NEW THIS WEEK
Lenders create a bankruptcy monster
The bankruptcy reform law isn't working as advertised -- and lenders, whose loose lending standards contributed to the problem, appear to be abusing the system.
How can you save on gas?
Pay cash ! As profits become slimmer or disappear, some gas station owners are offering cash discounts to cut back on the hefty credit card fees they must pay.
Credit scores hit by card limits
Credit-card lenders lower borrowing levels, which hurts consumers' credit scores
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Credit-Card Use Is Surging, Risking Another Debt Crisis
Cash-strapped Americans are ringing up more and more purchases on their credit and debit cards, and there could be a steep price to pay ahead.
The best financial advice ever - Prince Charming isn't coming.
Live like a college student. Never co-sign a loan. Money experts like David Bach and readers like you share the best nuggets of wisdom they have ever received
Emptying the attic to pay the bills
Desperate for cash, strapped sellers are using online auctions and flea markets to unload household goods, including possessions of great sentimental value
Help! My debts are killing me!
Mary Pollack is running out of money. Here's how she can get afloat again.
10 ways to curb sleazy debt collectors
Consumers and regulators should act now, before things get ugly, to keep abusive and dishonest collectors under control during a bad economy.
It's time for a credit card revolution
Remember when banks weren't out to get you? I do. And with Congress' help, we can un-rig a system that's determined to make you fail.
The credit card party is officially over
Don't count on those 0% offers anymore. As banks stick even good customers with higher rates and tighten up on credit lines and balance transfers, you need to think about protecting yourself
Workers step up raids on 401(k)s
More Americans are tapping their retirement plans as the credit crunch and falling home values make cash harder to come by. But such a loan is usually a bad idea.
Credit Card Companies and Your Debt CBN News Video.
Millions of Americans are drowning in credit card debt. High interest rates and low minimum payments are just some of the reasons why it is hard for consumers to escape from the debt trap.
9 money rules to live by
Americans young and old are flunking their finances, but money mastery isn't really that hard. Here are 9 simple keys you need to know.
Mastercard acknowledges Debt Settlement as a valid way to handle debt
Mastercard website: "Under a debt reduction settlement, a creditor agrees to reduce the amount you owe in return for a guarantee that you will pay off the reduced amount at specified terms. Under a debt reduction settlement, the debt is generally resolved within one to three years, with creditors settling for between 20 and 80 percent of the original debt."
Thousands of homeowners are getting notices that their lines of credit have been frozen, and it's harder to get new second mortgages. For more than a decade, banks encouraged homeowners to tap their equity for everything from paying off credit cards to covering college tuition. Now lenders are abruptly shutting off the spigot.
The Federal Reserve's dramatic rate cuts in recent weeks were expected to make it cheaper for consumers to use credit cards. Bruised by a rise in foreclosures, banks have been reluctant to lower rates for cardholders who have missed payments or had their credit scores slip.
The coming student loan crunch
Credit Card Interest Rate Changes Catch On-Time Payers Unawares
Your credit card payment just doubled
Bank of America blindsiding cardholders?
NERA Report (pdf)
Credit Card Debt Jumps
8 secret scores that lenders keep
Credit card companies' top 10 money-grabbers
The truth about credit card debt
The big lie about credit card debt
How does your debt compare?