A high-ranking government official is urging banks to give consumers a free, regular peek at their credit score, a step that could revolutionize the relationship that Americans have with their credit. It’s time that happened. Today, many consumers confuse credit reports and credit scores, and are equally confused about what [Keep reading]
A private, for profit college chain expected most of its students wouldn’t finish their degrees, and nearly two-thirds would default on loans, allowing the school to keep millions in federal tuition aid while charging students 16 percent interest, a federal watchdog alleged Thursday. “(It’s) like financing your college education on [Keep reading]
If you are the type to hoard airline miles, it’s time to abandon that strategy. ASAP. Plan that big European vacation you were dreaming about. Buy some goofy electronics you don’t need with points. Gift them to family members. Nature gives us only a few absolute laws: things like gravity, [Keep reading]
OK, everybody move to North or South Dakota!!! At least that’s what Gallup’s annual poll of the happiest (and unhappiest) states would have you think. I’ve been in both recently, and I guess if you’re going to have brutal winters everywhere from Georgia to Maine anyway, why not? Despite brutal [Keep reading]
Young adults have fewer credit cards and used them less often that older consumers, a new study as found. A rising number are avoiding plastic altogether, although some may find using personal installment loans useful to them. Credit bureau Experian says so-called millennials — adults under 30 — carry 40 [Keep reading]
Understand why a bronze medal is better than a silver, and you might save yourself a lot of money someday. Let me explain. Millions of Americans who normally don’t care much about hockey will probably tune in on Friday to watch an epic semifinal game between the U.S. and Canadian [Keep reading]
Let’s be absolutely clear about this: No credit card company can barge into your home uninvited and demand payment for a debt. In fact, a company can’t even call you, once you tell it to stop. The vile, reprehensible contract that Capital One is apparently sending out to consumers is [Keep reading]
Raise your hand if you look forward to the nation’s two largest cable companies getting married. Me too. Sounds about as much fun as the Joker and the Riddler teaming up to attack Metropolis. Comcast announced plans to buy Time Warner cable on Thursday, and consumers everywhere felt a chill [Keep reading]
When can a company get away with routinely charging 50 percent more than the advertised price for its items? Repeatedly? On Valentine’s Day, of course, when good-hearted souls go online to buy flowers for the people they love and instead get taken to the cleaners. It’s the most clear example [Keep reading]
I have plenty of thoughts about today’s Senate Judiciary hearing credit card hacking hearing, where Americans heard for the first time directly from executives at Target and Neiman Marcus. I’ll get to them in the next day or two. But this caught my eye from the testimony of Neiman Marcus Chief [Keep reading]
Bob Sullivan