Emily's list: Grubby money edition
Updated: 2012-11-30 21:31:50
A new study reveals how the quality of physical bills can affect spending choice. What I want to know is how credit cards and debit cards fit into this. I thought spending habits were all about cash versus plastic, but now it looks like there are subtleties in cash spending alone.
Keep on reading to learn more about the study and to see my list of my 10 favorite posts from the personal finance blogosphere this week.
: Living with credit 504 New , interesting products 106 Research , regulation , industry reports 242 Rewards 47 Protecting yourself 183 The fine print 80 Credit card miscellany 388 Celebrity Money Watch 5 Print Email A shocking development : Gold card made of real gold Jay MacDonald November 20, 2012 New , interesting products What becomes a Eurasian oil oligarch most Why , the first-ever , diamond-studded Exclusive credit card from Sberbank in Kazakhstan , made from real gold , of course Only 100 of Sberbank's estimated 400,000 Visa Infinite cardholders in the former Soviet republic will be invited to pony up 100,000 65,000 for the card itself and 35,000 in mad money to rock the world's newest status symbol . Although it lacks a magnetic stripe , the Infinite Exclusive packs a chip for
Black Friday isn't for everyone. Me, for instance.
I am the type who steers clear of chaotic retail stores during December and orders as many gifts as possible online. It amazes me, but there are thousands if not millions of people out there who are willing to wait in line for hours in the cold for a consumer good.
This week, I found a collection of helpful blog posts about Black Friday and holiday shopping from a variety of personal finance bloggers. They offer tips on budgeting, finding the best deals, avoiding the crowds and staying organized. Enjoy these great tips, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
December only begins tomorrow, but I'm sad to say that holiday shopping is already giving me a headache. I previously discussed that I avoid Black Friday. Once Cyber Monday rolled around, I gave in just a bit. But I found that most of my shopping was for me -- not my loved ones. This season is all about joy, and I'm going to be a miserable lady if Christmas and Hanukkah roll around and I've spent more money on myself than my family. I think it's time for me to start unsubscribing from retailer emails!
Check out my 10 favorite personal finance blog posts from the past week, several of which discuss the challenges of holiday shopping.
It wasn't until I graduated and started paying off my student loans that I felt that final big rip of that financial bandage. I had to radically reassess my finances and come to terms with reality. 
Slide over, American Express Centurion "Black" Card with your Hollywood allure. Bow down, Coutts & Co. World Card, the plastic preferred by Queen Elizabeth. Sayonara, Citibank Ultima with your free rounds of golf and worldwide airport lounge access.
There's a new status card in town that packs something the rest of you lack: a tiny keypad and LCD digital numeric display.
Last week, MasterCard introduced its Display Card, now available through Standard Chartered Bank exclusively to qualifying customers in Singapore. 
When merchants dispose of credit card receipts, the dumpster or recycling bin is fair game. Is there a gap in protection waiting for ID thieves to find and exploit? Or is that moment of anxiety unfounded when you leave the "merchant copy" slip lying on the table?
Got a Case of the Fiscal Cliff Worries by Sara Kantner on November 30, 2012 If the media has it right , Americans shouldn’t be worrying about Mayan predictions this December . Instead , we should be fretting over the looming Taxmageddon At the end of 2012, the economy will metaphorically go up in flames if Republicans and Democrats can’t come to a decision about impending tax increases and spending . cuts As of now , the American economy verges on the edge of a fiscal cliff and a possible plummet back into recession . At the beginning of 2013, tax hikes and spending cuts will begin going into effect in an attempt to reduce the U.S . deficit , which will total over 1 trillion at the start of 2013 for the fifth year in a row . But Republicans and Democrats have been up in arms about the
: Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans When Your Identity is Tossed Out the Window Literally by Adam Levin on 11 30 2012 The scene of the crime is the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Day Parade . This year was spectacular great entertainment with many new balloons and floats . 160 Fall was in the air and so , too , was the confetti . This year , however , some of it was comprised of shredded confidential documents , floating to the ground courtesy of the Nassau County Police . Department You see , the confetti strips dumped on the parade
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans 10 Financial Books to Give as Gifts by Gerri Detweiler on 11 30 2012 At any given time I may have half a dozen books I am reading around the house , ranging from the financial books I often read for work to novels recommended by friends . I love books , so trying to pick ten financial books to recommend as gifts this holiday season is a challenging task , to put it . mildly To help me come up with a top ten list for this holiday season , I called on members of The Garrett Planning Network As
: Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans This Week in Credit News : Smart Holiday Spending by Kali Geldis on 11 30 2012 Even though Black Friday and Cyber Monday are behind us now much to the relief of some Scrooges there is still a lot of holiday shopping to be done . The biggest news this week was all about smart holiday shopping and spending , with some great tips on how to make money by spending . it How to Buy Gift Cards Maximize Your Rewards Credit card expert Jason Steele is a master of the gift card that gives back to you . As
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans Criminals Still Rely on Real-World Identity Theft by Credit.com on 11 30 2012 Many consumers across the country might know all about the threats they face online when it comes to identity theft and the possibility of losing their personal or financial data . But in truth , the far bigger threat exists in the real . world Crimes related to the theft of wallets , purses , personal identification and computers made up 73 percent of all identity fraud cases last year , based on a study of insurance
, Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans Debt on the Rise , Except for Home Loans by Credit.com on 11 30 2012 At the end of the third quarter , Americans owed less to lenders across the board than they did three months earlier . However , that change came despite an increased reliance on student loans , auto financing and credit cards The total amount owed by consumers to lenders fell to 11.31 trillion between July and September , down 74 billion from the figure seen at the end of the of the second quarter , according to the latest
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans How the Mobile Wallet Might Impact Your Credit Score by Jill Krasny on 11 29 2012 E-wallets are going mainstream , and as more consumers buy in they should be questioning whether the technology could affect their credit . score Consumers might not see an immediate parallel , but there are a few factors for mobile wallet users to consider . For one , the mobile wallet industry is still young , and the privacy and security of these systems are a work in progress . 160 Also , mobile wallets make it
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans How to Buy Gift Cards and Maximize Your Rewards by Jason Steele on 11 29 2012 For some , gift cards are the perfect present while others find them to be the choice of last resort when they have run out of ideas . However you arrived at your decision to purchase a gift card , you can earn tremendous rewards for yourself when you purchase gift cards using a credit . card Maximizing category bonuses The key to earning the most points , miles , and cash back from your gift card purchases is to
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans The Most Searched-For Products for the Holidays by Kali Geldis on 11 29 2012 Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t just a frenzy for shoppers , they’re also holidays for the data-divers out there , who can pinpoint some of the most interesting trends for the holiday season based on what you do . online Bill Tancer , 160 General Manager of Research at Experian Marketing Services and New York Times Bestselling author of Click : What Millions of People Do Online and Why It Matters is one of those
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans Tis the Season for Credit Card Fraud by Credit.com on 11 29 2012 With the holiday season here , many consumers are taking to both the Internet and their favorite stores to get all their shopping done , but experts warn the threat of identity theft particularly online , looms larger at this time of . year For this reason , consumers should do all they can to make sure that they’re not inadvertently exposing themselves to this type of fraud when they hustle to get every gift on their list this
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans Posts 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 to discuss new trends in identity theft . The fastest growing 0 comments by Emily Peters on 10 03 2005 Don’t belive the rumors by Emily Peters on
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans Retailers File Swipe-Fee Settlement Appeal by Credit.com on 11 29 2012 The massive battle over the amount of money charged to merchants by the world’s two largest processors of credit and debit card payments recently hit another bump in the road , as a group of retailers appealed the preliminary approval of the case’s settlement . deal The retail group , made up of 10 organizations , including the National Association of Convenience Stores , the National Restaurant Association and more , all of
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans Lawmakers Pressured to Help Troubled Homeowners by Credit.com on 11 28 2012 With the looming fiscal cliff , many of the nation’s lawmakers are debating exactly what federal programs and tax breaks to cut in an effort to reduce the national deficit . But some top officials across the country are now fighting for one such . allowance Last week , the attorneys general for 40 states plus Guam wrote a letter to some of the top officials in the U.S . Congress urging them to extend that tax breaks
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans Education Department Adopts Crucial Reform for Disabled Borrowers by ProPublica on 11 28 2012 by Sasha Chavkin ProPublica , Nov . 15, 2012, 10:19 . a.m This story was co-published with The Chronicle of Higher . Education The Education Department enacted a crucial reform on behalf of borrowers who become disabled , issuing new rules earlier this month that make it easier for these borrowers to get their federal student loans . forgiven The rules which the department has not publicly announced ,
