Entries by Debtmerica

Debit cards becoming more popular than credit

U.S. Federal Reserve governor Elizabeth Duke gave a speech at the Philadelphia Fed's payment cards center, in which she discussed the rising prevalence of debit card use as well as the declining amount of nationwide credit card debt, according to a report from Reuters. Duke said that debit card use has become increasingly popular as […]

Accounts with no limits on credit card debt can pose problems

There are several types of accounts available from a number of lenders that will allow consumers to rack up as much credit card debt as they want without imposing a limit on the expenditures, according to a report from the New York Times. For example, Visa Signature and World MasterCard accounts don't report a preset […]

Citi rolls out additional programs for holidays

Citi recently rolled out a slew of holiday programs, including one that will enter customers into a contest to win a prepaid card worth between $10 to $10,000 for every purchase they make that results in credit card debt before December 31, the company announced. However, to be eligible for this promotion, cardholders must first […]

Consumers cut credit card debt to levels not seen in decades

Consumers have cut their total credit card debt significantly from the peak observed at the end of the third quarter of 2008, according to a report from Northern Trust. In total, balances have dropped by about $157 billion in the subsequent two years, to $2.41 trillion. Businesses and individuals alike have cut their credit card […]

New digital payment option provides credit card debt alternative

Dwolla, a startup company in Iowa, has been testing a smartphone payment option for businesses and consumers alike, which may soon be rolled out to a national audience, according to a report in the Des Moines Register. The program allows Americans to pay not only retailers without taking on credit card debt, but also send […]

Scale back holiday spending if credit card debt grows too high

It's easy to get swept up in the gift-giving spirit at this time of year. During the holidays, even the most cost-conscious consumers can see their credit card debt quickly spiral out of control. A number of polls show that consumers, who in general are feeling better about their current finances than in the past, […]