Getting a first or second chance to build credit with a credit card has been easier in recent years because financial technology companies have created alternative options. These new cards often evaluate applications differently from traditional credit cards, with algorithms and proprietary methods that may put less emphasis on credit scores while looking at factors…

In 1976, Apple Computer Inc. changed the way people viewed computers. They’ve had groundbreaking developments that allowed people to have small computers in their homes and offices and fit in their hands. But Apple offers more than innovative technologies; they also offer some financial services. What are these services, and should you use them? Apple…

Professional organizers might define household clutter as a pile of unmade decisions. Money clutter is much the same. Those credit cards you no longer use but haven’t closed? That’s money clutter. So is the retirement account you left behind three jobs ago and the financial paperwork you keep but no longer need. Money clutter also…

When your finances start to spiral and it becomes increasingly difficult to keep up with credit card payments or build toward financial goals, switching your payment method temporarily to cash or debit could help. Spending with credit cards can stimulate the brain’s reward center and drive you to make more purchases, according to a recent…

Americans find themselves increasingly burdened by credit-card debt as the relentless grip of chronic inflation tightens its hold on the cost of essential goods. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit was just released, showing a record high 17 percent year-over-year increase in credit-card balances during the first quarter…

Americans find themselves increasingly burdened by credit-card debt as the relentless grip of chronic inflation tightens its hold on the cost of essential goods. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit was just released, showing a record-high 17 percent year-over-year increase in credit-card balances during the first quarter of…

U.S. credit card balances failed to decline in the first three months of 2023 as Americans find themselves increasingly burdened by the relentless grip of chronic inflation. Total credit card debt stood at $986 billion in the first quarter, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit…

NEW YORK—The Federal Reserve has raised its key interest rate yet again in its drive to cool inflation, a move that will directly affect most Americans. On Wednesday, the central bank boosted its benchmark rate by a quarter-point to 5.1 percent. Rates on credit cards, mortgages and auto loans, which have been surging since the…

Credit card rewards help our family save money on groceries, gas and other necessities. We also use rewards for airline tickets, hotel rooms and airport lounge access. We’re in good company. Most Americans have at least one rewards card, and nearly half of rewards cardholders are using their perks to help offset rising inflation, according…

Having a credit card offers a wide range of benefits. Hit with an unexpected expense like a flat tire or broken water pipe? You can take care of it right away and pay off the bill over time. You can also keep an itemized list of payments, apply for loans and even earn rewards like…