Many kids want to receive a high-tech gadget when they open their presents during the holidays, and if they are lucky enough to receive such a gift, they need to be careful. Apple's App Store is positively brimming with kid-friendly games and other applications that will allow children to be theenvy of all their friends. […]
As of the end of 2009, electronic payments made up a vast majority of all noncash transactions, accounting for more than three-quarters of these purchases, a new report from the Federal Reserve Board said. This represented an increase of 9.6 percent over the previous study, conducted in 2007, when this type of transaction made up […]
The national recession caused a lot of fiscal problems for millions of people across the country, and even as the economy continues to recover, some are still being cautious about how they handle their money and their credit card debt. However, many are also optimistic that the country will be in better financial shape in […]
When Google's Android OS 2.3 was announced it was reported that the platform would allow consumers to load their debit or credit information onto a phone so they could use them as a digital wallet. But the system only allows enabled phones to receive near-field communication signals, not send them, according to smartphone news site […]
Consumer credit climbed 1.7 percent in October because of increased efforts to acquire lines of nonrevolving credit, those for fixed amounts such as mortgages and car loans, despite another steep decline in the amount of nationwide credit card debt, according to the latest monthly statistics from the Federal Reserve Board. The amount of this type […]
American Express recently announced that its profits in the third quarter climbed by 71 percent over the previous three-month period thanks to customers increasing their credit card spending by 14 percent, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. This change came even as there were considerable concerns over the state of the economy, […]
Offermatic, a California startup, is a free service for which consumers can sign up that will automatically find available rebates for any items purchased using a credit or debit card. The discount is then automatically applied to the checking account or credit card debt, meaning no coupons or proof of purchase is required, the company […]
In a lawsuit filed on December 6, Minnesota attorney general Lori Swanson said Discover Bank and its affiliated processing company made aggressive and misleading attempts to sign customers up for payment protection services that added to their credit card debt. Of particular note is that the company occasionally did so without the customers' knowledge or […]
The adviser appointed to help set up a federal consumer protection watchdog said that the new agency should make the simplification of language in credit card agreements one of its primary objectives. Elizabeth Warren recently gave a speech to the Consumer Federation of America in whichshe said that Washington doesn't do enough to make the […]
Prior to the holiday shopping season, most consumers said they would avoid taking on credit card debt when making their gift purchases. If sales figures from the weekend of Black Friday are any indication, the trend could even outstrip earlier expectations. Consumers were so eager to avoid, circumvent credit card debt that only 16.3 percent […]