‘Top 25 Credit Card Bloggers’
It’s so easy to give in to temptation ? you can buy just about anything that has a price to it as long as you have a credit card. And yet you are surprised to see the amount you have to pay when the bill comes in. But credit cards if used wisely, can give you a range of benefits. So how do you walk the tightrope of financial prudence and commercial sense when it comes to credit cards? The answer isn?t easy and there are many out there who are trying to achieve or have achieved this fine balance.
Here is a list of 25 blogs that could help you on your journey of credit card discovery. This is not the definitive list of credit card blogs ? they are more of personal favorites and have a good mix of experts and amateurs. This list is also in a random order and the weblogs are not ranked in any order.
The Digerati Life is real value for money. The blog has relevant information and looks great ? a deadly combination. It provides information on personal finance as a whole and credit cards is just one of the many topics. The only point of difference you may have with the blogger is his attitude towards money and debt. If you think a little debt is alright, you may find it odd that the blogger is the type of person who prefers to have no debt whatsoever.
So, it probably doesn?t come as a surprise that his usual advice is to get rid of debt as much as possible. But if you have it, then try to get rid of the bad debt before the good. Bad debt involves high interest, prepayment penalties and depreciating property. Good debt has tax advantages, low interest and covers possibly appreciating property. So borrowing to buy a house is typically good financial sense, while borrowing on credit cards would be something to avoid.
While the general wisdom in this website caters to just about everybody, specific information and news is UK-specific. The blog provides regularly updated financial advice and provides a guide to the best deals on the UK market today. The best thing about the blog is its simple and effective language. They don?t resort to any gimmicks ? in simple, plain English, the blog explains the types of cards available today, spelling out pros and cons.
When you visit this blog, don?t forge to read two very interesting posts: ?Could your credit card be cloned?? and ?Could your credit card company be forcing you to pay late fees?? Very interesting and very alarming news.
This blog provides a lot of valuable tips to help you find the credit card most suited to your requirements. The blog provides a whole lot of information on the credit card scene and you get an in-depth introduction to the credit card market, strategies, and possible ways to reduce your dependence on these cards. Possibly the best thing about this blog is its ease of navigation and variety in topics covered ? from student credit cards to rewards and points, they seem to have covered all the bases. The blog also tries to inform you about credit card offers you can avoid, and gives tips on how to get the most out of the credit cards you already have and the credit cards you should have.
Not green with envy but the green of the greenback. This blog’s raison d?괲e is to make you a better steward of money. The posts in this blog are comprehensive and provide a lot of information about credit cards ? some which we may not know about. For instance, did you know that most major banks reside in states that have no usury rate either, so in theory they could charge you whatever rate they pleased without telling you and it would be entirely legal to do so. The blog also teaches sound and conservative financial principals and puts special emphasis on personal behavior.
This blog has so much information crammed into its webpages, you begin to wonder how and from where so much information was got. The blog has over 30 categories of which credit cards is just one. Supposed to be the money musings of a 30 something family man, Five Cent Nickel is quite informative and well, you don?t need to restrict yourself to credit cards do you?
As a webpage, No Credit Needed Blog is quite unattractive. But then when you are dealing with the topic of credit cards, your main worry is how to save money on your card, not the general look and feel of a site. What this blog does well is provide information on how to live without credit cards. There is a whole lot of information, which is put across quite engagingly and well. If you are the type who loves to read about the personal experiences of the blogger in avoiding credit cards and other forms of credit, this blog is definitely for you.
This blog is top heavy with ads and you may take some time to navigate them but it?s worth the effort. This online source for credit cards has enough and more information on credit cards. The various categories that deal with credit cards ensure that there?s an answer to the most discerning questions on various things including 0%APR credit cards, low rate cards, reward cards, credit cards for excellent credit?
For instance, do you know how to choose the credit card that’s right for you? Watching your spending habits before applying for a new credit card can save you quite a bit of money. You don?t necessarily need low interest rates if you always pay off your balance, but on the other hand low or no annual fees are always a benefit for any credit card. Think before you apply and read the fine print.
8. Money, Matter, and More musings
Boring and money don?t go together ? at least not on this site. Crammed with all sorts of information on just about any topic that deals with personal finance, The Tao of Making Money is one heck of a blog. Lots of informative articles on credit cards combine with an interminable list of links to other informative blogs makes a visit to this blog worth your time and money.
