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☆ Consumers keep spending. That might not be good news for them or the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

And by November and December, those predictions appeared to be materializing, when data showed consumers had pulled back during the holiday shopping season. During a month chock full of suprisingly strong economic data, the Commerce Department’s retail sales and consumer spending reports far surpassed expectations. “It’s not sustainable to keep spending above their means.”Eyes on the FedHearty consumer spending at a time like this is a double-edged sword, said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst for Bankrate and CreditCards.com. “The resilience of consumer spending is probably the biggest thing that’s pushed this recession timetable out,” Rossman said. The Home Depot (HD) warned of flat sales for 2023 as consumers continue shift spending from goods to services.

☆ Billions of dollars are locked up in a present that's easily given and forgotten -- gift cards
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Such is the sad fate of gift cards – millions of which go unused each year and have a collective value estimated to be in the billions of dollars. Almost two-thirds of American consumers have at least one unspent gift card tucked away in a drawer, pocket, wallet or purse. A separate study on gift card usage found the average amount on unused gift cards last year was $175 per person, up from $116 in 2021. “I thought with high inflation, people would go to town with their gift cards. Some Visa, Mastercard and American Express gift cards add penalties if they’re not used in a specific period of time, said Stumpf.

U.S. credit card borrowing rates have never been higher and bank lending standards are at recession levels. Many of his colleagues have doubled down on their view that interest rates may need to stay higher for longer. The average U.S. credit card rate is now higher than it has been in at least half a century. This is easily the highest since the comparable data series was started in 2007.chart"It's triple trouble: credit card rates are at record highs, balances are up 15% over the past year, and more people are carrying credit card debt," said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at CreditCards.com. "Credit card debt is one of those things that's easy to get into and hard to get out of," he said.

☆ 3 key things to know before opening a home equity line of credit
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Westend61HELOC use rose as cash-out refis droppedLast year, as mortgage rates climbed higher, accessing home equity by taking cash against it during refinancing — a so-called cash-out refi — became less appealing. That compares with personal loan rates of above 10%, for consumers with high credit scores, and about 20% for credit cards, according to CreditCards.com. I would not use a HELOC to buy frivolous things or things you can't afford. "I would not use a HELOC to buy frivolous things or things you can't afford," said certified financial planner David Demming, president of Demming Financial Services in Aurora, Ohio. Here are three key things to consider before signing on the dotted line.

☆ Generation X carries the most credit card debt, study shows. Here's how to get those balances down
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Maskot | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesWhen it comes to credit card debt, Generation X may be struggling the most. "I think Gen Xers can be especially squeezed by credit card debt because they're living expensive years right now," said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst for CreditCards.com. The cost of carrying credit card debt has become higherCredit card balances across all age groups hit $930 billion in the third quarter of 2022, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's latest quarterly report on household debt. The average credit card now charges a record-high 20.16%, Rossman said. Those calculations, made using Credit Karma's credit card calculator, also assume no additional credit card debt was incurred while paying off that amount.

☆ Premarket stocks: Bruised tech investors are hedging their bets
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —There are two certainties in today’s market: The tech sector has been beaten down and interest rates are higher. What’s happening: Investors are purchasing put options, a bearish bet that a stock will fall during a set period of time, on certain tech stocks at historic rates. The losses also created a booming market for investors who hold put option contracts that allow investors to sell shares of these stocks at a price higher than their current levels. Rising interest rates also dried up the easy money tech companies relied on to fuel big bets on future innovations, and cut into their sky-high valuations. Beyond that, the growing number of layoffs may also give certain tech companies some cover to take more severe steps to trim costs now than they may have otherwise done.

