Moneywise on December 28th, 2008
Ok, so Discover Card is infamous for its money back programs on its credit card. The pros of signing up for this card are obvious. The card is not without its cons. You certainly cannot rely on it for purchases everywhere. A good amount of places, simply do not take Discover. Also, you have to keep an eye on cards that charge and annual fee and the interest rate. That said, if you use your Discover card like a charge card and pay off the debt every month, you can make a nice chunk of change and enjoy a cash-free life. Right now I would Apply for the Discover® More Card today! 
This card provides up to 5% cash back on certain purchases and a $0 annual fee. There may also be better options out there for you, including Discover’s business card that they are pushing, take a look at all of their options. Discover Card®
Moneywise on June 13th, 2008
The current offering from the Charles Schwab Visa offers a compelling mix of low interest rates, appealing teaser rates, and rewards. One of the main drivers of high interest rate cards is seemingly attractive ‘points’ programs. This almost always never pays off. There are, however, some credit cards that offer both low annual percentage rates on credit card purchases and a decent rewards program. One of these right now is the Charles Schwab Visa. The card currently has a low variable 7.9% interest rate on purchases. It’s introductory teaser rate is only 1.9% and includes both balance transfers and cash advances. The rewards are offered at 1 point for every $1 spent on the card. Also, of course, like all of the ‘best offers’ from credit cards, there is no annual fee. Take a look at their homepage, do your homework, and decide if this card is right for you. A person carrying a $2,500 balance for the next year could save over $200 by switching from a 12% credit card to the Schwab Visa.
Charles Schwab Credit Card site.
Moneywise on June 13th, 2008
During these tight credit times, it is no surprise that credit card industry mailings are down 14% year-over-year, according to a report this morning from Credit Suisse. The amount of mailings going out with a 0% teaser interest rate on balance transfers remains steady, however, at 50% of all mailings. According to the report, Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) is pushing the 0% rates the heaviest including them in 93% of all mailings and American Express (NYSE: AXP) the lowest including them on only 27% of all mailings. Expect around a 10% lower decrease in credit card mailings, generally, though those with exceptional credit may actually receive more offers.
The bottom line here is to take advantage of these balance transfers, especially if you are being bent over the barrel by an interest rate above 12%. If you do not plan on being able to pay your balance off, however, pay special attention to the normal interest rate (what kicks in after the teaser) of the balance transfer ends. Also, you should be wary of ‘playing this game’ over and over, it looks bad on your credit report. If you haven’t ever used a balance transfer offer, however, it just makes good economic sense when you have a significant balance and can get an interest rate (after the teaser rate ends) at or below your existing credit card’s interest rate.
