Tag Archives: fine print

Retailer Tricks That Only Pretend to Save You Money

September 15, 2009 – 3:41 pm

No doubt about it, retailers have been hit hard by the reduction in consumer spending. But a few new trends in retail marketing could lead even the savviest shoppers into a financial trap. MSN Money columnist M.P. Dunleavey wrote last week about the way outlet malls use psychology to seduce consumers into paying more for [...]

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The Financial Benefits to Renting vs. Owning

September 8, 2009 – 12:41 pm

Most people believe owning a home is the American dream, right? Not necessarily. The idea that you’re just throwing your money away by renting is no longer the rule — in fact, over the past few years, many more people have thrown their money away by buying. The government offers several financial incentives to homeownership. [...]

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Citi Hits Credit Card Users With New Annual Fees

August 18, 2009 – 1:09 pm

At the risk of sounding smug, sometimes I feel like I’ve mastered the credit card game. I get 1 percent cash back on my rewards card. And because I pay it off in full every month and it has no annual fee, my credit card bank is essentially paying me a dividend on top of [...]

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A Checking Account With No Overdraft Fees?

July 10, 2009 – 4:42 pm

Overdraft fees netted nearly $37 billion for banks in 2008, and with so many major financial institutions like Bank of America hurting for cash this year, consumers can expect an assortment of banking charges to climb even higher in 2009. It’s a double whammy for money-strapped Americans because the people most likely to get slapped with [...]

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Since When Does 0% Cost $900?

April 1, 2009 – 4:41 pm

Before the financial crisis I, like most Americans, received a lot of credit card offers in the mail. What used to be a steady stream has now slowed to a trickle so I’m paying a little more attention to the occasional “good deal” teaser offer. Last week one of them caught my eye. Capital One [...]

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Outsmart your credit card company

January 30, 2009 – 5:07 pm

Before you sign up for any loan, it’s important to read all the fine print and watch out for any hidden costs. Personal finance blog Get Rich Slowly has a great post today about the top five credit card “promises,” and how you can avoid unexpected fees and costs. Promise #4: Your card has a [...]

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