Credit Card Professor

Sometimes we can do damage to our credit rating without even realizing it. By the time the damage is done, it’s too late to do anything about it. That’s why we here at Credit Cards Professor put together a list of things to be aware of so that you don’t unknowingly hurt your credit rating. Below are a few things to watch out for when it comes to keeping your credit score at its best.

Credit Cards With Unlimited Credit:

Sometimes you’ll get a credit card that doesn’t have any spending limits attached. These types of cards appear to credit bureaus as no credit at all because there is no way for them to calculate your credit utilization rate with this type of card.

These cards can significantly affect your credit score in a negative way. Especially if it is the only credit card you carry. To the credit bureau it would appear that you have no credit at all. If you have one of these cards, be sure to contact the issuer to insure your credit limit is being correctly reported to the credit bureau. If not, it might be best to open another card account which offers a visible limit to report.

Balance Pay Off Deals:

You know how it sounds too good to be true when you are offered a great deal to pay off a debt? Even though you may be paying less than you owe, which is great, these types of offers can seriously damage your credit in some cases. This is because the balance left from the paid percentage is reported as a new charge off on your credit report. Be very careful when accepting these types of offers and confirm with the issuer that this will not happen when negotiating the offer.

Not Paying Tickets or Late Fees:

If you’ve been issued any tickets lately, incurred late fees at the library or anywhere else and decide that they aren’t worth paying, think again. All citations are a form of debt, which if left unpaid may be turned over to a collections agency. These collections agencies will report any negative balances to the credit bureaus, putting an unnecessary blemish on your credit report. The best thing to do is pay the ticket or fee so that your credit score remains intact.

Closing Credit Card Accounts:

Sometimes credit cards begin to add up in your wallet and you might be thinking about closing some of the associated accounts so you have less to worry about. But did you know that this can drastically lower your credit score? It goes back to the credit utilizations ratio, which makes up a large portion of your credit score. Drop the cards and your credit used to credit available ratio game get out of whack. Closing credit cards will lower your credit rating and it can be quite damaging if the credit utilization climbs over 30% due to a closure. So take the cards out of your wallet if you have to, but don’t close the accounts until you’re sure that it won’t drastically affect the ratio.

Checking Your Credit Score at the Bank:

Every inquiry to your credit should be done properly to avoid a negative impact on your credit. Each time you apply for a new credit card, your credit score takes a small hit. If you check your credit score through a banker, the inquiry can show up on your credit report as if you were applying for credit instead. Do this several times and you can hurt your credit score without even realizing it. It is best to go through a credit bureau directly in order to get your score rather than getting it through the bank to avoid a hard inquiry on your credit.

As always, please stay tuned to CreditCardsProfessor.com for more of the latest credit card news, special card offers and important cardholder updates.

With graduation less than a month away and college classes beginning this summer, chances are you’ve probably been getting your fair share of credit card offers in the mail. You’re probably trying to figure out just which one to choose or maybe you’ve simply given up and trashed every offer that comes along.

We here at Credit Cards Professor understand that it can be overwhelming to know which credit card offer to choose. But it’s important to know that establishing a line of credit and using it wisely now, can greatly impact your future when it comes time to getting a place to live, applying for your first auto loan or just about anything that comes with making it on your own for the first time.

So instead of having to comb the web for the best offer as a young adult, we have done that for you! The absolute best credit card offer available to you is the Discover Student Card. That’s because they offer you a $25 cashback bonus when you make your first purchase within 3 months, 0% intro APR for 6 months, 5% cashback on seasonal categories that change every few months and up to 1% cashback on everything else. You’ll enjoy all of that with NO annual fee, $0 Fraud liability and free text and email alerts!

After the 0% into APR period, you’ll be pleased to learn that the variable standard purchase APR is only 12.99% to 18.99%.

To view the complete terms and conditions of this offer or to apply securely online today, click here!

As always, please stay tuned to CreditCardsProfessor.com for more of the latest credit card news, special card offers and important cardholder updates.

Orchard Bank is giving those with bad credit the second chance they deserve. If being approved for a credit card has been impossible due to your damaged credit, turn to Orchard Bank’s line of credit cards to help you get back on the road to success when it comes to your credit score!

Nearly anyone can get approved for an Orchard Bank credit card. They offer borrowers a variety of different plans to meet their individual situations. Even those with really bad credit have a chance to redeem themselves thanks to Orchard Bank because the company offers a secured credit card option which reports good credit usage to all three major credit bureaus so you credit rating increases over time.

With Orchard Bank, you’ll be given a secure, online form to fill out which allows the issuer to match you with the best credit card offer available. There is no obligation and no risk involved with filling out the form and within seconds you’ll be presented with your card offer. Simply review the card offer and apply by accepting the terms and conditions of your card.

For many people with bad credit, a credit card like this one can be the only way to begin repairing your credit. But don’t just choose any bad credit card offer, choose Orchard Bank. They are the top recommended credit card for those with bad credit because of their unbeatable APR and annual fees. No other credit card for bad credit can come close to what Orchard Bank’s card offers.

