest rates and fewer rewards. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

Should credit card companies tackle gun sales?

Feb 20, 2018
Andrew Ross Sorkin had an interesting column in the New York Times yesterday — a business and economic take on how to make mass shootings less common. PayPal and Square, Sorkin pointed out, decided years ago not to let people use their services to buy guns. What about Mastercard and Visa, he wondered. Or the […]