Travis CU Platinum Visa Credit Card Review


Written on January 14, 2012 – 7:21 am | by Alicia Ross

Verdict: The Platinum Visa from Travis Credit Union has a lot to offer members. The APR is reasonable and the credit limit is generous for those who qualify. This credit card offers travel insurance, rental insurance and excellent fraud protection. Still, the interest rate may be as high as 18.99% for those with poor credit and the rewards program with this card is an additional $25 annually. Although this card may be a good choice for those who simply want to opt out of the rewards and use the card to finance large purchases, for most individuals there are better options out there that do not charge for a rewards program.

Overview: Travis Credit Union offers membership to personnel of the Travis Air Force Base and residents in nearby counties. The credit union offers many services to members, including different credit cards. The Platinum Visa card has a generous credit limit for applicants with great credit. It also offers an interest rate as low as 10.99%, travel benefits and an optional rewards program.

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Tags: Card, Credit Card, Platinum Visa

2011 Credit Cards in Review


Written on January 8, 2012 – 3:11 pm | by Nicole Gutierrez

For the first time in three long years, the credit card market seemed to thrive.  2011 was just a fantastic year to be a credit card holder, or a potential credit card holder as some credit card issuers went above and beyond the usual to offer big bonuses and awesome promotions even I had never seen before.

Four credit cards in particular offered up front bonuses of $500 or more (one of which could be worth thousands of dollars depending on what you use it for).

Chase British Airways Signature Visa – This card only survived a few months, but the 100,000 bonus points one could earn was worth multiple domestic flights, or one very awesome first class round trip to select European destinations.  Depending on where you fly from, this up-front bonus was worth up to $5,000; the largest bonus I’ve ever seen on a credit card, by a wide margin.  Unfortunately, the Chase British Airways Signature Visa is now expired.

 

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus Card – Southwest doesn’t charge you for your first two bags and they also provided the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus Card which gave away two free round-trip domestic flights.  Two flights on Southwest averaged about $800, so the bonus here was the second largest offered this year.  The card comes with a reasonable $60 annual fee and a $50 Wanna Get Away flight bonus every year.

Citi ThankYou Premier Card – A brand new credit card in 2011, the Citi ThankYou Premier Card offers up points for every purchase and 50,000 bonus points were provided to new cardholders.  That’s good enough for $500 in gift cards OR more than $600 in travel rewards but there’s a hefty $125 annual fee (not charged the first year).

 

 

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card – One final card on our list which offers a $500 cash bonus, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card also includes a 7% point dividend bonus at the end of the year AND a dedicated live representative, 24/7/365.  When you call into customer service, you automatically get a live agent, something no other credit card provides (without a big annual fee).  The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card does have a $95 annual fee, waived in year one.

And if those cards weren’t enough, the return of the no fee balance transfer surely excited consumers, as both Chase and Discover launched a card offering a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months without a BT fee.

Now removed from 2011, I’m amazed at just how quickly a once devastated industry recovered to near full strength.  Issuers were competing against each other for new cardholders, which is a win for everyone.  Hopefully this strong trend will continue into 2012 and the ways Americans can save (or make) money by using their credit cards will continue to rise.

Tags: Credit, Credit Cards

Credit card vs loan: The cheapest way to repay Christmas debt


Written on January 6, 2012 – 7:55 pm | by Adam Gomez

If you’re juggling credit card debts then it might be tempting to consolidate them into one loan – we explain the options for the cheapest way to repay your debt.

If you have more than one debt on a credit card, or you’re paying a high rate, then it may be worth consolidating it into a loan with just one monthly repayment.

However, whether this plan will be cost effective or viable will depend on your personal circumstances. In some cases transferring existing debts onto a 0 per cent balance transfer card might be a better option. [See the best balance transfer deals here]

Either way, youll need to crunch the numbers before making a decision.

Do the maths: Depending on how much debt you have it could be cheaper to take out a loan rather then a new balance transfer credit card

If you’ve got debt on a credit card and you’re paying an average APR of 17.5 per cent, then there are definitely cheaper options available.

Take someone with 10,000 worth of debt, for example.

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Tags: Cheapest Way, Credit Card, Debt

Chase Adopts Simplified Checking Disclosure


Written on January 2, 2012 – 12:45 am | by Alicia Ross

Chase has become the first big bank to voluntarily adopt a simplified, plain-language checking account disclosure, as proposed by an arm of the nonprofit group Pew Charitable Trusts.

It turns out, though, that banking disclosures can get only so simple. Chase wasnt able to squeeze its disclosure onto a single page or box, as Pew originally proposed.  Rather, its form runs three pages and has seven footnotes.

Thats because Chase chose to be comprehensive and display all potential fees, and to give examples for more complex issues, a Chase spokesman, Patrick Linehan, said in an e-mail. (The forms third page lists 10 miscellaneous fees, like $2 for using a counter check, which is an emergency check provided when you dont have any of your own left in your checkbook.)

Plus, Mr. Linehan said, there is some language that the bank must use for regulatory reasons but that the Pew model form didnt take into account.

Susan K. Weinstock, director of Pews Safe Checking in the Electronic Age project, which worked with Chase to create its new form, said Pew had developed its model form with an emphasis on clear terms and the most common fees.

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Tags: Disclosure

Small Businesses Hit By Credit Card Processing Scam


Written on January 1, 2012 – 12:50 pm | by Adam Gomez

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The local Better Business Bureau is attempting to alert small business owners to the potential of a scam by people claiming to sell credit card processing services. The sales pitch doesn’t bother to let business owners in on all of the details, which may result in some charges they simply didn’t bargain for.

One California salon owner was offered a way to cut her credit and debit card processing costs in half. Payment System Corporation promised a much lower rate on processing, a scam that is attractive to many in today’s tough economy. Once sh

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Tags: Card Processing, Credit Card, Credit Card Processing, Scam

One way to be debt-free in five years


Written on December 23, 2011 – 11:30 pm | by admin

An Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) could help you to clear your unsecured debts in five years, including any credit cards, overdrafts and personal loans. There is also the possibility to write off part of your debt at the end of five years – as long as you complete the IVA successfully. You would need to make every payment for a successful IVA, but they would be set at a level that is affordable.

An IVA is an alternative to bankruptcy and in some cases it’s a better option, especially if you’re a homeowner. You may be asked to release equity in your home on an IVA, but it’s unlikely you’ll have to sell your home outright – which could happen during bankruptcy.

If you would like to deal with your debt this way, speak to Debt Advice Now, who specialise in IVAs and other debt solutions. They can tell you whether you qualify for an IVA or whether another debt solution could help you. However, we can give you a brief guide to qualifying for an IVA here.

An Individual Voluntary Arrangement is only really suitable if you have more than one unsecured debt and you owe £12,000 or more that isn’t secured against your property. Read more…

Tags: Individual Voluntary Arrangement