Credit Card Regulation–More to Come?
ABC News reported yesterday that, this week, the U.S. Congress may debate Senate proposals to limit the amount that Visa and MasterCard can charge merchants every time credit cards that carry their branding are swiped. The new credit card regulation would empower the Federal Reserve to ensure that such fees (known as “swipe” or “interchange” fees) are fair and reasonable.
At the moment, the fees–which vary considerably depending on what’s being bought, how, and where–average about two percent of the value of each transaction. Those two percents add up, and in 2008 amounted to roughly $48 billion.
And that’s close to $150 for every man, woman, and child in the country. Although merchant
Credit Card Debt–Moving Forward
The last edition of this column provided some advice for those who are struggling with credit card debt. It was directed toward people who still have some hope of digging themselves out of their hole, but ended up suggesting a way forward for those who’d hit bottom, and were now seeking ways to rebuild their credit scores.
It recommended signing up for a secured credit card, such as the Public Savings Bank Secured Card, the Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Credit Card, or the New Millennium Bank Secured Gold Visa® or Mastercard®. Secured
() – Bentek Energy managing director Rusty Braziel sees a great divide developing in U.S. natural gas.
Bentek are one of the leaders in tracking and analyzing American gas pipeline flows. Where gas is flowing, who’s using it, and at what price.
Speaking at the LDC Gas Forum Northeast in Boston this week, Braziel told industry professionals that America may have made some mistakes in designing its gas pipeline network over the past several years.
He notes that the boom in shale gas has created a price disparity between east and west. Shale gas plays are located mostly in the east, and carry lower breakeven prices.
Bank of America acquired MBNA’s credit card accounts in 2006. Prior to the merger, MBNA offered a wide variety of credit card products and was well known for offering credit cards affiliated with organizations, academic institutions, and charitable groups. MBNA also offered credit cards featuring logos from sport teams.
Rewards cards were a main offering from this credit card company. MBNA credit card travel miles were accumulated when cardholders made qualifying purchases using MBNA travel reward credit cards. The miles were translated into points which were then eligible to be redeemed for airline rewards.
07 Jun
Posted by Mark Wood as Financial Articles
Have you lost your way in the labyrinth of multiple debts? Does every paycheck received seem to laugh in your face because it is another sure shot into your lenders pocket? Well, do not lose hope. Financial gurus suggest a number of approaches to come out of financial crisis. Among them, debt snowball and debt avalanche are two popular choices. Many people believe that debt can play an instrumental role to save them from scary things like bankruptcy. Can they really help you to climb up from the trenches? Which one is the right choice for you? Let’s discuss.
A closer look at debt snowball
Popularized by the famed financial expert and radio talk show host Dave Ramsey, debt snowball, is a much talked about concept. H