The Sun's Financial Diary » Offer

Platinum Secured Visa Credit Card from Applied Bank

Sun — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:14:50 +0000

The Platinum Zero Secured Visa Credit Card from Applied Bank is a secured card. This card is designed for those with limited or poor credit history.

The major benefit of this card is that there is a 0% APR on purchases. Also, unlike most secured credit cards, this card provides additional services and benefits, including online account access and various fraud protection services. A downside is that this card does not pay interest to the deposit amount, which sets it apart from other secured cards that do.

Those who do not mind accumulating finance charges once a transaction is posted will benefit most from the very low rate that the Platinum Zero Secured Visa Credit Card from Applied Bank has to offer.

ZERO – 0% FIXED APR on Purchases – No Intro Rates!
ZERO – 0% Rate Won’t Change – Even If You’re Late!
ZERO Application Fees
ZERO Worries – FREE Personal ID Theft Protection
ZERO Delays – Timely CREDIT Bureau Reporting

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Platinum Secured Visa Credit Card from Applied Bank

New Credit Card Rules Take Effect Today

Sun — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:50:57 +0000

A set of new rules under the Credit CARD Act of 2009, which aims to protect consumers from abusive practices of credit card issuers, take effect today, February 22, 2009. As I discussed earlier, one of the main pieces of the new credit card legislation prevents credit card companies from raising credit card interest rates at any time they feel like. Under the new rules, credit card issuers can’t raise your interest rate simply because you are a few days late in making payment. The new law also makes it difficult for credit card companies to charge fees when, for example, cardholders go over their credit limits.

To help you understand how the new credit card law will affect you and what you need to know about the changes, The California Society of CPAs, the nation’s largest professional, non-profit state association representing more than 34,000 CPAs, suggests the following strategies during the initial period of the new law.

Step 1: Watch interest rates.

The new rules will make it harder for credit card companies to raise a customer’s rates across the board. Under the so-called universal default practice, a consumer who was late on a payment for one credit card might have seen the interest rate rise on that card and another, unrelated credit card.

Step 2: Be aware that interest rate hikes are going away using the first year an account is open and on existing balances.

But card companies will still be able to raise interest rates in some cases, such as when you are more than 60 days late paying your bill or an introductory rate expires after six months.

Another huge exception: Issuers can raise your rate before the first 12 months is up if your rate is a variable one tied to an index and that index rises. These indexes are at historic lows, but when rates begin to rise to keep inflation at bay, so will your payments.

Step 3: Watch over-limit fees.

Another major change involves the fee charged when a consumer charges more than his or her credit limit. Until now, many card companies have allowed consumers to continue charging beyond set limits, tacking on sometimes hefty over-the-limit fees in the process.

Cardholders will now have to “opt-in” for over-the-limit spending. Those who do not face having their card declined should they try to top their spending limit.

Step 4: Many consumers under age 21 will no longer be able to get credit cards. Exceptions will be made for young adults with older co-signers or younger people able to prove they can pay the bills

Step 5: New information becomes available to consumers.

As of Feb. 22, credit card statements will have to show how long it will take to pay off a credit card if only minimum payments are made. The statements also will have to show how a consumer may pay off the entire bill in 36 months if payments are increased.

Credit card statements also will come with more information about various fees the consumer risks incurring if payments are late, and information about how to obtain credit counseling.

Step 6: Note changes to the way consumers pay down balances.

With the new rules, card issuers have to apply payments to the part of a bill with the higher interest rate.

For example, if an account has a $5,000 balance with a regular rate of 15 percent, and a $5,000 balance at a promotional rate of 5 percent, the monthly payment must be applied first to the balance with the 15 percent rate.

Step 7: Watch the new change to the fee charged when a consumer charges more than his or her credit limit.

Until now, many card companies have allowed consumers to continue charging beyond set limits, tacking on sometimes hefty over-the-limit fees in the process. Cardholders will now have to “opt-in” for over-the-limit spending. Those who do not face having their card declined should they try to top their spending limit.

Step 8: Check out the FDIC’s Web site on the new law to help educate yourself: http://www.fdic.gov/Consumers/consumer/news/cnsum09/newlaw.html

The California Society of CPAs (www.CALCPA.org) has created a free Web site of articles, tools and resources to help consumers. These resources can be accessed by going to: “Dollars and Sense”

Photo credit: roujo

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New Credit Card Rules Take Effect Today

Simmons First Visa Platinum Rewards Card

Sun — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:16:07 +0000

The Simmons First Visa Platinum Rewards Card, issued by Simmons First National Bank, is designed for those with very good credit who are looking for a low cost credit card with a rewards program. Features of the Simmons First Visa Platinum Rewards Card include:

Excellent Credit Required – Applicants who do not have excellent credit will not be approved
Low 9.25% variable standard purchase APR and platinum benefits
No balance transfer fee for balances transferred in response to this online offer
Travel Rewards – cardholders who enroll in the program receive one point per net dollar spent
Choose any U.S. based airline or ticket class. No blackout dates or seating restrictions
Other travel related options are hotels, cruises, vacation packages, car rental, and restaurants
No Annual Fee

Through the rewards program, cardholders earn one point for every dollar spent on purchases. There is no additional annual fee for the rewards program. Points can be redeemed for travel on any U.S. based airline with no black out dates, hotels, vacations packages, car rentals, and more. There is no limit to the amount of points that may be earned yearly, but any unused points do expire in three years.

The best feature of this credit card is the reasonably low interest rate offered. At a rate of 9.25%, the card offers a low cost option to those who plan to carry a revolving balance.