Simplicity itself. The Simple Dollar?s biggest strong point is its unassuming nature. It provides important information in the simplest manner possible. For instance, take a look at its ?Five Minute Finances? series of tips. These series provide you with information on how to save money or reorganize your financial life in just five minutes.
For instance, here?s a tip for when you call your credit card company for a reduction in rates: Don?t repeatedly request rate reductions on the same card. If you get one, consider it good enough and don?t continue to call and ask for further reductions. Why? Many companies maintain databases of ?trouble? customers and customer service for these individuals in the database is much more difficult than before.
A regular blog with regular information. This blog contains information that has been simplified to an extent that it could qualify for a ?credit card for dummies? kind of tag. But if you have just taken or plan to take your first credit card, (read students) this is the blog you ougtha check before you make any transactions. There is quite a bit of information on credit card offers ? how to choose them, compare and evaluate them.
Getting various credit card offers, compare credit card offers and know about credit scores and credit reports. The information can be quite detailed. For instance, in the article, ?How to read your credit report? the blogger tells you how to determine if the information is accurate or inaccurate. A step-by-step format guides you through checking your name for errors to looking for accounts that should have been wiped out from a bankruptcy.
This is a blog for people who like their information to the point — be warned, you’ll have to sift through information on laundry and trans fats before you reach credit cards. Stretcher.com takes its duty quite seriously ? not only does it provide concise and important information on credit cards, it also gives you tips on living frugally and provides cheap cheap tips to have fun without maxing your card.
12. The Art of Debt
This blog contains handy information and tips on credit cards. The thing about this blog is that it has quite a personal refrain to it. The blogger is talking about her own card experiences, provides some information, a bit of advice and something to munch on about FICO scores. You actually get the feel of sitting down with you buddy to discuss your credit problems and well, she does help.
This pretty (really!) blog has a zillion categories on just about everything. The good thing about this blog is that the load of information ensures that you really don?t need to bother checking other blogs. The not too good it is that since this is a generic blog, you?ll have to sift through a sea of information on personal finance, debt and other issues before you can get to issues relating to credit cards. But if you think of credit card-related issues as just one cog in the wheel of personal finance, then this blog is a great help.
Moreover, most of the advice on this blog is quite interesting and very informative. Here?s a nugget of their information: What it comes down to is that credit cards can be an asset or a liability depending on how you use them. You need to have self discipline and not fall for the credit card company?s tactics of trying to get you to spend money when you shouldn?t.
14. Blueprint for Financial Prosperity
This blog looks more like the website of a financial newspaper — the blue banner just adds to that feel. It has information on just about everything under the sun that deals with money. It must have been quite some work gathering all that information onto one blog, and making it interesting as well. Don?t visit the blog if you only want to know whether you should shred your credit cards or not. This blog provides much more information than just the basic efforts of most other blogs.
For instance there is this very interesting article on 0% balance transfers and how they aren?t too good for you. One reason the blogger gave was that your credit score will plummet. When you apply for credit cards, the bank will do a hard pull inquiry of your credit history to assess your credit worthiness. As you accumulate more and more of these inquiries, your credit score will fall lower and lower. As you request balance transfers from these new lines of credit, your credit utilization will increase tremendously and your credit score will fall lower and lower. Plus, when you pay off these debts, your credit score isn?t going to recover immediately - it takes a little while before you get back to normal.
This is one fun site ? actually it is the blog of the Your Credit Network site. It?s hilarious in addition to being informative. It?s worth spending some time here, far from your credit card-related worries. Here?s a sampling: For years we?ve been telling people to watch their interest rates and pay off credit cards as quickly as possible, since there is no reason you should be eating interest. Now for an even more important public announcement: Don?t eat your credit card! Why shouldn?t you eat your credit card? Well, in addition to it making it difficult to purchase overpriced gasoline or a new TV to replace the one you broke due to a certain mishap, it turns out they really aren?t that good for you. Who knew?
This doesn?t mean the blog is all about fun and games. The blog has loads of information about various cards, their benefits as well as the downsides associated with each card. Just look up the information they have on the Total Visa card to know what we mean.
