Healthcare in the U.S. is becoming increasingly expensive. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, healthcare spending grew nearly 6 percent in 2015, reaching $3.2 trillion or $9,990 per person. In the next year alone, health insurance premiums are increasing by 50 percent or more for many consumers. Deductibles and out-of-pocket annual maximums are also growing, leaving more patients footing the bill for the majority of their medical expenses in any given year.
If you’re in credit card debt, you are probably all too familiar with how interest works. Any time you leave a balance on a credit card, the credit card issuer charges interest. The interest rate on credit cards can be as high as 15%, so a credit card balance of $500 can easily turn into $1,000 or even higher over time. Before you know it, the debt balance is so high that achieving debt-free status can seem hopeless.
Have you ever had to pay a fee to get your own money from an ATM? If so, you’re not alone. Nor are you in the minority if your bank has ever socked you with an unexpected overdraft fee. In fact, according to CNNMoney, in 2016, America’s three biggest banks alone raked in more than $6.4 billion dollars in these fees from their customers. Despite public outcry, there’s little anyone can do about it, either—except take their business to a more caring financial institution like Alliant Credit Union.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 82 percent of American adults take at least one medication and 29 percent take five or more. However, only 50 percent correctly follow their medication schedule, and 700,000 suffer an emergency due to medication mismanagement each year.
Credit cards can be used for cash just like an ATM. This isn’t what credit cards are traditionally used for though. They allow consumers to buy now and pay later, so many people use them as a line of credit. You can spend as much as you would like on the card, staying within the card’s credit limit, and then must pay back the entire balance in full by a due date established by the credit card company. If you pay anything less than the full balance, interest charges will start to accrue.
With the holidays around the corner, it’s a great time to give. While we’re all looking to save money, wouldn’t it be great to know that you can clean out your closet, make some money and restock it at the same time? That great deal is possible thanks to a company called Buffalo Exchange.
For more than 40 years, Buffalo Exchange has been providing quality clothing and helping people feel good about selling their old clothes and getting new ones. The company has 49 stores in 20 locations. RewardExpert spoke with Marketing Director, Stephanie Lew, about why it makes sense to save money, help the environment and get a new wardrobe at Buffalo Exchange. Lew said, “We give customers the chance to find current, like-new items for a fraction of the price.”
Credit cards should not be viewed as a way to access cold hard cash like an ATM. The goal of a credit card is as follows: a bank issues you a line of credit (also known as the card’s credit limit) and you are allowed to use the card to finance various expenditures up to the credit limit. You must pay back all of your expenditures in full on a due date set by the credit card issuer.
Many small business owners are accustomed to stressful financial challenges—whether they’re struggling to collect on unpaid invoices, scraping together the cash to repair equipment, or securing credit to fund their company’s expansion.
In fact, according to the Federal Reserve Bank’s Small Business Credit Survey, 61 percent of the small business respondents had faced financial challenges in the previous year, with accessing necessary credit (44 percent) and meeting operating expenses (36 percent) the most common.
If you want to hit the road in 2018 and make it your best travel year so far, we have some great suggestions for you. These are our favorite tips on how to maximize your credit card benefits and loyalty program perks while also earning and saving miles and points.
It’s a seller’s market across much of the U.S. thanks to brisk growth in home prices and low for-sale inventory in many areas. While that’s great news for homeowners who want to enjoy the financial benefits of increasing equity—such as refinancing to lower mortgage payments or even take out cash—it’s bad news for buyers, many of whom are afraid to make the largest investment of their lives at what could be the apex of another real estate bubble.
It’s a scary feeling when your credit card is stolen. Think about how much could go wrong. A thief now has the opportunity to charge whatever they want on your card and leave you responsible for footing the bill. It’s a thief’s dream, but a consumer’s worst nightmare.
As soon as you realize your credit card is missing, there are a few actions you should take immediately to limit your liability from any unauthorized purchases that may result from your card falling into the hands of the wrong person.
Take a peek at the average U.S. household and you’re likely to find a beloved pet at its center. According to the most recent American Pet Products Association (APPA) National Pet Owners Survey, the nation was home to 84.6 million pet-owning families in 2016. Pet owners spent more than $66 billion dollars on their pets that year and the APPA forecasts they’ll spend even more ($69 billion to be exact) on furry family members by the end of 2017.
‘Tis the season for charitable giving, and Americans are increasingly donating. According to the Giving USA Foundation, individuals, estates, foundations, and corporations across the nation contributed an estimated $390.05 billion to U.S. charities in 2016, an increase of 2.7 percent in current dollars from the prior year. Giving by individuals increased nearly 4 percent, accounting for much of the rise in total donations.
Applying for a credit card isn’t a difficult process. The major credit card issuers have online applications that can sometimes inform you within minutes if you’ve been approved for the card. But there are some factors to keep in mind when applying to ensure that your credit score doesn’t suffer unnecessarily.
When it comes to your money, who wouldn’t want to save more, spend less and get the very best deal when it comes to banking, investing, retirement and financial services? MoneyRates is a personal finance wonderland, offering reviews, comparison tools, advice and more, with the goal of maximizing a user’s financial potential.
What have you taught your children about credit? Even if you think you have never given them a lesson, you probably have. The way you spend your money, talk about money and live your life in general are absorbed by your little ones. Has your child ever asked you for something and you had to tell them you could not currently afford it. They might even suggest using a credit card as they have likely seen them used to buy things. Your child may be under the impression that a credit card is like free money if you haven’t explained how they work.
With the holidays upon us, it’s time to not only think about food, fun and festivities, but finances, as well. And thanks to credit unions like GTE Financial, consumers have access to top-notch savings products, credit cards, financial information and more. The Tampa, Florida-based company has been putting personal prosperity over corporate profits since 1935.
According to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation, American consumers will shell out an average of $967.13 towards holiday gifts this year—an amount that can put a strain on any household budget. However, if they use the Ebates online shopping portal to spend those dollars at their favorite stores, they can earn some of that cash back in the form of a Big Fat Check.
It seems like every few months we’re hearing about a new data breach that has compromised our personal information. The Equifax breach from a few years ago, for example, affected nearly half the United States population.
Even though we’d like to think our information is secure, vigilance is crucial. It’s important that you always have a good understanding of what’s on your credit report.
Capital One is making it easy for everyone to stay in the know with CreditWise from Capital One. This service, which is included for free with every Capital One card, you’ll be notified if there are any changes to your credit report. It’s an easy and free way to keep your credit safe.