Aside from the reasonably low interest rate, the card also offers a variety of platinum cardholder benefits, including up to $1,000,000 in travel accident insurance, auto rental insurance, and various travel and emergency assistance services.

Therefore, those who are looking for a low interest rate credit card with a rewards program will benefit most from what the Simmons First Visa Platinum Rewards Card has to offer.

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Simmons First Visa Platinum Rewards Card

Orchard Bank Classic MasterCard

Sun — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:09:11 +0000

If you have a good credit score, then you should be looking for other premium cards because Orchard Bank Classic MasterCard is, from what I can tell, for people with poor credit or low credit score but hoping to improve their credit by using a credit card that fits them responsibly. The cards, with four different varieties including Platinum, Gold, Classic and Secured, are issued by HSBC Bank Nevada, N.A., which also operates the HSBC Direct Online Bank.

The Classic Card is ideal for people who are interested in establishing better credit but having trouble obtaining a premium card. If you are in need of a credit card that provides the opportunity to improve your creditworthiness, then you may find one of the Orchard Bank Classic MasterCard to be a good fit. Benefits of the Classic Card include acceptance at millions of locations worldwide. In addition, cardholders also receive online account access as well as e-mail and text message payment reminders. Upon approval, you may qualify for a six-month 0% introductory rate on purchases and balance transfers, depending on your credit profile.

The Classic Card charges an annual fee that is between $39 and $79, and the Processing Fee is between $0 and $49, depending upon your creditworthiness. The card currently has a variable purchase APR of 14.9%. For people with really poor credit history, the Secured Card may be approved (which card will be approved depends on the screening during the account application process), which requires a $200 minimum security deposit but has a lower 7.5% APR and $35 annul fee. The annual fee is waived for the first year.

Other fees charged include a Cash Advance Fee of 5% ($10 minimum) and 3% foreign transaction fee the U.S. dollar amount on transactions made in a foreign currency.

If you have a poor credit, then you may want to check out Orchard Bank Classic MasterCard if you are shopping for a credit card.

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Orchard Bank Classic MasterCard

QuickBooks Promotions

Sun — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:36:55 +0000

Intuit is having some promotions for it QuickBooks accounting software, including 30-day free trial of the QuickBooks Online Editions for small businesses. QuickBooks small business financial tools are easy to set up with no expertise necessary and allow you to bill and track income, manage expenses, organize employees and contractors, and much more, plus you can access your information anytime from anywhere. Other on-going promotions are:

QuickBooks Pro: QuickBooks Pro is the premier financial software for small businesses that will allow you to easily manage your small business finances. Save 20% off QuickBooks Pro, plus free shipping, to manage your finances all in one place, create invoices, organize expenses, and prepare for tax time with accurate reporting.
QuickBooks Premier: QuickBooks Premier is the leading financial software for small businesses that will allow you to easily manage your small business finances. Save 20% off QuickBooks Premier, plus free shipping, to manage your finances all in one place, create business plans, organize expense reports, and view over 150 industry-specific reports.
QuickBooks Free Cash Register Plus: Download QuickBooks Free Cash Register Plus to easily manage sales, customers, and credit cards all in one place. Ring sales faster, run detailed reports, and automatically track customer information. Free Cash Register Plus will help you simplify your end-of-day closing and bookkeeping, plus it’s easy to get started in just a few minutes.
Intuit Online Payroll: Start your 30-day free trial of Intuit Online Payroll, plus receive two more months at only $9.99 after your free trial expires. Intuit Online Payroll helps you manage your payroll online from anywhere in just a few clicks and prepare your payroll taxes correctly. You’ll also receive E-File and E-Pay at no additional charge. There is no software to install.

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H&R Block At Home Free Tax Filing

Sun — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:41:53 +0000

H&R Block At Home, formerly H&R Block TaxCut, is offering a free online edition for people with simple taxes to file their 2009 Federal income tax online for free. The free online filing is perfect for the most basic tax situations. With At Home Free, you will get

1 Federal e-file
Step-by-step guidance and guaranteed accuracy
Double-checks for errors
Some forms supported

If you have a simple tax situation, H&R Block At Home Free is an option to file your Federal tax for free. If you also want to file state taxes using H&R Block At Home tax software, the cost is $29.95 for each state return filed.

Meanwhile, check out other 2009 tax software promotions and deals.

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H&R Block At Home Free Tax Filing

Zync from American Express

Sun — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:01:51 +0000

Zync from American Express is a rewards credit card that offers a full range of customizable card benefits. Membership Rewards, which can be redeemed for travel, shopping and entertainment rewards, are earned with every eligible purchase. Cardholders can also choose which Lifestyle Pack offers them the benefits they use most. Zync from American Express has a low annual fee of just $25 for the Basic Card. And because the balance is paid in full each month, cardholders pay no monthly interest fees.

With Zync from American Express, you can choose the Lifestyle Packs that fit you. Choose as many Packs as you want, or choose none at all. The Go Pack allows you to earn 2X Membership Rewards points on airfare. Other benefits include discounts of up to 25% at Avis and Budget, and discounts of up to 20% at Hertz. You will also receive a $50 credit on any American Express Vacations package when you book before December 31, 2010.

The Social Pack allows you to earn 2X Membership Rewards points on restaurant and events purchases. You can even get special access to event tickets before they go on sale to the public.

With the Connect Pack, you can earn 2X Membership Rewards points on mobile and cable services, including cell phone, cable and internet. You will use 25% fewer points when you get mobile devices at membershiprewards.com.

