Credit Card Reviews
| Services: | Our Ratings: | Bottom Line: |
 The TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express |
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3% cash back for gas & restaurants, 2% travel, 1% everything else; great for Costco members & others |
 Miles by Discover Card |
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Best overall travel rewards card; Earn up to 12,000 bonus miles in first year |
| Discover Open Road Card |
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5% rebate on gas and auto maintenance purchases; 0% intro APR for purchase & transfer; best overall gas rebate card |
| American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card |
|
High annual fee but includes unique Gold card benefits |
 Chase Sapphire |
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Unlimited reward points; 10,000 bonus points after first purchase |
| Discover More Card |
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0% APR for 12 months on balance transfers; up to 5% cash back |
| Chase Freedom Credit Card |
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Unlimited cash back with bonus opportunities; $50 rebate |
| Discover Motiva Card |
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Cash back plus bonus for paying bill on time |
| Discover Student Card |
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Good cash back card if you make frequent purchases in specific categories |
| Slate with Blueprint |
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Good for those who want help managing their finances |
| Discover Student Open Road Card |
|
Good cash back rates, but low caps on earnings from gas purchases |
NextAdvisor Credit Card Blog Headlines
Lower credit limits for California residents?
MSNBC reports that a San Diego resident was told that his credit limit was lowered simply because he lives in California. Paul Smith recieved a letter from issuing bank HSBC informing him that, based on information obtained from Equifax and due to the current economic environment, the credit limit for his General Motors credit card [...]
You know that minimum credit card purchase requirements aren't allowed, right?
Many merchants post signs near the cash register, stating that you must spend above a certain amount in order to be allowed to use a credit or even a debit card. However, these minimum credit card purchase requirements violate MasterCard and Visa's merchant agreements. Obviously, many retailers choose to disregard this rule, and they generally [...]
Consumer Reports advises college students on responsible use of credit
In anticipation of the start of a new school year, Consumer Reports is blogging about personal finance issues for college students. Today's post kicks off the series by addressing credit card debt.
Some points worth noting:
84% of undergraduate students have at least one credit card, and more than half have four or more.
Only 17% pay off [...]
Your cash is no good here
A popular Manhattan restaurant has issued a press release announcing its new "credit cards only" policy:
Carrying around cash is a thing of the past. Leave it to Commerce, Harold Moore's West Village hot spot, to modernize and go "paper-free," now only accepting credit cards as a convenience to its patrons. With robberies on the rise in the [...]
Ten things NOT to put on your credit card
Robert Manning, author of Credit Card Nation, has made a list of ten things you shouldn't put on your credit card. Why? Because credit card companies may start to see you as a risk if, for instance, you're charging your federal taxes. But there are other things too. Here's the list, courtesy of NPR's Marketplace:
1. [...]
Beware of new credit card fees
An article in today's Wall Street Journal warns consumers to beware of unexpected credit card fees. In the current economic climate, it's no surprise that banks and credit card companies are looking for any excuse to earn an extra few dollars here and there. A CEO of a bank-card advisory firm is quoted saying, "The [...]
Consumers Union wants to know what you think about credit card reform
Consumers Union has created CreditCardReform.org, which provides news updates and explanations to ensure that readers understand how credit card reform effects their financial situations, as well as a wealth of tips to help readers use credit responsibly.
In the months before the new protections outlined in the latest legislation go into effect, Consumers Union is attempting [...]
Master hacker pleads guilty
Infamous hacker Max Ray Vision, a.k.a. "Iceman", a.k.a Max Butler pleaded guilty yesterday to wire fraud charges. Wired Magazine reports that he "stole nearly 2 million credit card numbers from banks, businesses and other hackers, which were used to rack up $86 million in fraudulent charges." Butler started out as a good guy, doing contract [...]
Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act dissected
When President Obama signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act into law, a number of credit card companies went on the defensive, predicting annual fees, diminished grace-periods, and other customer-focused expenses. Enter two doctoral candidates at Harvard, Ryan Bubb and Alex Kaufman, who tell us in their recent New York Times op-ed piece [...]
Credit Cardholder's Bill of Rights includes special protections for college s...
While the Credit Cardholder's Bill of Rights offer protections for all Americans, there are a few amendments that specifically designed to help prevent college students from racking up thousands of dollars of debt while they are still undergrads.
First, there are much more strict limits on the amount of credit that can be offered up to [...]
Did you know?
You could be saving hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars per year by transferring balance from high APR credit cards to those that offer a lower rate for balance transfers. Many of these credit cards offer 0% interest for as much as one year as well as competitive standard APRs once the introductory period is complete. If you want to save money by eliminating the interest on your existing credit card balances, then credit cards with low balance transfer rates are right for you.
Know the Score
Knowing your credit score is of utmost importance when applying for credit cards. Inaccurate information on your credit report could cost you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your credit card or even cause your application to be declined by the issuing bank. It's a good idea to review your credit report and credit score before you apply for a new credit card so that you have a better idea of how potential lenders will see your credit history. NextAdvisor.com has reviewed and compared all of the major credit report and score services, many of which will provide you with a free credit report and score just for trying a free trial of a credit report monitoring service.
Have a question?
Don't know the difference between a standard or fixed APR, or even what an APR is for that matter? Don't know what constitutes good credit or bad credit? No problem! We have assembled a detailed list of frequently asked questions that can address any uncertainties you have about selecting a new credit card.
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