Christmas is a magical time of year – when all of your money does a disappearing act! It’s an oldie but a goodie but many a true word is spoken in jest and if you’re looking for ways to keep hold of your cash and curb your credit card balance this Christmas you’ll need to change a few behaviors.

As much as we try and move away from the materialism which has enveloped the festive season, there are still essentials to buy in the lead up to the big day and it is eternally easier to swipe your credit card for all of these purchases rather than carry all of your cash in your wallet and keep looking constantly over your shoulder. However, you don’t have to end up with the traditional financial hangover in the New Year because before it gets to that, resolve to follow these five tips for better credit card behaviors this Christmas.

1. Have a budget

   It’s not like Christmas is an unexpected event, it comes every year – earlier and earlier every year – so start saving for it as early as you can. The earlier you start saving for your Christmas purchases, the more festive you can be at the end of the year because when you deposit your Christmas savings into a high interest savings account, you can benefit from the gift of compounding interest paid into your account throughout the year.

   With your savings started, set a budget for Christmas so you know how much you can afford and you shop accordingly, rather than trying to make your budget stretch to everything you want to buy. You will be much happier at Christmas time if you don’t have to worry about money and credit card bills which will be arriving.

2. Have a shopping list

   The best way to stick to your budget is to plan out all of your purchases so don’t just make a shopping list for the supermarket or draft a gift list, include everything you need to buy this Christmas. List food, decorations, gifts, table settings and anything else you’re going to need right down to ribbon and paper plates, and next to each item put a budgeted amount you can spend.

   Make this a working list as it will be easier to stick to if you have one reference point for all of your Christmas shopping. Cross off things you’ve bought and note how much you’ve spent because you may be able to allow yourself more funds in one area, where you’ve saved in another.

   Now make sure you stick to your list as this will stop you overspending on your credit card and will keep your shopping organized. For example, if you forget you’ve already bought an item you can end up with duplicates and if something left off the list and only remembered at the last minute, you can end up pay a premium price for it.

   A list will also help you stick to your budget especially when it comes to gifts as you can see exactly how much you have spent on everyone, and you won’t have to spend more on everyone to keep up with one over indulgent gift.

3. Increase your credit limit

   This can help you avoid those embarrassing moments at the checkout where your card is declined because you have done too much shopping at once. While increasing your credit limit under normal circumstances could lead to disaster in spending more than you can afford, consider the value of Christmas bonuses and the fact that while there is more money going out, you have the money in your savings to cover the repayments, but want to leave that in your high interest account for as long as possible.

   If you budget conscientiously, you can use your higher credit limit with security, knowing you can repay the amount. You’ll also be able to make faster and more secure payments with your credit card, not to mention benefit from any points or rewards programs the card offers.

4. Manage your repayments

   Christmas is a hectic time, but don’t forget about your bills. Make sure you pay off your credit card balance on time, within the interest free period to make the most of your savings. If you have to, set up an automatic transfer to your credit card to make your payments on time, and this means one less thing you have to remember or you can Setup Automatic SMS/Email Reminder for Next Payments.

5. Don’t forget about security

   With so many other things on your mind it is easy to become lax in your credit card security. However, make sure you keep a close eye on your wallet and don’t leave your card behind which is easy to do in a rush of other customers and a handful of shopping bags. Losing your credit card can be especially damaging at Christmas time because retailers themselves are very rushed and don’t always check to see who is using the card, making it easy for someone else to have a festive Christmas on your credit rating.

   Also, as tempting as it may be, don’t give a friend or relative your PIN to complete a transaction while you run off on the next errand. The more people who know your PIN, no matter how much your trust them, increases the risk of your credit card being used fraudulently. And remember the security issues while shopping online. Now a Christmas Special tip .

