Credit Card Assist Blog

The Provocative New Bill That Would Slash Student Debt

Jeremy Woods — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:10:14 +0000

Elizabeth Warren has announced her first bill as freshman senator from Massachusetts: giving students the same discounted interest rate on their loans that big banks get. The Bank on Student Loan Fairness Act is controversial, reducing the federal Stafford loan rate from 3.4% to the discount window price of 0.75%, but as she told Huffington [...]

Are You Throwing Away Money on Medical Bill Errors?

Jeremy Woods — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:00:54 +0000

Ever receive a bill for a visit to the doctor’s office that just made your jaw drop? We all know that medical care can be outrageously expensive, but paying $400 for what amounts to three aspirin and a hearty clap on the back has a way of making you feel it in your bones. Still, [...]

Are Penalty-Free Credit Cards Really All That?

Jeremy Woods — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:00:56 +0000

If you’ve noticed commercials on TV or the radio lately that advertise no-penalty credit cards, it’s no surprise – they’re a hot commodity now. Citigroup, Discover, and Wells Fargo are just a few companies that offer no-penalty cards. Issuers promise to eliminate one or all penalty fees, including late fees, increased interest and over-limit fees. [...]

Magical New Bank of America ATM Dispenses Rainbows and Sunshine

Jeremy Woods — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:00:06 +0000

The little money machine on the street corner is about to get a serious makeover. Since 1959, the public has counted on the ATM for simple banking transactions that don’t require a visit to the actual bank. We’ve been depositing money in envelopes and taking cash (usually in increments of $20) from the machines’ slots [...]

With the Card Act Revision, the CFPB Gives Credit to Mr. Mom

Jeremy Woods — Tue, 07 May 2013 18:21:56 +0000

For stay-at-home spouses, getting credit has long been a pain in the ass. When the CARD Act passed in 2009, it required credit card companies to assess the independent income and resources of each applicant to determine if they’d be able to make payments. The result of that evaluation decided whether or not the person [...]

The 5 Smartest Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund

Jeremy Woods — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:00:27 +0000

If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ll have some money coming back to you this tax season. Of course, how you spend that money is certainly up to you, but before you make a down payment on that 60″ TV or buy those tickets to the Super Bowl, slow down. Take a minute to [...]

Are You Paying Too Much for Your Airline Tickets?

Jeremy Woods — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:00:19 +0000

You wouldn’t spend ten bucks on bag of chips or throw down fifty for a latte, so what explains our willingness to pay top dollar for the privilege of sitting in a flying metal tube bound for Detroit? Airline tickets are always going to be expensive, but if you’ve ever spent an afternoon hitting the [...]

How to Buy a Drink in Manhattan Without Spending a Single Dollar

Peter Diseth — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:00:18 +0000

Here’s a familiar scenario: a man walks into a bar. His journey from the front door of Manhattan’s EVR lounge to the bartender is unremarkable, but when he finally gets the bill for his dry martini, things get … weird. He doesn’t pay with dollars and cents, but with a virtual currency. The dollar amount [...]

Is Bieber’s SpendSmart a Prepaid Debit Card We Can Actually Belieb In?

Jessica Morriston — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:00:19 +0000

Canadian teen-pop superstar Justin Bieber has endorsed all kinds of products, from nail polish and perfume to marijuana (okay, so that one was unofficial). But now he’s backing a decidedly more grown-up thing – financial literacy. Yes, The Biebs just inked a $3.75 million endorsement deal with a prepaid debit card company whose stated goal [...]

How To Make Your Debt Disappear (No, it’s Not Magic)

Jessica Morriston — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:00:37 +0000

There’s actually one good thing about debt: it doesn’t always last forever. While everyone knows that there’s just no escape when you’re paying off a federal student loan, debt collectors actually have a limited amount of time to make a grab for your money when you’re dealing with things like insurmountable credit debt, private student [...]