: Living with credit 412 New , interesting products 96 Research , regulation , industry reports 231 Rewards 38 Protecting yourself 156 The fine print 66 Credit card miscellany 370 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 4 Print Email Emily's list : Costa Rica and no ATMs edition Emily Starbuck Gerson October 14, 2011 Living with credit A few months ago , I went to Canada and wrote about my experience with credit cards there There were some minor differences , such as restaurants bringing the credit card readers to our table , but in general , I was able to use my credit and debit cards as . usual This weekend , I'm traveling to Costa Rica for the first time . I'll be hanging out in Tamarindo for a few days , then doing a much-needed retreat at Peace Retreat in Playa Negra . It's a tiny little
Even my toaster has to go. It's one of those fancy, stainless steel, four-slicer monstrosities. It won't fit on the limited counter space in my new kitchen.
I'm in the midst of downsizing, and it isn't pretty. I woke up one morning a couple of weeks ago and decided it was time to take the plunge and sell my house. What I was not prepared for was not only would I have to sell my house, but almost everything else I had accumulated over the past 20 years. Plus, I would have to buy a new home, which while less expensive, isn't a cheap process. 
I am back from my trip to Costa Rica, and I had a great time despite the fact that I returned to a week of intense jury duty. As I always do when I travel, I enjoyed observing how money is handled differently. From a lack of credit card acceptance to massive coins, things definitely operate differently abroad.
Learn about some of the many differences I observed between the way day-to-day finances are handled in the U.S. versus Costa Rica. Plus, read my roundup below of my 10 favorite personal finance blog posts from the past week!
: Living with credit 416 New , interesting products 97 Research , regulation , industry reports 232 Rewards 38 Protecting yourself 156 The fine print 68 Credit card miscellany 372 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 4 Print Email Emily's list : Consumer power edition Emily Starbuck Gerson November 4, 2011 Living with credit American consumers have really found their voice lately . In late September , Bank of America announced it would be implementing a 5 monthly fee for some debit card users , and their customers went into a rage . People complained hotly and loudly in every online outlet possible that this change was unacceptable and that they would take their business elsewhere . A little more than a month later on Nov . 11, Bank of America changed course and said it was scratching its
Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Court Shuts Down California Debt Collectors by Christopher Maag on 11 07 2011 A federal court has halted the operation of seven debt collection companies in California accused of illegally lying to consumers , some of whom didn’t owe any debts at all . According to the lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission , the companies falsely claimed that consumers had been sued , and faced arrest or seizure of property if they failed to . pay Instead of contacting the alleged debtors , the companies had a policy of calling consumers’ family members and employers first to create
: Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Act Fast : A Hotline for Elderly Financial Fraud Victims by Christopher Maag on 11 06 2011 If you’re a senior citizen who suspects you’ve been scammed in a financial fraud , or if you are the adult child of a senior facing a possible financial scam , a new hotline may help you report the problem and get . help But you’ll have to act fast . The hotline will only be open for one day : Nov . 10. And the hours will be limited , too . The hotline will only operate between 9 a.m . and 6 p.m . Eastern Standard . Time Featured Tool : Get your free Credit Report Card from: Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Act Fast : A Hotline for Elderly Financial Fraud Victims by Christopher Maag on 11 06 2011 If you’re a senior citizen who suspects you’ve been scammed in a financial fraud , or if you are the adult child of a senior facing a possible financial scam , a new hotline may help you report the problem and get . help But you’ll have to act fast . The hotline will only be open for one day : Nov . 10. And the hours will be limited , too . The hotline will only operate between 9 a.m . and 6 p.m . Eastern Standard . Time Featured Tool : Get your free Credit Report Card from
: Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans The Credit Line : Kristen Christian and the Bank Transfer Day Movement by Credit.com on 11 04 2011 Tune in to this week’s installment of The Credit Line , hosted by Credit.com’s chairman and co-founder Adam Levin on Los Angeles’ KFWB 980 AM this Saturday , November 5, at 9 a.m . PST Noon . EST The show is co-hosted by L.A . radio personality Jeff Levy November 5 is Bank Transfer Day do you know where your money is Are you fed up with the big banks You’re not alone . Kristen Christian , an art gallery owner in Los Angeles , got fed up , too . 160 Then she pulled her
Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Foreclosure Firm Apologizes for Inappropriate” Costumes by Jamie Pietras on 11 05 2011 One of New York’s biggest foreclosure firms has apologized for employee Halloween party costumes that found their way to the op-ed pages of The New York Times , outraged housing rights activists , and did little to soften the image of an organization that has handled a reported 40 percent of the state’s foreclosure cases I again want to sincerely apologize for the inappropriate costumes worn by some of our employees at our Halloween Party in 2010. It was in extremely poor taste and I
Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans 3 Things to Know About Credit Cards from Credit Unions by Beverly Blair Harzog on 11 04 2011 Bank of America’s misstep with debit card fees has brought a lot of attention to credit unions . Even though Bank of America is taking back” the fee in response to the outcry from the public , Bank Transfer Day is still set to happen on Saturday , November 5. Even if you don’t switch banks , you can still consider taking a look at credit cards offered by credit unions . In most cases you’ll need to have good-to-excellent credit , but if you’re turned down , call and ask if they’ll
: Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Talk Credit Radio : Mind Traps That Can Hurt Your Credit by Credit.com on 11 04 2011 This week on Talk Credit Radio : Friday November 4, 2011 Tune into Talk Credit Radio this week with Credit.com’s personal finance expert Gerri Detweiler , live from 4-5 ET 1-2 PT on WSRQ Additional ways to listen are listed . below Mind Traps That Can Hurt Your Credit Do your beliefs really affect your credit—or is that just a bunch of psychobabble This week on Talk Credit Radio , investment advisor and author Marc Pearlman dives headfirst into the subject and makes a compelling caseFollow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans 3 Things to Know About Credit Cards from Credit Unions by Beverly Blair Harzog on 11 04 2011 Bank of America’s misstep with debit card fees has brought a lot of attention to credit unions . Even though Bank of America is taking back” the fee in response to the outcry from the public , Bank Transfer Day is still set to happen on Saturday , November 5. Even if you don’t switch banks , you can still consider taking a look at credit cards offered by credit unions . In most cases you’ll need to have good-to-excellent credit , but if you’re turned down , call and ask if they’ll: Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Talk Credit Radio : Mind Traps That Can Hurt Your Credit by Credit.com on 11 04 2011 This week on Talk Credit Radio : Friday November 4, 2011 Tune into Talk Credit Radio this week with Credit.com’s personal finance expert Gerri Detweiler , live from 4-5 ET 1-2 PT on WSRQ Additional ways to listen are listed . below Mind Traps That Can Hurt Your Credit Do your beliefs really affect your credit—or is that just a bunch of psychobabble This week on Talk Credit Radio , investment advisor and author Marc Pearlman dives headfirst into the subject and makes a compelling case: Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans The Credit Line : Kristen Christian and the Bank Transfer Day Movement by Credit.com on 11 04 2011 Tune in to this week’s installment of The Credit Line , hosted by Credit.com’s chairman and co-founder Adam Levin on Los Angeles’ KFWB 980 AM this Saturday , November 5, at 9 a.m . PST Noon . EST The show is co-hosted by L.A . radio personality Jeff Levy November 5 is Bank Transfer Day do you know where your money is Are you fed up with the big banks You’re not alone . Kristen Christian , an art gallery owner in Los Angeles , got fed up , too . 160 Then she pulled her
, Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans As Bank Transfer Day Approaches , Credit Unions Winning Big by Christopher Maag on 11 04 2011 At least 650,000 people joined credit unions in the last month , and many more are likely to switch as Bank Transfer Day approaches , according to new studies released this week . That’s many times more than the 80,000 people who normally join credit unions every month , according to Lisa McCue , spokeswoman for the Credit Union National . Association Many people who joined credit unions over the last few weeks did so to avoid rising bank fees , says Bill Cheney , president and
: Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans A Smart Read : Managing Debt for Dummies by Mark Frauenfelder on 11 04 2011 Why should you spend time reading a book about debt management if you don’t have a problem with personal debt To me the answer is easy : You never know what’s coming down the road . A medical emergency can easily wipe out your savings , forcing you to dip into your credit cards to cover monthly expenses . You could get laid off from your job . You could lose your home or car and if you aren’t well insured , you’ll have to go into debt to rebuild or replace your property . It’s never a bad idea: Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans A Smart Read : Managing Debt for Dummies by Mark Frauenfelder on 11 04 2011 Why should you spend time reading a book about debt management if you don’t have a problem with personal debt To me the answer is easy : You never know what’s coming down the road . A medical emergency can easily wipe out your savings , forcing you to dip into your credit cards to cover monthly expenses . You could get laid off from your job . You could lose your home or car and if you aren’t well insured , you’ll have to go into debt to rebuild or replace your property . It’s never a bad idea
, Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Two Consumer Watchdogs , Two Very Different Reactions by Christopher Maag on 11 03 2011 Two top leaders of the government’s newest consumer protection agency received very different receptions on Capitol Hill this week . Raj Date , interim leader of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , was grilled by a panel of Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee on a range issues , including allegations that the new agency has too much power and could hurt small banks and credit . unions It could easily become a loose cannon , 8221 Rep . Spencer Bachus , R-AL ,
: Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Report : Underwater Homeowners Pay More in Interest by Christopher Maag on 11 03 2011 If your mortgage is higher than the actual value of your home , chances are that you’re paying extra money on your mortgage every month . According to a recent study by CoreLogic and the Associated Press , the average underwater homeowner is paying an interest rate that’s nearly 40 percent higher than they could get if they bought a home . today That translates to paying an extra 200 a month on a home valued at 250,000, according to the . report Fraud Resource : Free Identity Risk
Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Not Your Grandmother’s Credit Union by Gerri Detweiler on 11 03 2011 I opened a new credit union account recently . I wasn’t protesting bank fees my bank still offers free debit cards with rewards but a local credit union offered me a 1.99 rate on a car loan , and I couldn’t pass that . up While opening the account , I thought back to how different that experience was from the very first credit union account I opened . When I was 19 or so , I joined a local teachers’ credit union my father was a teacher , and family members were eligible to join I don’t recall ever
Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans What the Death Penalty and Foreclosure Have in Common by Adam Levin on 11 03 2011 There is so much news—mostly ugly news from the consumer point of view—about the foreclosure crisis , but it seems one of the most important initiatives taken against the banks that caused the crisis has been all but overlooked . For a period of months , the federal government and most of the states’ attorneys general have been negotiating with the banking industry over appropriate sanctions and penalties that should be imposed for lender misconduct during the foreclosure . process As if
Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Posts Big Changes in CA Law by Emily Peters on 10 05 2005 A new California law today has made the identity theft tactic commonly known as phishing illegal : The state of California 0 comments by Emily Peters on 10 05 2005 Credit counseling by Emily Peters on 10 03 2005 The Washington Post reported today that more and more credit counselors are having their non-profit status revoked by the IRS . 1 comment by Emily Peters on 10 03 2005 Business owners and ID theft by Emily Peters on 10 03 2005 The Association of Certified Fraud Specialists recently held a conference toFollow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans What the Death Penalty and Foreclosure Have in Common by Adam Levin on 11 03 2011 There is so much news—mostly ugly news from the consumer point of view—about the foreclosure crisis , but it seems one of the most important initiatives taken against the banks that caused the crisis has been all but overlooked . For a period of months , the federal government and most of the states’ attorneys general have been negotiating with the banking industry over appropriate sanctions and penalties that should be imposed for lender misconduct during the foreclosure . process As ifFollow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Not Your Grandmother’s Credit Union by Gerri Detweiler on 11 03 2011 I opened a new credit union account recently . I wasn’t protesting bank fees my bank still offers free debit cards with rewards but a local credit union offered me a 1.99 rate on a car loan , and I couldn’t pass that . up While opening the account , I thought back to how different that experience was from the very first credit union account I opened . When I was 19 or so , I joined a local teachers’ credit union my father was a teacher , and family members were eligible to join I don’t recall ever: Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Report : Underwater Homeowners Pay More in Interest by Christopher Maag on 11 03 2011 If your mortgage is higher than the actual value of your home , chances are that you’re paying extra money on your mortgage every month . According to a recent study by CoreLogic and the Associated Press , the average underwater homeowner is paying an interest rate that’s nearly 40 percent higher than they could get if they bought a home . today That translates to paying an extra 200 a month on a home valued at 250,000, according to the . report Fraud Resource : Free Identity Risk, Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Two Consumer Watchdogs , Two Very Different Reactions by Christopher Maag on 11 03 2011 Two top leaders of the government’s newest consumer protection agency received very different receptions on Capitol Hill this week . Raj Date , interim leader of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , was grilled by a panel of Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee on a range issues , including allegations that the new agency has too much power and could hurt small banks and credit . unions It could easily become a loose cannon , 8221 Rep . Spencer Bachus , R-AL ,
: Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Q A : Student Loan Defaults and Garnished Wages by Michael Schreiber on 11 02 2011 The amount of federal and private student loan debt held by Americans , which is expected to top 1 trillion this year has now surpassed credit card debt And given the persistently high unemployment rate , it should come as no surprise that more Americans are defaulting on their student . loans In September , the Department of Education released fiscal year 2009 student loan default rates which had , risen to 8.8 percent , up from 7.0 percent in FY 2008 default rates increased for all
. Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Want to Switch Banks Here’s How to Do . It by Christopher Maag on 11 01 2011 There’s lots of talk lately about people switching banks . An announcement by Bank of America that it would charge customers 5 a month to make purchases with their debit cards though they and other banks have backpedaled recently coupled with increased attention to the Occupy Wall Street Movement , has focused a spotlight on growing outrage over the fees charged by some of America’s largest . banks All that discontent may culminate on Nov . 5, which some activists have declared will be a
, Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Come on Folks , Get Your Free Credit Report by Tom Quinn on 10 31 2011 Who isn’t satisfied by a good discount—or better yet , a freebie Most people I know are , which is why information recently published by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau surprised me . Their report , The impact of differences between consumer- and creditor-purchased credit scores , 8221 reveals that less than 16 million individual U.S . consumers obtain copies of their credit reports for free on an annual basis from www.annualcreditreport.com Featured Product : Looking for credit cards for
The Dough Roller Money Management and Personal Finance The Dough Roller Loading Banking Best Rates Credit Debt Get Out of Debt Credit Cards Master Your Card Insurance Be Safe Investing Grow The Nest Egg Real Estate Home Sweet Home Making Money Let's Make Some Coin This page is having a slideshow that uses Javascript . Your browser either doesn't support Javascript or you have it turned off . To see this page as it is meant to appear please use a Javascript enabled . browser Chase Freedom® Visa 200 Bonus Cash Back It wasn't too long ago that the best bonus offer you could find on a credit card was a meager 50 cash back . In fact , the card I reference is the Chase Freedom® Visa 50 Bonus Cash Back . However over the last few months , Read More McDonald's Monopoly Game is Back The McDonald's