The Eco Pack gives cardholders 2X Membership Rewards points on purchases from select green merchants. You will use 25% fewer points on eco-friendly merchandise and carbon offsets purchased at membershiprewards.com/eco. Plus, for every Eco Pack membership, American Express will purchase $1 worth of carbon offsets from TerraPass, which funds reductions in carbon emissions at dairy farms and landfills across the U.S.

Therefore, if you’re interested in a credit card that allows you to customize your benefits and you don’t mind paying your balance in full each month, the Zync from American Express may be the right card for you.

To learn more about Zync from American Express, check out my interview with AMEX Zync team shortly after the card was launched in December 2009.

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Zync from American Express

2010 Roth IRA Conversion: What You Need to Know

Sun — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:47:20 +0000

Starting January 2010, anyone can convert a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA. In the past, only those earning less than $100,000 were eligible to do contributions to Roth IRA (even after January 2010, contribution to Roth IRA starts to phase out if you earn more than $100,o00). According to media reports, this conversion opens up 13 million households holding $1.4 trillion IRAs. Conversions can be complicated and moving to a Roth IRA requires careful planning. An individual retirement arrangement (IRA) is a personal savings plan that offers specific tax benefits. IRAs are one of the most powerful retirement savings tools available to you. Even if you’re contributing to a 401(k) or other plan at work, you should also consider investing in an IRA.

The California Society of CPAs is the nation’s largest state, non-profit professional association representing more than 30,000 CPAs in the area of tax, accounting and consulting services such as personal finance. California CPAs suggest the following strategies to consider in 2010 when using IRAs:

Step 1: Understand Basic Tax Issues

Any funds you shift during the tax year, other than amounts that represent nondeductible (after-tax) contributions to your traditional IRA, are treated as taxable income for that year. This means that if the contributions originally made to your traditional IRA were deductible, you may have to pay income tax on the amount shifted to the Roth IRA. Also, although the premature distribution tax (for IRA withdrawals prior to age 59½) does not apply when you shift funds to a Roth IRA, it may apply if you later withdraw from the Roth IRA within five years after you shift funds. Finally, you cannot shift required minimum distribution amounts from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. Given the possible tax consequences of this conversion, you may wish to consult experienced tax and financial professionals before you commit to the process.

Step 2: Understand What Types of IRAs Are Available?

The two major types of IRAs are traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (the 2001 Tax Act) increases the annual IRA contribution limit to up to $5,000 for 2008 and beyond. You must have at least as much taxable compensation as the amount of your IRA contribution. But if you are married filing jointly, your spouse can also contribute to an IRA, even if he or she does not have taxable compensation. The law also allows taxpayers age 50 and older to make additional “catch-up” contributions.

Both traditional and Roth IRAs feature tax-sheltered growth of earnings. And both give you a wide range of investment choices. However, there are important differences between these two types of IRAs. You must understand these differences before you can choose the type of IRA that’s best for you.

Step 3: Learn the Rules for Traditional IRAs

Practically anyone can open and contribute to a traditional IRA. The only requirements are that you must have taxable compensation and be under age 70½. You can contribute the maximum allowed each year as long as your taxable compensation for the year is at least that amount. If your taxable compensation for the year is below the maximum contribution allowed, you can contribute only up to the amount that you earned.

Your contributions to a traditional IRA may be tax deductible on your federal income tax return. This is important because tax-deductible (pretax) contributions lower your taxable income for the year, saving you money in taxes. If neither you nor your spouse is covered by a 401(k) or other employer-sponsored plan, you can generally deduct the full amount of your annual contribution. If one of you is covered by such a plan, your ability to deduct your contributions depends on your annual income (modified adjusted gross income, or MAGI) and your income tax filing status. You may qualify for a full deduction, a partial deduction, or no deduction at all.

Step 4: Know the Penalties

What happens when you start taking money from your traditional IRA? Any portion of a distribution that represents deductible contributions is subject to income tax because those contributions were not taxed when you made them. Any portion that represents investment earnings is also subject to income tax because those earnings were not previously taxed either. Only the portion that represents nondeductible, after-tax contributions (if any) is not subject to income tax. In addition to income tax, you may have to pay a 10 percent early withdrawal penalty if you’re under age 59½, unless you meet one of the exceptions.

If you wish to defer taxes, you can leave your funds in the traditional IRA, but only until April 1 of the year following the year you reach age 70½. That’s when you have to take your first required minimum distribution from the IRA. After that, you must take a distribution by the end of every calendar year until you die or your funds are exhausted. The annual distribution amounts are based on a standard life expectancy table. You can always withdraw more than you’re required to in any year. However, if you withdraw less, you’ll be hit with a 50 percent penalty on the difference between the required minimum and the amount you actually withdrew.

Step 5: Learn the Rules for Roth IRAs

Not everyone can set up a Roth IRA. Even if you can, you may not qualify to take full advantage of it. The first requirement is that you must have taxable compensation.

Your contributions to a Roth IRA are not tax deductible. You can invest only after-tax dollars in a Roth IRA. The good news is that those contribution amounts will be income tax free when you withdraw them. Better yet, if you meet certain conditions, your withdrawals from a Roth IRA will be completely income tax free, including both contributions and investment earnings. To be eligible for these qualifying distributions, you must wait at least five years after making your first contribution to the Roth IRA (the five-year rule). In addition, one of the following must apply:

You have reached age 59½ by the time of the withdrawal
The withdrawal is made because of disability
The withdrawal (of up to $10,000) is made to pay first-time home-buyer expenses
The withdrawal is made by your beneficiary or estate after your death

Qualifying distributions will also avoid the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty. This ability to withdraw your funds with no taxes or penalties is a key strength of the Roth IRA. And remember, even non-qualifying distributions will be taxed (and possibly penalized) only on the investment earnings portion of the distribution, and then only to the extent that your distribution exceeds the total amount of all contributions that you have made.