What have you got to lose? Click here to fill out the No Risk, No Obligation online form now!

As always, please stay tuned to CreditCardsProfessor.com for more of the latest credit card news, best credit card offers and important cardholder updates.

The BuyRight Prepaid MasterCard can help you achieve a financial freedom you may have never thought possible with amazing benefits and features including the ability to choose a card design, guaranteed rewards to choose from including iTunes, RedBox, Cash, Starbucks and more, free Direct Deposit, free online bill pay and so much more!

These Prepaid MasterCards can be easily reloaded with Green Dot MoneyPaks found at locations including Wal-Mart, CVS, 7/11, Kmart and Walgreens! You simply bring the cash you want to put on the card and use the MoneyPak to add the funds. For a limited time, BuyRight will even pay your first reload fee up to $4.95!

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to shop online, pay bills electronically and earn rewards in the process? Well now you can! Just take advantage of this fabulous online card offer and be on your way to managing your money better than ever before.

To top things off, the BuyRight Prepaid MasterCard requires no credit check to be approved, has no bounced check fees and no overdraft fees – EVER!

Click here to visit the secure online application page to learn more! 100% Approval Guaranteed!

As always, please stay tuned to CreditCardsProfessor.com for more of the latest credit card related news, special online card offers and important cardholder updates.

If you’re wondering why you weren’t able to make that purchase on Sunday afternoon with your Visa card, don’t worry. It’s probably not because you overdrew your account or went over your credit limit!

The Visa network encountered a technical difficulty which blocked cardholders from using their credit and debit cards for nearly 45 minutes between approximately 2:40pm and 3:20pm EDT.

The issue was the consequence of a routine update to the Visa payments system according to a spokeswoman for Visa Inc, Sandra Chu. She explained that the issue may have caused some cardholder’s to be denied when trying to pay for their purchases but that the problem has been dealt with.

Some cardholders that may have also heard of a breach which occurred on Friday were concerned that this was related. The spokeswoman assured consumers that this was not the case and that the Global Payments security breach issue was not to blame for the downtime.

If you’re using a debit card to make all your everyday purchases, chances are you could be racking up hundreds of dollars in rewards by switching to a rewards credit card. Families, those who travel often and shopaholics benefit the most from using rewards credit cards in replace of debit cards because they simply spend more. The more money spent on a rewards credit card each month, the higher the rewards climb.

Now there are a few things to take into consideration before making the switch to a rewards credit card. One being that you’ll have the self control and financial means to pay the card off in full every month to avoid interest charges; and the other being which type of reward card will benefit you or your family most. If a rewards credit card is not paid off before interest is charged each month, the purpose of the card is defeated and you’d probably be better off sticking to a debit card. But if no interest accrues, you’re looking at a good chunk of rewards each month simply for making purchases you already would have made.

So which type of rewards card is best for you and your situation? Review the following different cards to find out which one would best suit your needs:

Blue Cash Everyday Card - Great for Frequent Grocery Shoppers

Earn $100 cash back after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months of Cardmembership

0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, flexibility to pay over time

Get 3% cash back at supermarkets, 2% cash back at gas stations and department stores, and 1% cash back on all other purchases

No spend minimum, No enrollment, and No rotating rewards categories

Get a $25 Referral Bonus for each friend or family member who is approved for the Card

No annual fee, flexibility to pay over time

APPLY NOW!

Escape by Discover – Perfect for the Frequent Traveler

Earn up to $250 in travel rewards--1,000 Bonus miles every month you make a purchase for the first 25 months

Double Miles on every $1 you spend

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% - 16.99%*

No restrictions on travel--fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates

Flexible redemption options like travel credits, merchandise, gift cards or cash

Travel Insurance benefits, including primary car rental, lost or damaged luggage, travel delay, and trip cancellation when you book with your Escape by Discover card

Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)

APPLY NOW!

Discover More Card – Excellent for Online and Advantage Shoppers

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% - 20.99%*

5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like gas, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*

Up to 20% Cashback Bonus at popular retailers when you shop online through Discover.com

Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)

24/7 access to a U.S.-based Account Manager within 60 seconds

$0 Fraud Liability plus automatic mobile and email fraud alert options

Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee

APPLY NOW!

Discover Student Card – Perfect for Students With No Credit History

Get $25 Cashback Bonus®* when you make your 1st purchase within 3 months

0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 12.99% - 18.99%*

5% Cashback Bonus®* in categories that change like gas, groceries, restaurants, home improvement stores and more. Limitations apply*

Up to 20% Cashback Bonus at popular retailers when you shop online through ShopDiscover.com

Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on everything else you buy

$0 Fraud Liability plus mobile and email fraud alert options

Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee

APPLY NOW!

As always, please stay tuned to CreditCardsProfessor.com for more of the latest credit card news, special card offers and important cardholder updates.

If you’re on the prowl for a new credit card then CreditCardsProfessor.com is the perfect place to start.