, Woo , Debt Third Quarter Reports Show Increased Consumer Spending by Sara Kantner on November 28, 2012 Credit card companies should be smiling after receiving word that consumer confidence is on the rise and spending has increased over the third quarter . As for the good-for-them , bad-for-you news , delinquencies have increased as well , which can sometimes mean more money for the banks . Here’s a rundown of what the third-quarter reports mean for credit card companies and . consumers From July to September of 2012, Americans pulled out their plastic more often at the checkout , which resulted in the average American’s credit card debt jumping by 4.9 and that’s before the holiday season . Last year , most American borrowers owed their credit card issuers an average of 4,762 during the
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans Will the Mortgage Interest Rate Deduction Be Cut by Credit.com on 11 28 2012 With the fiscal cliff drawing ever closer and lawmakers still at loggerheads when it comes to determining what federal programs or tax breaks might get the axe as they try to balance the budget , one particularly big concern looms larger than . others But now , the debate over what to cut and what to leave untouched has become so heated that a tax provision that allows consumers to write off the interest they paid on
4 Tips for Making the Most of Your Holiday Charitable Donations by Sara Kantner on November 26, 2012 Tis the season for charities to flood email inboxes with sad stories and heartfelt pleas in an attempt to get kind-hearted people everywhere to donate a little something during the holidays . Most people say they donate to make a difference in the world , but a little something extra in return would be good for you too , wouldn’t it All good deeds don’t go unnoticed especially if you know how to make your charitable acts work for . you Check out these four suggestions to find out how to make your acts of good will pay off during the 2012 holiday . season 1. Get Cash Back for Your Generosity . If you’re going to make charitable donations this year , milk the banks for a kickback every
Card Issuers Screw Retailers and Customers in Swipe Fee Settlement by Ben Demeter on November 23, 2012 If you’ve ever wondered why your favorite bakery has a credit card minimum ask them about swipe fees . They’ll be more than happy to explain how credit card companies screw them on each and every . transaction Yep , swipe fees are in the news . . Again A judge has given the preliminary go ahead to a 7.2 billion settlement between The National Retail Federation and major credit card companies , after seven long years of litigation . If the settlement over alleged swipe fee fixing gets final approval and all signs indicate it’s going to it will be the largest federal antitrust settlement in U.S . history . Sounds like a well-deserved slap in the face to credit card companies and a pretty
: Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans Money Experts’ True Stories of Holiday Spending Gone Wrong by Gerri Detweiler on 11 23 2012 Even though it was decades ago , Mary Hunt vividly remembers the shopping trip that became etched in her memory as part of the worst Christmas . ever Every credit card was maxxed out to the limit , but she hadn’t completed her shopping . With just a week left before Christmas , she managed to beg one card issuer to raise her limit . Unfortunately , it was a card from a high-end retail store with a
5 Black Friday Horror Stories To Scare the Bargain Hunter Out of You by Ben Demeter on November 21, 2012 The 4 a.m . alarm goes off . Your gut is still gurgling it’s that extra slice of pumpkin pie mixing with all of that gravy . You should be excited about Black Friday but instead you’re wracked with indecision . You’ve got a bad feeling about November 23, 2012, a feeling that makes you think the Mayans were off by about a month . The world will end on this day , you’ve decided . Maybe it’s the manic laugh of Tickle Me Elmo that haunted your dreams last night . Maybe all of those ads have finally made you crack . Or maybe you’re right . Maybe something bad is going to . happen Your mind’s already gone , but before you lose your life over those early bird specials , take a minute to
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans How to Find the Best Retail Credit Cards by Jason Steele on 11 21 2012 As we enter the holiday season , many shoppers are being asked to consider opening an account at nearly every retailer they visit . But with hundreds of retailers offering their own co-branded credit cards , we realized that we couldn’t possibly review them all for our Best Credit Cards of America series . So how can consumers find the best retail credit cards Consider the following : factors Credit Cards vs . Store Charge
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans Does Your Credit Score Care What Kind of Credit Card You’re Using by Barry Paperno on 11 20 2012 The credit experts at Credit.com recently received an inquiry with the : question Do different types of credit cards affect my credit score differently So many people shop by credit card category they want good travel rewards or a 0 balance transfer . But do different credit card types signal different things to lenders about a cardholder’s creditworthiness The short and direct answer to this question
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans The Best Black Friday Shopping Apps by Jill Krasny on 11 20 2012 Consumers are bracing themselves and their wallets for the retail marathon known as Black Friday . According to a survey conducted by coupon site RetailMeNot 54 of consumers plan to buy clothing and accessories that day , while 38 will snap up tech gifts for family and friends . Not surprisingly , a lot of those people will be shopping at work 86 and spend at least four hours doing . so While that translates to having a general plan