Another advantage of the Roth IRA is that there are no required distributions after age 70½ or at any time during your life. You can put off taking distributions until you really need the income. Or, you can leave the entire balance to your beneficiary without ever taking a single distribution. Also, as long as you have taxable compensation and qualify, you can keep contributing to a Roth IRA after age 70½.

Step 6: Choose the Right IRA for You

Assuming you qualify to use both, which type of IRA is best for you? Sometimes the choice is easy. The Roth IRA will probably be a more effective tool if you don’t qualify for tax-deductible contributions to a traditional IRA. However, if you can deduct your traditional IRA contributions, the choice is more difficult. Most professionals believe that a Roth IRA will still give you more bang for your dollars in the long run, but it depends on your personal goals and circumstances. The Roth IRA may very well make more sense if you want to minimize taxes during retirement and preserve assets for your beneficiaries. But a traditional deductible IRA may be a better tool if you want to lower your yearly tax bill while you’re still working (and probably in a higher tax bracket than you’ll be in after you retire). A financial professional or tax advisor can help you pick the right type of IRA for you.

Step 7: Know Your Options for Transferring Your Funds

You can move funds from an IRA to the same type of IRA with a different institution (e.g., traditional to traditional, Roth to Roth). No taxes or penalty will be imposed if you arrange for the old IRA trustee to transfer your funds directly to the new IRA trustee. The other option is to have your funds distributed to you first and then roll them over to the new IRA trustee yourself. You’ll still avoid taxes and penalty as long as you complete the rollover within 60 days from the date you receive the funds.

Step 8: Do Additional Research

The California Society of CPAs (www.CALCPA.org) has created a free Web site of articles, tools and resources to help families with retirement and savings issues. These resources can be accessed by going to: “Dollars and Sense”

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2010 Roth IRA Conversion: What You Need to Know

ID Watchdog Free Trial Plus 35% off

Sun — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 04:46:44 +0000

ID Watchdog provides credit monitoring services to protect you against identity theft with a 100% guarantee and a 30-day free trial period, plus you’ll save up to 35% off ID Watchdog services for long-term plans when you sign up today.

ID Watchdog’s patent-pending technology monitors credit reports, credit records, property records, court records, social security records, driving records, and other public records in search of fraudulent activity and warns you if your records have been compromised or they notice anything suspicious. By monitoring key components of your identity that are most associated with your social security number, ID Watchdog is able to notify you before any major damage has occurred. If new addresses, phone numbers, or names appear in your personal records, ID Watchdog will notify you immediately, and an identity theft specialists will work with you to investigate the suspicious activity and provide you with a free ID Watchdog Snapshot, which investigates additional private and public databases for the purpose of uncovering the extent and source of any identity theft.

ID Watchdog 100% resolution guarantee will clear all items of identity theft from your personal records if you ever become a victim of identity theft while you are a member of their service.

ID Watchdog offers a 30-day free trial offer with a low $1.95 identity verification fee for enrollment in ID Watchdog Plus, their standard services. If you don’t cancel within 30 days, they will begin to charge you the monthly rate with up to 35% in savings on your ID Watchdog subscription if you enroll in one of the long-term payment plans.

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ID Watchdog Free Trial Plus 35% off

TrustedID IDFreeze Identify Protection Program

Sun — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 02:13:23 +0000

IDFreeze from TrustedID provides identity theft prevention services to secure your identity and protect you against credit fraud. With IDFreeze, you will get

Financial identity protection
Medical benefits protection
Social Security benefits protection
Lost wallet protection
$1,000,000 service warranty

Unlike many credit monitoring services, which notify you after your identity has already been compromised, TrustedID prevents thieves from ever using your identity in the first place by blocking access to your credit reports, so that nobody can obtain credit in your name without your permission.

TrustedID gives you the option to place fraud alerts on your credit reports if your identity is at risk, so lenders contact you before any new credit is issued in your name.

TrustedID provides additional identity protection by monitoring your credit card information for fraudulent activity over the Internet, supplying you with annual credit reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion to review your credit history for accuracy, and stopping pre-approved credit offers that thieves use to open credit in your name.

TrustedID also offers identity theft and restoration specialists that are always available via telephone or email to answer your questions, help correct any inaccuracies in your credit reports, or assist you in any emergencies. On top of this, TrustedID protects you with $1,000,000 in identity theft insurance to cover out-of-pocket costs associated with identity theft not prevented by IDFreeze.

Signing up for IDFreeze only takes a few minutes, and TrustedID immediately takes all of the necessary actions to protect your identity, which is an essential first step if your personal information has already been compromised.

Join TrustedID today and sign up for IDFreeze to protect your identity and prevent credit fraud.

