The North Carolina Bankruptcy Information Blog

Last year’s Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act was put into law to improve transparency between credit card companies and consumers, making card issuers not only provide their customers with more notice about increases in their interest rates, but also limiting below-board billing practices that inevitably left many in deep debt. But just months after this historic legislation was enacted to protect Americans, card companies have come up with all-new ways to con their customers.

According to The Wall Street Journal, major card providers from Discover to Citigroup to Chase are working to limit their lost income by working around the new rules—in ways that, in some cases, violate the new Credit Card Act directly—by replacing old, outmoded fees with new ones.…

For Americans laboring in long department stores lines, hot off the hunt for holiday deals, the cashier question “would you like to save 10% on your purchase today?” can be as common as a seasonal cold. And for well-known retailers seeking to make a profit this Christmas shopping season—from Target to World Market—pitching a retail credit card with the promise of an initial discount is an innovative way to make them fast money and you financially miserable.

With department stores facing tough financial times, they’re depending on customers just like you to buy more and more during the traditionally consumer-driven holiday season.…

If you have made your way through bankruptcy and the old clunker is starting to make noises that you more associate with an exhausted yak than an internal combustion engine, maybe it’s time for you to consider buying a new car. Or, should you lease? It’s a tough call.

Before you think about either option though, remember to consider the ancillary costs of car ownership, like insurance. If you have a few vehicle types in mind, contact your insurance agent to determine what it will take to cover them. You may be surprised at the little things that can add up to a steep insurance policy.…