☆ US consumers increased their borrowing by $28 billion in November
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Minneapolis CNN —US consumers’ credit-hungry approach to spending continued in November, with borrowing rising by nearly $28 billion, according to Federal Reserve data released Monday. Revolving credit, which includes mostly credit cards, grew by 16.9%. It’s the largest jump in revolving credit seen in three months and the fifth-largest monthly increase in Fed record-keeping that goes back nearly 55 years. “It’s really revolving credit, mostly credit card debt, that’s carrying the day right now,” Rossman said. That has filtered down to historically high, if not record, interest rates for car loans, credit cards and personal loans.

☆ Here are some key things to consider before tapping your retirement savings to pay off credit card debt
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

As a result, they may be wondering if it's a good idea to tap their retirement savings to pay off the debt. Stopping your 401(k) contributions for a while — or at least cutting back — and redirecting those funds to debt payoff might make sense. For most others, though, there are more appealing options than a withdrawal, Rossman said. "Using a 401(k) loan to pay off high-interest debt, like credit cards, could reduce the amount you pay in interest to lenders," said Jessica Macdonald, head of editorial content at Fidelity Institutional. Other benefits to a 401(k) loan, Macdonald said, are that they don't require a credit check and they don't show up as debt on your credit report.

☆ 'Young adults are particularly vulnerable to delinquencies' — 1 in 5 have debt in collections, new report finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Americans across the board are struggling with credit card debt. "Young adults are particularly vulnerable," the authors of the report wrote. Overall, credit card balances are surging, up 15% in the most recent quarter, the largest annual jump in more than 20 years. At the same time, credit card rates are now over 19%, on average — an all-time high — and still rising. "Because young adults have this unique vulnerability, it's easier for a financial shock to happen and throw you off your path," Martinchek added.

☆ Making these 5 money moves now can set you up for financial success in the new year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Sharon Epperson | In Sharoneppersoncnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Increase your 401(k) plan contributionsA 401(k) retirement savings plan is one of the most highly sought-after workplace benefits. You can contribute up to $20,500 to a 401(k) plan in 2022 — or up to $27,000 if you're 50 or older. Boosting contributions to a traditional 401(k) plan can lower your adjusted gross income while padding your retirement savings. By paying cash, you could in some cases, wind up paying 3% less than the purchase price. You can no longer automatically tax an above-the-line deduction for cash donations; you must itemize deductions on your 2022 tax return.

The thing is, if you're going to open a credit card, a store card is rarely, if ever, your best option. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application. Their interest rates are astronomicalIf you thought travel credit card interest rates were high, check out the rates on store credit cards. And that limit isn't exclusive to those who have taken out five of Chase's credit cards in the last 24 months, either — it applies to any credit card (except certain business cards), including store credit cards. Luckily, there are multiple ways to make sure you're getting a much better return on your retail spending, even without a store credit card.

☆ People with perfect credit scores have 3 key traits in common, Experian reports
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The few people who do manage to achieve perfect credit scores tend to share three key traits, according to Experian's latest analysis. People with perfect scores are typically older"You're not likely to see many 25-year-olds with a perfect credit score," Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst for LendingTree, tells CNBC Make It. People with 850 credit scores tend to carry about $2,588 in credit card debt, compared to the national average of $5,221. A near-perfect credit score is good enoughAlthough having a perfect 850 credit score may earn you bragging rights, it doesn't come with many additional benefits. "The reality is that you're not going to get anything with an 850 credit score than you wouldn't be able to get with an 830 credit score, or really even a 780 or 790 credit score," says Schulz.

☆ Credit card balances jump 15%, highest leap in over 20 years, as Americans fall deeper in debt
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Not only are credit card balances back to pre-pandemic levels, but consumers are also carrying balances for long periods. Among Americans who carry credit card debt from month to month, 60% have been in credit card debt for at least a year, according to CreditCards.com. As the Federal Reserve raises its target federal funds rate, credit card annual percentage rates are climbing, as well. High inflation and high interest rates are making it harder than ever to pay down credit card debt. As the federal funds rate rises, the prime rate does, as well, and credit card rates follow suit.