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TrustedID IDFreeze Identify Protection Program

Delta Reserve Card: A Great Fit for Delta Frequent Flyers

Sun — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:54:31 +0000

The Delta Reserve Credit Card, issued by American Express, is fit for Delta frequent flyers with good credit who want to earn miles with little effort. Delta Reserve Card benefits are highlighted as the following:

Annual First-Class companion certificate, which can be used for a First-Class or Coach-Class ticket!
Earn up to 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after your first purchase
Built-in Miles BoostSM – earn up to 30,000 MQMs and 30,000 bonus miles
Complimentary Crown Room Club access for you and two guests
Access to American Express Concierge Services
Pay with Miles – pay for all or part of any Delta flight with your miles

Benefits & Rewards

Although the rewards program offers the standard one mile for every dollar spent on purchases, cardholders will be happy to know that they can earn two miles for every eligible dollar spent buying groceries, at drugstores, home improvement and hardware stores, gas stations, and for certain U.S. postal services. Cardholders can pay for all or part of their flight with miles earned through the Pay with Miles option.

For cardholders who are interested in earning miles more speedily, they will rack up to 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after making their first purchase with the card. Cardholders will also earn up to 30,000 MQMs with Built-in Miles Boost for spending $30,000 in one year. If they spend $60,000 in a year, that will add an additional 15,000 MQMs and bonus miles toward their reward account.

MQMs can either be used towards upgrading to Medallion status or passed on to friends and family members who have Delta SkyMiles accounts of their own. Every year, cardholders will also be awarded a free companion certificate for domestic travel in either coach or first-class.

In addition to the bonus miles that can be earned, cardholders will have access to a wealth of American Express® benefits. Some of the conveniences offered include concierge services, car rental insurance, travel accident insurance, roadside assistance, and emergency services if a card is ever lost, Global Assist access, and a year-end summary of all account activity. There are also a few protection services available to cardholders which includes extended warranties, purchase return and protection, and a fraud protection guarantee.

Interest Rates & Fees

This card offers an attractive 9.99% APR on balance transfers for the first 12 months of cardmembership. After the first 12 months, the rate for any initial balance transferred will be 13.24%. Otherwise, the interest rates for this card are somewhat above average. There is a reduced annual fee of $395 for eligible existing American Express cardmembers. Otherwise the basic annual fee is $450. Additional cards are available at the annual rate of $175 per card.

Bottom line, the Delta Reserve Credit Card is perfect for people who can spend enough to maximize the benefits of carrying the card. An ideal card carrier should not have a problem with the above average rates and may even take advantage of the balance transfer offer which is good through the first 12 months of opening an account.

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Delta Reserve Card: A Great Fit for Delta Frequent Flyers

American Express Blue Cash Card: Earn Up to 5% Cash Back

Sun — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:22:06 +0000

Blue Cash from American Express is designed for those with good or excellent credit who plan to take advantage of the cash back rewards program. In fact, the Blue Cash Card is one of the best cash back rewards credit cards.

Cardholders get unlimited cash back savings on eligible purchases with the Blue Cash from American Express card. Through the rebate program, cardholders earn a cash award that varies according to the amount spent per year. With the Blue Cash Card, you can enjoy the benefit of the generous cash back rewards from American Express. For example, general purchases earn a .5% rebate up to $6,500, and 1.5% over $6,500; “Everyday Purchases” earn a 1% rebate up to $6,500, and 5% over $6,500.

Aside from the cash rebates, this card provides common benefits and services commonly found with American Express credit cards, such as the buyer’s assurance plan, purchase protection plan, and up to $100,000 in travel accident insurance.

This card has no annual fee and an average rate for purchases and balance transfers (for those who qualify), which makes it ideal for those who plan to occasionally carry a balance. The card has a 0% introductory rate for the first six months of membership that can be applied toward purchases.

Therefore, those who plan to take advantage of the cash back rewards program for “Everyday Purchases” (to earn the highest rebate) and the various standard services provided will benefit most from what American Express Blue Cash Card has to offer.

Blue Cash Fees and Rates

Introductory Rate Offer	0% APR for Up to 6 Months
Intro Applied To	Purchases
Intro Details	0.00% Introductory APR (0.0000% DPR) for Purchases for up to 6 months of Cardmembership.
APR for Purchases	As low as 17.24%*
APR for Cash Advances	25.24%
Method of Computing Balance	Average Daily Balance (including new purchases)
Annual Fee	$0
Annual Fee for Additional Cardholders	$0
Grace Period	25 Days
Late Payment Fee	$19 on balances less than $250 and $39 on balances $250 or greater.
Over The Limit Fee	n/app
Cash Advance Fee	3% of each transaction with $5.00 minimum and no maximum.
Balance Transfer Fee	None

Photo credit: barsen

Original Post on The Sun's Financial Diary

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American Express Blue Cash Card: Earn Up to 5% Cash Back

eToro Forex Trading: Practice, Learn and Trade Forex

Sun — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:21:18 +0000

eToro provides a visual forex software with the trading tools you need at the click of a button. The eToro Forex Platform makes forex trading easy for beginners with online forex tutorials, trading guides, and a practice mode featuring live forex rates. eToro’s intuitive interface is also ideal for expert forex traders with all of the tools you need including online forex charts, graphs, financial updates, trading orders, and leverages ranging from 1:10 to 1:400.