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans 5 Black Friday Budget Survival Strategies by Shannon McNay on 11 20 2012 Do you enjoy holiday shopping but fear it at the same time It can often seem like holiday shopping is the quickest way to defeat the budget you’ve kept the whole year . And now that Black Friday is starting a day early it may feel even more like the holidays are working against you . So what can you do about it How can you take part in the fun of Black Friday while still sticking to your budget Here are a few ideas that may 
Is Cyber Monday Shopping a New American Ritual by Ben Demeter on November 19, 2012 For most Americans , Black Friday is the perfect day for shopping . The holidays are right around the corner , most people have the day off , and there are sales galore . But because most of us have all-day access to the greatest shopping mall in the world the Internet the first Monday after Thanksgiving is just as big . And it’s getting bigger all the . time First , a little history . Cyber Monday was christened by an anonymous Shop.org employee in 2005, and sales have increased every year since the unofficial holiday’s inaugural year . They should increase by another 21.4 this time around , and the reasons aren’t mysterious : Cyber Monday gives online retailers an incentive to offer their customers slashed
Credit Cards Aim to Give Consumers the Celebrity Treatment by Ben Demeter on November 16, 2012 Free flights , movie gift cards and double points at Starbucks seem like great reasons to get a credit card , but a few credit card companies are coming around to the idea that it makes good business sense to treat some of their customers some of the time like VIPs . Banks like CitiGroup and JPMorgan Chase are now offering loyal customers special access and discounts for events you thought only the rich and famous could afford . These rewards really up the incentive to put more of your purchases on plastic , especially if you’re a music and movies . junkie That’s where the good business sense” comes in . But what are we talking about here exactly If you’re someone who follows Ticketmaster on
: Google Wallet’s Plastic Credit Card : A Master of Disguise by Ben Demeter on November 14, 2012 Mobile wallets allow consumers to streamline their lives by reducing the clutter in their purses and back pockets , but the technology doesn’t head off every shopping snag . As Google pushes towards the future with mobile payments , plenty of small brick-and-mortar businesses are struggling to keep up , and that means headaches for . consumers Google Wallet the app for Android and other mobile devices that allows users to store all of their credit card information in one place got a overhaul in September 2012 and now works with select smartphones . However , Google Wallet users can only use their phones to pay for that cappuccino if their favorite coffee shop has PayPass , the NFC pad
Your credit card company might pay for your next vacation. Learn how hotel credit cards can be used to score free hotel stays when you sign up.
Anonymous Strikes Again Sort Of by Ben Demeter on November 12, 2012 At the beginning of the month , Anonymous the hacktivist group behind the LulzXmas scheme that we reported on earlier this year announced that they’d be carrying out a hacking spree on November 5 th in honor of Guy Fawkes , the historical figure that helped inspire a comic book series and the film V for Vendetta , 8221 and the symbol of Anonymous . That day has come and gone , and the results are in : something happened . We’re just not sure exactly . what For Anonymous , Guy Fawkes Day is something of a major holiday . It’s the anniversary of the failure of the Gunpowder Plot , a conspiracy created by a group of angry Catholics to assassinate the Protestant King James I of England and VI of Scotland by blowing up
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Forum Editorial Staff Subscribe Credit.com Free Credit Score Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Personal Loans Jill Krasny What the Obama Victory Means for America’s Wallet by Jill Krasny on 11 09 2012 Now that the election is over , one of the things on consumers’ minds is what another term for President Obama 0 comments by Jill Krasny on 11 09 2012 Jill Krasny is a contributor to . Credit.com Recent Posts About Us Credit.com News Advice provides readers with unique insight , helpful tips and straight answers about their financial world . Our leading experts explore credit , loans , debt , saving , and
3 Peculiar Credit Card Thieves and Their Strange Schemes by Ben Demeter on November 9, 2012 When you’re shopping online do you ever feel a twinge of anxiety when it’s time to click the checkout button Do you sometimes worry that a shady cashier might steal your pin number and book flights to the other side of the world in your name Credit card thieves lurk all around us , but they aren’t always hackers and Kenyan princes . Sometimes , they’re much , much weirder than that . Thieves stake out restrooms and crawl through darkened movie theaters like rats . Not to increase your unease over identity theft or anything , but here are a few twisted tales about credit card thieves that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on . end Restroom Robbers . An innocent old lady pulls over at
See how you can block RFID readers from stealing your credit card numbers. A simple technology you keep in your kitchen serves as a free alternative to credit card sleeves.