Interest & Fees

There’s a lot of information to gather before you can borrow money. Whether you’re taking out a mortgage, applying for an auto loan or opening a new credit card, it’s essential to know what to expect upfront. Most importantly, you’ll need to figure out exactly how much a loan or other financial product will cost....

Although they’re unfairly vilified by a vocal minority, there are many reasons why using credit cards for purchases makes a lot of sense. Credit cards offer safe, portable capacity that is really unmatched, as well as better fraud protections than debit cards and cash. There have been, however, many recent examples of consumers paying a...

You’ve finally made it to the register, clothes piled high, socks and ties slung across your shoulders, and a box of new shoes at your feet. You manage to get everything onto the counter and the young, bright-eyed cashier asks, “Do you have a JCPenney Credit Card?” You don’t, which prompts the inevitable reply: “Would...

When you get a new credit card, you’ll often see a range of numbers: minimum monthly payments, due dates, balance transfer fees, and something called the “annual percentage rate” (APR). You may have heard of APRs when it comes to home loans — and if you’re a veteran home buyer, you know they’re not the...

You may have received a few credit card offers with a 0% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on new purchases and balance transfers. Or maybe you’ve been offered special financing when you make a large purchase so you can pay it off over time with “no interest.” Most credit card companies make money from interest fees (financing charges)...

Whenever you get a loan, you’ll usually have to pay interest. Even though credit cards are a type of loan, you can avoid interest fees completely with most cards. Interest is a fee you pay for borrowing money from a lender. Most of the time, the interest you pay is a percentage of the amount you...

We’ve got a secret — a secret credit card issuers don’t want you to know about. Wanna know what it is? If you pay your bill in full each month, you won’t ever have to pay interest on purchases with most credit cards. That means you can get the perks and convenience of using a...

You might think it’s crazy to pay an annual fee for a credit card. Why pay when there are so many other card offers without fees? Although there are many great no annual fee credit cards, a yearly fee shouldn’t scare you away from any particular card. There are many situations in which a card with...

It seems like all you ever get in the mail are bills, advertisements, occasionally a catalog…and oh, credit card offers. Can’t forget about those! While the plethora of envelopes splashed with “limited time” and “apply now” might be annoying, there are a few reasons you might not want to toss them out. What Are Preapproved...

When you’re in the market for a new credit card, you’ll see one term a lot: APR. But without a basis of comparison, it’s hard to know: What is a good APR for a credit card? Here’s how to tell — and why it may matter less than you think. What Is APR? APR stands...

You’re looking through your credit card statement when suddenly you see it: a fee you didn’t know was coming. Don’t fret. It happens to the best of us. After all, fees and interest are the main ways credit card companies make their money. But here’s what every savvy credit card user knows: Credit cards don’t...

You may be asking yourself “Can I get cash out of the ATM with my credit card?” Yes! Most credit cards will let you withdraw cash at an ATM.  Great news, right? No way! Borrowing money on your credit card is a cash advance, and it’s worlds away from a simple debit card cash withdrawal....