You’ll also find additional assistance available in eToro’s lively online forex forum with public and private chats. eToro has a low $50 minimum opening deposit requirement that includes a free download of the eToro forex software when you open your account. Other features of eToro include:

Get the Forex Trading Tools You Need at the Click of a Button
Free Download of the eToro Visual Forex Software
Forex Tutorials, Trading Guides, and a Practice Mode for Beginners
FOnline Forex Charts, Graphs, Financial Updates, Trading Orders, and Leverages Ranging from 1:10 to 1:400 for Advanced Traders

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eToro Forex Trading: Practice, Learn and Trade Forex

Scottrade Free Stock Trades

Sun — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:58:57 +0000

Despite the relatively high commission cost (Scottrade charges $7 for each online stock order, market or limit), I have been using Scottrade for years and it’s my primary stock broker, not only because of its excellent customer service, but also that I can actually trade with Scottrade for free. That’s right, I don’t pay any a penny when trading stocks with Scottrade. No, there’s no special deal for me. Rather, I take advantage of Scottrade’s ReferAll program that allows me to earn 3 commission-free trades each time I refer a new customer to Scottrade. Three free trades don’t sound a lot, but what if you can keep earning free trades without a limit? That would mean something, right?

Actually, the best part of the ReferAll program is that it allows you earn unlimited number of free trades, as long as you keep the account active. So the more people you refer, the more free trades you earn. The only drawback of this program is that you have to use the free trades earned in 6 months; otherwise, you will lose them. However, if you have the free trades constantly coming in, this shouldn’t be a big issue. I used to use Zecco to trade stocks for free when they offered free trades to everyone with at least $2,500 in the account. Now, the bar has been raised too high at Zecco, so I am using Scottrade exclusively to buy and sell stocks for free.

Here how you can start free trades from Scottrade:

Open a Scottrade brokerage account if you don’t have one;
Use promotion code KGKP0724 to get 3 free trades for yourself;
Once your new account is active, use your own reference code to refer new customers to Scottrade;
Receive free trades and trade stocks for free.

Since there’s no limit on the number of free trades you can earn, you can keep referring new customers to Scottrade and essentially trade stocks with them for free, forever (of course, to the point when Scottrade cancels the program, if that happens). Sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it?

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Equifax Score Watch Review

Sun — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:33:27 +0000

As one of the largest credit agencies in the country, Equifax understands the importance of having and maintaining a favorable credit history, especially in these trying economic times.

Equifax’s credit monitoring products and services make it easy to keep your FICO score looking healthy. After all, it’s your FICO score that lenders, car dealers, employers, look at when qualifying you for credit. Also, you’ll be interested to know that the shape your FICO score is in usually decides the credit amount as well as the interest rate you receive.

Armed with an impressive and extensive catalogue of credit services and products, Equifax has something for everyone, no matter your income or degree of knowledge. For those who are interested in receiving access to their credit reports and score, Equifax offers Score Power, a program built to act as your personal watchdog. With Equifax Score Power, you will get:

Continuous score monitoring and notification when a change in your FICO score impacts the interest rate you are likely to receive
Detailed explanations for key score changes and specific tips for understanding your score
Daily monitoring of your Equifax Credit Report with email notification of key changes (email / wireless alerts)
Two Free Score Power reports, plus discounts on additional Score Power® reports
Detailed “Bottom Line” of what your most current score means, comparison with national averages, and a graph of how lenders view you
Access to friendly and knowledgeable Customer Care available 7 days a week

The cost of Equifax Score Power is $15.95 a month ($39.95 if you include a 3-in-1 credit report). In addition to instant online access to credit score and report, you will also receive an explanation of what your score means, a comparison with national averages, as well as a graph of how lenders see you. Not to mention access to an interactive score simulator that shows you how certain behaviors can impact your credit score.

Plus, you’ll receive specific tips for understanding your credit score and you can even fix errors quickly and easily yourself, using the program’s free online dispute feature (a confirmation number will be provided to you by Equifax).

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Equifax Score Watch Review

Allstate Auto Insurance: $100 off Auto Insurance Deductible

Sun — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:28:55 +0000

Allstate Auto Insurance is the nation’s largest publicly held personal insurer and a trustworthy provider of affordable automobile insurance to millions of drivers across the country. Here’s a quick summary of what Allstate Auto Insurance offers:

Get $100 Off Your Auto Deductible When You Sign Up for Allstate Auto Insurance
Drivers Who Switched to Allstate Saved an Average of $353 Per Year
See How Much You Could Save with a Free Auto Quote Now
Allstate – Auto Insurance Made Simple!

Allstate offers free auto insurance quotes through a quick online process that takes just minutes to complete and allows you to receive either a personal quote that is customized to your needs or a ballpark estimate without having to provide your name or contact information.

Drivers who switch to Allstate have an average annual savings of $353 on car insurance, plus Allstate offers $100 off your auto deductible on the day you sign up for even more savings.

Allstate also provides many additional insurance products and resources including a teen driver program, motorcycle insurance, and other affordable insurance options with personal service and full customer satisfaction guaranteed.

Get a free online quote in just minutes from Allstate Auto Insurance and receive $100 off your automobile insurance deductible when you sign up for auto insurance from Allstate today.

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Allstate Auto Insurance: $100 off Auto Insurance Deductible

TransUnion TrueCredit Credit Monitoring Service

Sun — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:22:59 +0000

TrueCredit credit monitoring service is offered by one of the three credit reporting agencies, TransUnion. With TrueCredit, you will receive the following benefits:

Swiftly find out about credit report changes including fraudulent activity, new inquiries, new accounts, late payments, & more;
Unlimited access to your credit reports AND credit scores quickly and securely;
Update your TransUnion report and credit score once a day;
24-hour notification of critical changes to your report, so you’ll always be informed;
Lock & unlock your TransUnion credit report with just one click
Graphical trending helps you manage your progress;
View colorful charts and graphs on changes in your debt, income, credit score, and more;
Up to $25,000 of ID theft insurance at no additional cost.