6. Don’t shop during the rush

   An extra tip as a Christmas special is to stop spending on your credit card in the last days before Christmas. If you have set your budget and stuck to your shopping list you should be organized and you can avoid the temptations of last minute gifts or decorations which can tip the balance of your budget over the edge. In the rush and excitement of a busy shopping center it is hard to truly think about whether you need that item, so take your credit cards out of your wallet once your Christmas shopping is done.

By following these behaviors when using your credit card this Christmas you can ensure you don’t wake up to a lump of coal, but are rewarded for your good behaviors with a magical Christmas.

This article is written by Alban, who is a personal finance writer at Home Loan Finder, a home loan comparison website.

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The most common perception among consumers using credit and debit cards for their purchases, or at an ATM to withdraw cash, is that their information is safe once it’s been swiped. Buyer beware: sometimes your transaction is being stolen at the point of sale.

Data scrapers can sometimes be affixed to the hand of a willing employee (they later sell your data en masse) who will conceal another wiper that collects your number, name, and even your security code. Be sure that when the wait staff takes your card away that they are gone a reasonable amount of time and don’t inspect your card for too long. The credit card processing machine is usually fault free, but even these can be tampered with.

The other problem is with the ATM. these are so convenient you can find them stuck in gas stations and sometimes into the side of buildings. If the operation looks shoddy, then head to a larger bank or trusted ATM name. Some of these machines will have small strips adhered to the swipe which will catch your data as it enters the machine. From here criminals will have your information, to do with it as they please.

The best defense against this data scraping operations is to always use your head and trust your instincts. If your data looks to be in jeopardy, be sure to use another payment option, or find a more substantiated service.

Author: This is guest post by Tim Foley, who is a financial advisor and former college counselor.

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Hi guys, How are you doin? I ain’t doing good! You know, I was totally gone from the posts for the last week. Sorry about that! I was a little sick. But now I’m alright and back to you guys! So, in my When And How You Should Get A Debit Card post I told that I’m gonna write a post on the uses of Debit Card. Now I’m gonna write that.

Folks Are There!

Uses Of Debit Card:

• Online shopping:

  That’s the main sector I use my debit card for actually. I generally shop on Ebay. So, I used my card to shop there. Other than that I sometimes buy software and those kinda stuff online on different sites.

• Refill Cell phone Account:

  I used my Debit Card to refill my cellphone account. I used a prepaid Alltel account when I first came. I used my card to buy minutes and pay for the internet on my Alltel account.

• Shop And Refill Calling Card Account:

  I use a refill enabled calling card and I use my Debit Card to refill that always. I also bought that using my Debit Card.

• Traditional Shopping:

  Other than all these online marketing jobs I always can use my Debit Card to shop in general shops. But, All shops don’t allow debit card. You’ve to be careful which shops do accept Debit Card.

So, these are the major sectors that I use my Debit card and you can use yours too. So, what do you think? Let me know!

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You know, online is the easiest way to buy your favorite products. Now online shopping is more popular than before. It has become possible for simplicity of internet payment system like credit or debit card. By the way, are you paying via credit card? But do you know the fraudulent rate? It’s 14% that occurs internet while consumers going to shopping online. Okay, don’t worry, here I am sharing some security tips which you should follow.

How You can Do Shopping Online More Securely

1. At First Check URL Carefully

   Don’t get me wrong, I know you are smart enough. But sometimes it’s possible to lose your money for this silly mistake. Okay look this three web address, www.dovvnload.com/payment and www.download.com/payment and www.download.com-i.com/payment, I know you will say #2 is legitimate and my suggestion is double check the website name while you giving your credit card information for payment.

2. Make Sure You are on https:

   Criminal can easily get your credit card information if you do payment on a page which is not encrypted by SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). It is easy to make sure that you are on SSL encrypted web page, just look on address bar and figure out that the URL starts with https instead of http. Just look the image bellow.
   
   And also find out padlock icon on right bottom of your browser.