☆ Interest rates on retail credit cards are 'crazy high,' with some topping 30%. 4 things to consider before opening one
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Getty ImagesThat offer for a store credit card may sound tempting as you're shopping this holiday season. As the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, credit card annual percentage rates — a measure for the yearly cost of borrowing money — are climbing higher. That is especially true for retail credit cards, which tend to charge the most. Credit card interest rates more broadly recently soared to 19.04%. Borrowers with existing retail credit cards may also see the rates they are charged go up soon, Schulz said.

☆ Costlier credit: Some retailers' cards now carry APRs of more than 30%
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Minneapolis CNN Business —There has long been a threshold that few issuers of store-branded credit cards have been willing to surpass: the 30% annual percentage rate. At least a half-dozen major retail credit cards — including those for Kroger, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Shell, Exxon Mobil and Wayfair — recently bumped up their maximum APRs to more than 30%, according to Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst for LendingTree. And that credit is getting costlier as high inflation is forcing American consumers to rack up more debt. The increases come amid robust consumer demand and higher prices for everything from mortgages to food to fuel. “Credit cards are like power tools,” Rossman said.

☆ From buy now, pay later to Venmo, here are 4 of the best ways to pay for holiday gifts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

From credit cards to cash, installment buying and payment apps, here's a breakdown of some of the best ways to pay this holiday. When it comes to holiday shopping, cashback or rewards cards offer an added bonus of 2% or more in certain categories. (CNBC’s Select has a full roundup of the best cards for holiday shopping.) "Credit cards should only be used if you can pay them in full each month," cautioned Chelsie Moore, director of wealth management solutions at Country Financial. The ability to spread out a purchase with no interest offers another distinct advantage over credit cards.

☆ 3 in 5 Americans have made this money move—but it's 'not a good idea,' says lending expert
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Here's how financial and etiquette experts say you can lend money without damaging your finances — or your friendships. Still, you may be tempted to help out someone in financial need — especially in today's difficult economy. "In general, my feeling is that it's not a good idea to lend to family and friends," says Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at CreditCards.com. If you've ever watched an episode of "Judge Judy," you know that lending money to a friend or loved one can come with disastrous results. And even if you don't urgently need the money, a failure to repay could lead to hurt feelings or awkward tension on both sides.

☆ Another interest rate hike is coming from the Federal Reserve: Here's how it could affect you
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The U.S. central bank has already raised interest rates four times this year, for a total of 2.25 percentage points. As the federal funds rate rises, the prime rate does as well, and credit card rates follow suit. Student loans The interest rate on federal student loans taken out for the 2022-2023 academic year already rose to 4.99%, up from 3.73% last year and 2.75% in 2020-2021. It won't budge until next summer: Congress sets the rate for federal student loans each May for the upcoming academic year based on the 10-year Treasury rate. Of course, anyone with existing education debt should check whether they are eligible for federal student loan forgiveness.

☆ Robert Shiller: Fed risks 'disgrace' if it doesn't control inflation
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Julia Horowitz | Cnn Business | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

If people think prices will continue to rise at a fast pace, they'll start demanding higher wages. Americans are getting stuck with credit card debt for longerMore Americans are saddled with credit card debt for longer periods of time as emergency expenses and the rising cost of living make it harder for them to pay down their balances, according to a new survey. But 31% of Millennials pointed to daily expenses as the main reason for their credit card debt. The survey found that rising costs would have a major impact on 41% of total credit card holders, and on more than half of those with outstanding debts. It also helps that American credit card balances are down 4% compared to late 2019.

☆ Robert Shiller: Fed risks ‘disgrace’ if it doesn’t control inflation
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

If people think prices will continue to rise at a fast pace, they’ll start demanding higher wages. Americans are getting stuck with credit card debt for longerMore Americans are saddled with credit card debt for longer periods of time as emergency expenses and the rising cost of living make it harder for them to pay down their balances, according to a new survey. But 31% of Millennials pointed to daily expenses as the main reason for their credit card debt. The survey found that rising costs would have a major impact on 41% of total credit card holders, and on more than half of those with outstanding debts. It also helps that American credit card balances are down 4% compared to late 2019.