Right now, TrueCredit is offering 30-day risk free trial of TrueCredit which will give you unlimited access to TransUnion credit credit reports & scores for FREE for 30 days. You can cancel the free trial at any time. If you decide to keep the service after 30 days, the cost is $11.95 per month.

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TransUnion TrueCredit Credit Monitoring Service

Deal: TRENDnet Wireless N Home Router $24.95

Sun — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:34:10 +0000

Looking for a fast wireless router at an affordable price? Check out this TRENDnet TEW-652BRP Wireless N Home Router currently on sale at Buy.com. Features of the router include:

Wi-Fi compliant with IEEE 802.11n and IEEE 802.11b/g standards
4 x 10/100Mbps Auto-MDIX LAN port and 1 x 10/100Mbps WAN port (Internet)
Supports Cable/DSL modems with Dynamic IP, Static IP, PPPoE, PPTP, L2TP & BigPond connection types
High-speed up to 300Mbps data rate using IEEE 802.11n connection
2 external antennas support high speed performance and great coverage with MIMO technology
Firewall features Network Address Translation (NAT), and Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) protects against DoS attacks
Support Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) for easy connection
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) and Application Level Gateway support for internet applications such as email, FTP, gaming, remote desktop, Net Meeting, telnet and more
Provides additional security of enable/disable wireless SSID, Internet Access Control (MAC Address, Domain & IP Filtering)
Easy management via web browser and remote management
Supports 64/128-bit WEP, WPA/WPA2 and WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK
Works with Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista, Linux and Mac OS
Coverage up to 100 meters (330ft.) indoor;(depends on the environment)
Coverage up to 300 meters (980ft.) outdoor;(depends on the environment)
3-year limited warranty

The router is available at Buy.com for $24.95 with free shipping. No rebate required.

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Deal: TRENDnet Wireless N Home Router $24.95

Citi Platinum Select Card

Sun — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:20:47 +0000

The Citi Platinum Select MasterCard, issued by Citibank, is designed for those with good credit who would like to take advantage of the various standard services and benefits provided by Citibank.

This card has a reasonably low variable interest rate for purchases and balance transfers, no annual fee, and an attractive 0% introductory rate that can be applied toward purchases and balance transfers for up to 15 months.

It is important to note that there is a minimum cap for cash advances; so no matter how low the Prime Rate falls (the APR is tied to the Prime Rate), the variable interest rate will not go below the minimum cap.

The card does provide several platinum cardholder benefits that include auto rental insurance and fraud protection services. However, there are no extraordinary benefits or services specifically available to cardholders in comparison to some other platinum credit cards.

Therefore, those who plan to take advantage of the introductory offers and the services provided will benefit most from what the Citi Platinum Select MasterCard has to offer.

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Citi Platinum Select Card

Chase Slate Credit Card

Sun — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:59:27 +0000

The Slate from Chase credit card provides one card for all of your purchasing needs. This card offers easy and flexible ways to pay down your balance faster.

Choose from four unique ways to repay your balance – Full Pay, Split, Finish It and Track It. Full Pay allows you to avoid paying interest on everyday items, such as groceries and gas, when you pay them in full each month. The items will be automatically separated on your billing statement. Split enables you to pay off larger purchases on your own terms. You set a goal date or monthly payment, and Chase automatically separates the items on your statement. Finish It allows you to pay down your balance faster by choosing a goal date or monthly amount. Chase does the math, sets up a repayment plan, and monitors your progress on monthly statements and online. With Track It, you can see your spending trends at a glance and track your progress against your goals in real time.

Slate from Chase offers a 0% introductory rate on purchases and balance transfers. The length of the introductory period varies based on the individual’s application and credit history. Those who qualify for Elite and Premium Pricing will receive a 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles following the opening of the account. Those who qualify for Standard Pricing will receive a 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 6 billing cycles of the account opening.

Additional benefits of Slate from Chase include patented fraud protection, a zero liability policy, and email and text alerts. This card has no annual fee, and Blueprint is offered at no additional charge. Therefore, those who are interested in designing their own payment plan and tracking the progress will benefit most from what the Slate from Chase credit card has to offer.

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Chase Slate Credit Card

Sina Corporation: Bull of the Day By Zacks

Sun — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:31:35 +0000

Sina (NASDAQ:SINA) is one of the Chinese internet stocks I own. I have bought and sold the stock several times in the past. In early March, I purchased the stock again at $21.65 apiece when the overall stock market was heading to multi-year low. Now, 9 months later, the stock has more than double in price.

The reason I bought SINA was, in addition to the cheap price in March, that, as a leading internet portal in China, Sina has a massive reader basis, including both in mainland China and overseas (I am a regular visitor myself as well as many of my friends). As China’s internet population, already the largest in the world, keeps growing, Sina is in a good position to benefit from the increasing use of mobile information services, online shopping and gaming.

Early this week, Zacks Investment Research selected SINA as its Bull of the Day with the following comment:

SINA’s online advertising business has continued to do well and has built a competitive edge. The company expects strong growth in advertising revenue and resurgence in margins in 2010.

Third-quarter results exceeded the company’s own guidance and beat Zacks Consensus Estimates. Moreover, SINA is witnessing signs of strong recovery in the advertising market of China, which is reflected in the company’s higher-than-expected guidance. We expect SINA to benefit from the growing trends in the wireless business and expect a huge improvement in its advertising business, as advertising spending recovers. However the failed acquisition of Focus Media does not bode well for the company.