3. Try to Do Shopping on Familiar Websites

   Always check About, Privacy pages and do a google search with the “website name” and
   “website name + scam” if the website is not familiar with you. And it will be worth if you buy your goods from an already reputed web site like ebay, amazon etc.

4. Never Ever Respond Spam Email

   If you don’t know the senders then never respond or buy their products on how their price or products are enticing. If you are using gmail then you can use Authentication icon for verified senders from gmail > settings > Labs.

5. Finally Masking Your Credit Card by paypal

   You may already using paypal then you can skip this part, if not then go right now to open an account and if you have a small business then consider paypal business account. Because it’s a proven payment method, more secure and it will also protect your credit card or bank account info. It is also an easier way because you never have to give credit card details, just give your paypal email.

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Are you under 18 and have come to US as a foreign student? Then this post is for you bud! Well, some visitors may be surprised why I’m writing about Debit card instead of Credit card!

The foreign students under 18 know the reason very well! It’s because you cant get a Credit card as a foreign student before you become 18. I face the same problem when I first came to US. Now I’m gonna share my experience on how and when I got my first Debit card

First Debit Card yo!

When I Got:

When I first came to US I was 15 then and sure I wasn’t old enough to get a Credit Card. My only option is to get a Debit Card which I needed for different reasons. (Wonder what the needs were, what are the uses of Debit cards? Don’t worry! A post on that is coming soon.) Okay, so I needa have a Debit card then. I’m sure most of my fellow foreign students(under 18) feel the need in same way same time.

How I Got My First Debit Card:

Firstly, I talked with one of my seniors about what should I do. He advised me to go to a bank and open an joint account with an adult whom I’m really close with and I can depend on.

So, I went to a bank nearer to my School, talked with an official there. They were really kind. They gave me some outlets to know what are the rules and regulation and initial necessities to get a Debit Card. I opened my first bank account in US, It was offcourse a joint account and it was with my host mom.

I received my debit card 3 weeks later as I was told and had the password after some days following that (I forgot my password 3 times. LOL! But the officials were really so much kind and helped me reactivate every time). They also told me some ways I could save money with it.

Such as, I should always withdraw money from the Bank’s cash machine(it doesn’t cut any extra money), Mine was a Master Card, they gave me some shop’s name where I could save money shoping with my card etc.

So, that’s when and how I got my first Debit Card. And really it helped me a lot. Are you thinking of getting one? Then contact with the Bank nearer you. Check if you are eligible to get one. If you are not eligible through the rules of that bank then it doesn’t mean other banks are not gonna give you a card. Every bank has their individual rules. So, you should check at other banks. Sure you’ll be able to get one.

Was the information helpful? Do you need some other information related to this. Then, Don’t hesitate! Post it on the comment box. I’ll try my best to give you the most appropriate information as soon as possible. Subscribe to our Rss Feed to get updates of this post or you just can follow us on Twitter. Hope you’ve liked the post. Have a great day!

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I saw a lady at office today putting a credit card into her floppy drive and pulling it out very quickly. I inquired as to what she was doing and she said she was shopping on the internet, and they asked for a credit card number, so she was using the ATM “thingy”.

Most common, may be the oldest joke about credit card. Right? But all time it brings lot pleasure when i imagine that someone try to use his/her floppy drive as ATM machine. LOL..

Credit Card Bag!

By the way, yesterday when i started to write How to Stop Receiving Annoying Unsolicited Credit Card Offers, I found some fun facts when i was surfing internet. That are really enjoyable. Hope you will enjoy these fun facts because now i am sharing with you!

