Quick Credit Cards

Q: I’ll be traveling to Beijing in a few weeks. Which credit cards will I be able to use there?

A: Over the past decade, the usage and acceptance of credit cards has surged, especially in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. You shouldn’t run into any problems at major hotels, department stores, and upscale restaurants. However just like in America, there will be some mom and pop stores that don’t accept credit cards. In rural areas outside the major cities, credit card acceptance will be to a lesser degree.

When using credit cards in China, the most common are Visa and MasterCard. Howev

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A study by the Pew Report, “Two Steps Forward: After the Credit CARD Act, Cards are Safer and More Transparent – But Challenges Remain” finds that the Credit CARD Act, enacted last year, has stopped many of the credit card practices deemed unfair or deceptive by the Federal Reserve. The study examined credit cards from the top largest banks and credit unions in the nation, with combined control of 90% of the nation’s outstanding credit card debt. Data was collected in March on approximately 450 credit cards to measure the current landscape of consumer credit cards since the passage of the Credit CARD Act.

But as with other attempts to reign in questionable practices, some problems remain and others are emerging that could continue to cost consumers. Dispr

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The high percentage of underwater homes has many analysts concerned that they will lead to more foreclosures in the U.S.

Many Americans who are struggling to maintain their mortgage obligations are discovering that home values have plummeted so deeply that they now owe more on their loan than their home is actually worth. A recent report conducted by real estate information website Zillow reveals that more than 20 percent of mortgages in the U.S. are currently underwater.

Miami-Fort Lauderdale home values saw a year-over-year decline of 15.2 percent, while values in Phoenix, Arizona, fell by 11.8 percent. Full Post…

Recently I needed to rent a moving truck for the weekend and was surprised to find out the company I have gone through in the past had changed their rules and now required all renters to have a credit card and not a debt card in order to rent their trucks. This got me thinking about other instances where you might be in this situation where you only have a debt card, but the company only accepts credit cards. Take for instance renting a car. There are car rental companies out there that will only accept credit cards as payment for renting their cars. After searching around I have found there are also companies that will accept debt cards and even cash as a payment option.

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