SINA has a strong net cash position. We see further upside to the stock and thus raise our earnings estimates for 2010. We are upgrading SINA to Outperform from Neutral but maintain our six-month price target of $50.00.

You can find more about Sina Corp. in Zacks analyst report (PDF).

*Stock chart from MarketClub

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Sina Corporation: Bull of the Day By Zacks

How to Open a Scottrade Account

Sun — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:25:01 +0000

Scottrade is a leading online discount broker which offers a wide range of products at very competitive price. If you are considering opening an account with Scottrade and start to invest in the stock market yourself, here’s a good video that will help you get a better understanding of what Scottrade offers. In this video, Scottrade CMO explains what you need to know about the broker and what is required (Scottrade commission, account minimum, fees, etc.) to open an account with Scottrade.

To learn more about Scottrade, be sure to check out my posts:

If you decided to open a Scottrade account, use promo code KGKP0724 to get 3 commission free trades.

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How to Open a Scottrade Account

Chase Sapphire Card 10,000 Bonus Points Promotion

Sun — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:02:05 +0000

The new Chase Sapphire Card is a premier travel rewards card that offers excellent credit card features. Some of the key benefits of the Sapphire Card include:

Earn 1 point for each $1 spent on purchases.
Earn an additional 1 point for each $1 of eligible airfare net purchases made online through the program booking tool.
There are no maximum number of points you can accumulate in the program.
There are no point expirations, or blackout dates, so you’ll be able to earn unlimited points with this travel credit card.

You can enjoy all these benefits with the Chase Sapphire Card with no annual membership fee.

The points you earned can be redeemed for statement credit. Points redemptions start at 2,500 points for a $25 statement credit to apply to any purchase(s) made with your Chase credit card and in 100-point increments for each additional $1 of credit. Statement credits will post to your account within 5-7 business days and will appear on your monthly Chase credit card billing statement within 1-2 billing cycles.

Right now, the Sapphire Card is running a promotion that will give each new approved cardholder 10,000 bonus points after the first purchase on the credit card (balance transfer to the new account is also good for the promotional bonus). That’s equivalent to $100 statement credit. In addition, you’ll get 10 points for every dollar spent shopping at select merchants through the Ultimate Rewards Mall.

If you are interested in getting a premier travel rewards credit card, open a Chase Sapphire Card so you can take advantage of promotional offer at the same time.

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Chase Sapphire Card 10,000 Bonus Points Promotion

ING Direct Business Savings Account Reference Code for $25 Bonus

Sun — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:23:49 +0000

I took advantage of an early bonus offer for ING Direct Business Savings Account last month and got an account for myself plus $50 bonus from the one-time offer What I like about the account is not only the decent yield (currently at 1.15% APY) of the Business Savings Account, but also the very basic requirements for the account: No account minimum and no monthly fee, just like ING’s other banking products. Since it’s a pure savings account, it doesn’t have the check writing capability that you find in a business checking account and it doesn’t take check deposit either. And, thus, the only requirement for the account is an existing business checking account at another financial institution. Since I already have a business checking account with PNC Bank and I don’t writing many checks for my business, the requirement isn’t really an issue for me. So I opened the account and got the bonus shortly afterward.

If you also want to have a ING Business Savings Account and can make at least $250 initial deposit, then you can use any of the following referral link to open account and get $25 sign up bonus. That’s 10% instant return. Remember, you have to have a minimum of $250 in order to get the bonus. If you can’t meet the minimum initial deposit requirement, use this link to open an account instead.

BTW, if you see on the account application page a message in red saying that the referral link has expired, then you won’t be able to use that link to open an account and get the bonus. Simply go to the next link in the above list. I am sure you will find a link that’s still good (the list will be updated regularly).

These links are for ING Business Savings Account. If you are looking for bonus for regular ING Savings Account or Checking Account, use this link. There are plenty of links on that page.

Original Post on The Sun's Financial Diary

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ING Direct Business Savings Account Reference Code for $25 Bonus

Zecco Forex 20% Deposit Bonus Offer

Sun — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:30:56 +0000

Are you using Zecco to trade Forex?

If not, there’s one good reason to try Zecco Forex: For a limited time, you can get up to 20% bonus up to $1,000 for deposit you make into the account!

I have discussed Zecco Forex Trading before when the platform was first introduced in April. However, since I don’t trade forex, I didn’t take advantage of their previous promotional offers and get an account myself, even though it also has a free practice account with no additional cost. I’d like to learn how to trade forex one day, though. Hope by then it won’t be too late for me to learn it

To qualify for this bonus offer, the following conditions must be met:

You must either open a Zecco Forex live trading account (not a practice account) between September 15, 2009 and October 30, 2009 at 5pm (ET) or have an existing Zecco Forex account previously unfunded as of September 15, 2009.
Your Zecco Forex live account must have funds deposited (received and cleared) during the “Deposit Period” which is between September 15, 2009 and October 30, 2009 at 5pm (ET).
You must trade in your Zecco Forex account the number of standard roundtrip lots (listed in the table) during the “Trading Period” which is between September 15, 2009 and November 13, 2009 at 5pm (ET).
You must have the promotion code “ZECCOCASH2TRADE1” associated with your account. Existing unfunded accounts must contact Customer Service.

If you are interested in trading forex and want to give Zecco Forex a try, all you need to do are:

Open a Zecco Forex Trading account;
Make your deposit before 10/30/2009;
Make the round-trip trade requirements before 11/13/2009;
Collect your bonus!

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Zecco Forex 20% Deposit Bonus Offer