Credit Card Is Not Always a Serious Tool

1. Could you tell me that, actually which company’s credit card number starts this series (4xxxxx)? Yes you are right, its VISA and 51-55xxxx is for MC, 34xxxx/37xxxx are for AmEx, 6011xx is for Discover. Yet not checkrd out? OOPS!
2. Do you know, AmEx Centurion card has a $2500 annual fee? And if you want this you must have to spend at least $250,000 annually! I think this was the real fun fact for those who have no or bad credit history.:)
3. Thinking for a fixed interest rate credit card? But do you know that Credit Card Companies can change it with only 15 days notice? Blah..Blah..Blah
4. All credit cards numbers conform to the Luhn algorithm and this is really an interesting algorithm. i.e if 1111 is a CC number (i don’t know) then double each second digit and add them all together. If it is divisible by ten then it will be a valid number!
5. Have you any experience that you received a new credit card but you didn’t apply for it? Then you can file a complaint at Federal Trade Commission because they are prohibited by law.
6. Last fun fact, Every month each American receives six offers. But do you know the response rate? It is only 0.33%!! If you are a victim of this junk offer then you can opt out via OptOutPrescreen.

Did you like these Credit Card fun facts? Want more? Then you can subscribe to my blog RSS FEED or Free Email Subscription for next updates.

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May all of my twitter followers already knew that my chat buddy Hary Creigh found his mailbox piled up with unsolicited pre-approved credit card offers and requested me, how he could opt out these annoying unsolicited offers. Then I mentioned him how he can do this. In this post, i will share how you could stop these types of annoying junk offers! Okay let me start. You also can follow How to Stop Annoying Commercial Phone Calls? if you are a victim of black telemarketers.

First of all, not only these unsolicited offers are annoying but also have possibility of identity theft. Yes my dear friend! if you are not aware of checking your credit report regularly and not properly dispose those applications then …….So it will be better decision if you opt out these offers.

Opt Out by Phone Call:

Yes, you can stop receiving these junk offers by calling this phone number 1-888-5OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688). If you do not feel comfortable this way then consider to opting out by OptOutPrescreen.com which is run by three major credit bureaus.

Is This Your Mail Box!

Opt Out by OptOutPrescreen.com:

I already said OptPutPrescreen is run by the 3 major credit bureaus. Just go to OptOutPrescreen.com and follow the process. You can read Step by Step Guide by Jim R. It’s easy and hope you will do this successfully.

Note: It’s required to provide your name, address, social security number to confirm your identity. And you have to wait several days to get the result.

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Now-a-days Australian consumers are more likely applying credit card online. Although credit card debt in Australia has become highest than past (42 billion AUD). So its clearly indicating that consumers are either not careful to payoff their monthly balances or they are not using right (best) credit card and falling down into debt! Right?

Let we read a survey result, around 50% of Australian consumers always pay off their balance in full. But maximum of them stick with their existing bank to apply credit card. So, may be they do not do any deep research!

Why you Should Compare Credit Card?

First answer me, why you will pay more when you can get the same service at the few rates? There are lots of CC company, bank in Australia are offering different offers. If you looking credit card for long term use then it’s recommended you should compare offers carefully.

There are many comparison sites in online and maximum of them are providing this service for free. Just do a google search you will find lots of comparison stuff. But as a personal finance blogger I am suggesting Credit Card Finder for my Australian audiences.

There are Several Reasons to Like:

• Customer Reviews: There are lot of consumers who using same credit card for their financial purpose. And also they know more then any of us. So it is important and will be helpful when you compare cards. And remember to leave your comment as a responsible consumer.
• Information: Why you will compare there if they do not provide sufficient information. Yes, they provide sufficient information.
• Secure Redirection: You may already noticed about online hacking, fishing etc. So Credit Card Finder will redirect you more securely to the lender’s website.
• Calculator: Also i am not used their calculators although it seem to me helpful. They have two calculators but Balance Transfer Calculator is more interesting then Interest Repayment Calculator.
• Reliable: They already able to gain popularity and also positively focused on Australian news papers.
• Categorized: As other comparison sites they have also categorized all cards by Best, Rewards, Low Interest Rate, Balance Transfer Credit Cards etc.

Also Some Reasons Why I don’t Like It:

As all of other comparison sites they also take time to update information. They are also not covering all available cards. And i think they should add rating system for better service.