The site offers potential cardholders a plethora of great features including the ability to sort cards by type, compare several different credit card offers and view important details about each card. Each credit card is sorted by your credit type, rewards types and special offers so you’ll be able to find the exact card you’re looking for in a breeze!

With American Express, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and plenty more top credit card issuers to choose from, you won’t have to go anywhere else to find exactly what you need. You can choose to look credit cards up under several different categories including balance transfer cards, low interest cards, cash back cards, instant approval cards, airline mile cards, debit and prepaid cards, business cards, credit cards for students and secured cards. If you’d rather be given options based on credit score, you can choose to view cards for excellent, good, fair, bad or no credit at all.

When you find the credit card that’s the perfect fit for you and your lifestyle, applying is quick and simple and you could be approved in as little as 60 seconds from submitting your application. All applications featured on CreditCardsProfessor.com are 100% secure. If there are any doubts about the security of your personal information you can easily confirm the use of encryption technology be locating the lock symbol in the URL.

You’ll be amazed at the wide selection of the highest rated credit cards available at Credit Cards Professor. To get started finding your perfect credit card, visit the site today and easily browse through the categories of your choice.

Click Here to Visit CreditCardsProfessor.com!

A survey was conducted for MasterCard Worldwide by Harris Interactive that proves commuters in the US want a better way to pay their fare and would welcome a contactless payment system. Those that use the public transportation services want to use a service that would combine all of their tickets into one card that can be used at any transit station.

The survey asked riders of public transportation what they found to be the most annoying factors when it came to needing cash in order to board. Almost 65% of those surveyed worried that they would not have the necessary cash required and over 36% have actually experienced a time when they could not ride due to not having the cash.

“From our survey, we know that commuters want a better way to buy their fare,” explained the senior vice president of MasterCard Worldwide, Catherine Murchie. “Open-loop contactless payment options eliminate the need to wait in line, fumble for exact change or carry multiple fare cards so that it’s easier to board and be on your way.”

Commuters in the US also frown upon the wait times needed to buy or add funds to their fare cards. Of those surveyed, a whopping 44% stated that they have missed a bus, train or subway while waiting in line to buy or add money onto a fare card.

75% of commuters surveyed would welcome a contactless payment alternative to having to use cash or fare cards on their daily transits that could be used to pay the fare on all local transportation services. Of those in favor of contactless payment, 47% say they would use their mobile phone to pay if possible.

When it comes time to pay Uncle Sam it’s not always easy to come up with the money. Some people may resort to a loan, repayment options, using a credit card and in the worst case scenario the debt may simply go unpaid.

Obviously some of these decisions could get you into trouble or paying high interest rates just to pay up. But we here at CreditCardsProfessor.com have an excellent alternative for those looking for a better way to get those taxes paid before things get out of hand.

With a 0% interest introductory offer you can charge the taxes you owe now and pay absolutely no interest for several months or even a year. And some credit cards even provide cash back rewards or other great perks just for making purchases. So if you need a way to pay your taxes this year and are in a difficult situation, this may be the perfect solution to your troubles!

We recommend the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express right now because they are currently providing a great offer perfectly suited for paying those taxes. American Express is offering a special 0% APR on purchases for 12 months when you apply for the Blue Cash Everyday card today. And making the offer even more enticing is the $100 cash back you’ll receive after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership! So you could actually make $100 from this offer!

After you pay off your taxes you can still enjoy the many amazing benefits of this card. The Blue Cash Everyday Card provides amazing cash back benefits; 3% on groceries, 2% at gas stations and department stores and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases! There is no annual fee and you’ll also receive a wide range of added discounts and goodies at hotels, restaurants, retailers and more with the Blue Savings Program.

To take advantage of this amazing opportunity to pay your taxes interest free for 12 months, click here to be taken to the secure online application. There you will also be able to review the complete terms and conditions prior to submitting your application. You’ll get a decision in 60 seconds!

As always, please stay tuned to CreditCardsProfessor.com for more of the latest credit card news, special credit card offers and important cardholder updates.

You get insurance for your car, your health and your home. Why not get some insurance for your credit while you’re at it?

Protecting your credit should be among your top priorities for many reasons. Credit fraud affects many Americans every year and you can prevent this type of activity from happening to you simply by monitoring your credit with Equifax.

Equifax features a three-in-one credit monitoring system that provides triple protection against identity theft. Benefits include:

• Alerts you within 24 hours of key changes to all three credit reports nationwide
• Unlimited access to your Equifax credit report
• Receive automatic personalized fraud alerts free of charge
• Up to $1,000,000 Identity Theft Insurance with no deductable

You get all this for the extremely low price of just $14.95 a month! This offer is way too good to pass up so don’t hesitate to purchase your Equifax CreditWatch Gold 3-in-1 Monitoring today.

Click here to buy it now!

As always, please stay tuned to CreditCardsProfessor.com for more of the latest credit related news, special card offers and important cardholder updates.