☆ Chase Freedom Flex categories: 5% bonus cash back
▼ + stars: | 2022-03-15 | by ( Julian Kheel | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Make your Chase Freedom Flex cash back go even furtherIn addition to earning 5% cash back on the rotating categories, the Chase Freedom Flex also comes with a trio of fixed bonus categories. Convert your Chase Freedom Flex cash back to Ultimate Rewards points and redeem them for travel at a higher rate. Pair the Chase Freedom Flex and take advantage of its bonus categoriesRegardless of whether you’re interested in cash back or travel rewards, the Chase Freedom Flex is a useful credit card to have in your purse or wallet. If you’re interested in travel, get a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve to go with the Chase Freedom Flex, and convert your Freedom Flex cash back to travel points, increasing their value and opening up multiple additional redemption options. If you prefer cash back, pair the Chase Freedom Flex with another credit card that earns a higher rate on purchases outside the bonus categories.

☆ Hilton Honors American Express credit card review
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-11 | by ( Holly Johnson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Digging into the Hilton Honors American Express CardThe Hilton Honors program lets you redeem points for hotel stays at more than 5,000 properties around the world. Stacking up the Hilton Amex Card against our benchmarkCNN Underscored uses the Citi Double Cash Card as our “benchmark” credit card. Other credit cards similar to the Hilton Honors American Express CardIf you’re looking to earn Hilton points, there are two other personal Hilton credit cards to consider. Grab the welcome bonus on the Hilton Honors American Express card to use at properties like the Hilton San Diego Airport/Harbor Island. But don’t forget that the current welcome offer is only available to new card members on the Hilton Honors American Express Card.

☆ Best credit cards with 100,000 bonus points
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-10 | by ( Jennifer Yellin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

So take a look at our list of the best credit cards with 100,000 bonus points or more and see which one is right for you. The best credit cards with 100,000 bonus points or moreHilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Best for Hilton hotelsIHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card: Best for IHG hotelsMarriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Best for Marriott hotelsBritish Airways Visa Signature® Card: Best for short domestic flightsThe Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Best elite perks for businessesInk Business Preferred® Credit Card: Best travel card for businessesLet’s dive into the details of each of these cards and see how they compare and how much each bonus offer is actually worth. Based on the point valuations of frequent flyer website The Points Guy, those 130,000 bonus points are worth as much as $780 in travel. Additionally, there are two other IHG credit cards in the chain’s suite that are also offering more than 100,000 bonus points. With the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card you can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months after you open the account.

☆ Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-08 | by ( Darren Murph | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve are winners at their respective price points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is aimed at the casual traveler, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve attempts to take the crown as the world’s most feature-packed, prestigious travel card anywhere. But as mentioned above, with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you’ll get 1.5 cents per point when redeeming through the Chase travel portal. That means every point you earn on the Sapphire Reserve is worth an extra 20% over the Sapphire Preferred. Should you get the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve?

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☆ Hilton Honors Amex Business Credit Card review
▼ + stars: | 2021-03-26 | by ( Holly Johnson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Digging into the Hilton Honors Amex Business CardWhile Hilton offers several credit cards, the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is the only option for small business owners and entrepreneurs. However, many Hilton fans opt to have both the Hilton Amex Business card and also a personal Hilton credit card in order to earn rewards on both their personal and business expenses. Stacking up the Hilton Amex Business card against our benchmarkCNN Underscored uses the Citi® Double Cash Card as our “benchmark” credit card. Other credit cards similar to the Hilton Amex Business CardIf you want to earn Hilton Honors points but you don’t necessarily want or need a business credit card, you should look at Hilton credit cards for consumers. Business owners who frequent properties like the Hilton Greenville in South Carolina should consider the Hilton Amex Business card.

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