When will compare must keep your needs in mind and I think Low Interest, No Annual Fees and Balance Transfer should more preferable then others.

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Hi guys, In my last post I talked about what you should instantly do if your Credit Card is stolen or lost. In this post I’m gonna discuss about the FCBA: Fair Credit Billing Act. I hope we all are pretty much well known with this word. Aren’t we? I’m sure 80% of us have to study the boring sentences like The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) is a United States federal law enacted as an amendment to the Truth in Lending Act…blah blah blah! The easy thing you need to know now is that FCBA can help you saving at least 50 bucks! Let’s see how!

Importance of FCBA on Reporting Lost Credit Card

Under federal law, if unauthorized charges are made with your credit card after it is stolen, the maximum amount that you can be liable for is $50. Now, here’s how FCBA is going to help you. And that is if the charges are made after you report the card lost or stolen, you have no liability. You won’t have to pay the $50 then.

Many credit cards will cover the remaining $50 in what they call $0 fraud liability. If the loss involves the only the credit card number not the card itself, as an example, in with a data breach or some other such case, then guess what! you are not liable whatsoever for the charges are done. But if your credit card is lost or stolen and the fraudulent charges are already done before you report the loss, your creditor can ask you to pay up to that $50.

Checking Credit Card statement

Now I hope you guys have already come to know why I notified in my last post how important it is to report missing card as soon as you come to know it is lost! And another important thing that you obviously need to check is the billing statement for a few months after the loss to find out if any unauthorized charges were made using your Credit Card.

I hope the post was helpful. Please keep posting open minded comments telling which sectors that could have been better. I’ll try my best to deliver posts that will help you guys the best. Subscribe to our RSS Feed to get updates! More posts are coming on! Don’t miss it! Thanks once again for reading the post.

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Your Credit Card is lost!!! You don’t have any clue on what to do, how to report it? Hey, don’t panic! Calm down buddy. This post is gonna solve your problem.  By the time you are done with the post I’m sure you’ll be out of the confusion about how to report after your Credit Card is lost or stolen.

Stepwise reporting your Credit Card missing

Dont freak out!

Credit Card Issuer Number Lost!

Can’t you find the number of the Credit Card Issuer? Don’t worry. Most Card Issuers print their customer service numbers on the billing statements. Just locate a recent billing statement which is handed to you every month and locate the numbers from that. If you can’t find out any of the statements then simply give a search on internet writing your Credit Card Issuer name. The numbers must be on their website.

I hope you’ve got the Card Issuer’s number by now. Haven’t you? Now you have to be ready for facing some common questions which the Card Issuer will ask you for having information. The most common information the credit card issuer will ask you for are

• Account Number.
• The date and approximate time that you noticed the card is missing.
• The date and amount of your last purchase, if you can remember.

Please do not forget to keep a phone log of the Credit Card representative you spoke with. This is just a future reference in case of any specific proof needed. Don’t worry about it too much.

Ok, now that you are done reporting the Credit Card Issuer, next is you have to contact the three major National Credit-Reporting Agencies to report the theft. They will attach a Fraud Alert to your missing credit card. The name and numbers of the agencies are

• Equifax Credit Watch. – (800) 685-1111
• Experian- (888) 397-3742
• TransUnion- (800) 888-4213

And I am recommending to use LifeLock® for better protection of your identity. They will let you know if any fraudulent occur with your identity.

Lastly, call the police in the jurisdiction where your credit card was stolen or lost to report the missing.

Was It Tough!

Now tell me, was it really that hard? Hey, nothing to get freaked out buddy. You’ve figured out how to report after your Credit Card’s lost or stolen! Joshpin’s always here to help you with your financial and Credit problems. Thanks for reading the post. You are always welcomed to give open minded comments. Hope it was helpful and I really hope you will not loose your credit card because I know it really sucks when someone else is wasting your money!! LOL!

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