16. My open wallet
An anonymous New Yorker tells the world how much money she makes and what she spends it on. And how much of it she saves. Quite intriguing if you like things like this. You have details of how the blogger spends her money where she?s losing it. Since she obviously earns a neat sum every month, she can act as an example to other young high earners. She doesn?t subscribe to the hysterical reactions that generally surround credit cards.
According to her, you must use a credit card for every expense you can possibly charge and use one that gives you frequent flyer miles or some other benefit that you’ll actually take advantage of. Her only condition is that you must be able to keep your expenses in perspective and not spend more than you can pay off. Only charge as much as you can pay off in full every month– don’t carry a balance.
This isn?t one blog ? it?s a collection of blogs that deal with personal finance. At Real People, Real Finances, instead of just reading about experiences and tips, you can be part of this growing community. You can blog about your personal finances and get supportive help from other bloggers. An important piece of advice: Writing about your money and money management is an effective way to help keep your personal finances in order and attain your money goals.
So if you are one of those who itch to write and let your views be known, you can join this network of personal finance bloggers and share your thoughts, issues, goals and daily musings about your personal finances and money.
18. Money $mart Life
A young blog aimed at the young. As mentioned earlier, each age group has its own peculiar credit card-related problems. College graduates mainly grapple with the credit card debt they accumulated while in school/ college. This blog speaks about people who?ve been through such an experience. Through personal experiences, the blogger tries to inspect and understand various credit-related issues.
In an interesting article, the blogger shows how his alma mater may be trying to make you accumulate some credit card debt. ?I recently received an offer from the school where I earned my undergraduate degree. I don?t know whether the school gave my information to credit card vendors while I was in school but obviously they feel comfortable doing so after graduation. They lead off the ad encouraging their alumni to carry more than one credit card. The motivation behind the campaign is obvious, you can ?support your alma mater? every time you swipe the card. In my opinion, most of us already helped support our school by paying thousands of dollars of tuition for four years.?
If you dream much bigger than just paying off your debts, this blog is for you. It professes to make you richer every day. Well, you may not find any information that directly relates to credit cards, but you do get lots of advice on spending money wisely. Here?s a nugget of wisdom: Today I sat down to calculate my subscription payments over the course of a year. I may have missed a few, but so far I get $2,305/year. I look at the subscriptions list and none, absolutely none of them are necessary at all. I can clearly say that over two grand in subscriptions is discretionary expenses scheduled to happen when either I decide to make them or not. Am I happy with this? I think I am. One of the reasons of making the list is to decide how happy I am, how much benefit I am receiving out of this expenses, and if I want to keep them or not. I encourage people to write down on a piece of paper all of his/her subscriptions, calculate the monthly and yearly costs, and think about how appropriate they are.
20. Erasing My Debt
A very personal blog with insights into how the blogger is trying to erase almost $20k in credit card debt. The blog takes you on Ryan?s (the blogger) personal journey to debt freedom as he slowly reduces his debts by cutting back on unwanted expenses and calls up banks for assistance. Really well-written and heart-felt, you will feel an immediate connection to Ryan and his problems ? most of us are in the same boat anyways. Well, he is trying hard and his trials could force a few among us to work on our credit card debts as well.
Warning: Guys, if you don?t like reading girl stuff, you can stay away from the ?About Me? category. Rest of the stuff is great. There?s information on a host of topics including credit cards, debt and tips to reduce debt, save money and well, do everything to help you reduce your debt and become rich. Here?s an informative tip: I can?t be sure, but I?m guessing that most credit cards today have some form of online access. With my cards, I have chosen to be set up so I can make payments online so I don?t have to worry about payments getting lost in the mail or freaking out the day a payment is due. All I have to do is go online and pay it by their submittal deadline.
22. Becoming and Staying Debt Free
This blog discusses how to become and staying debt free. The blogger will not only show you how to become debt free, but will help you stay debt free for life. This one is again not one of those only credit card info? sites. Be warned, it is a personal blog and details the bloggers attempts to remain debt free. There is information of course and well, a few reflections as well. And then you have something called ?The Ten Commandments of Debt Management?. Two points of particular interest were:
- Thou shall not borrow for consumption. Wealth is gained through accumulation which is the opposite
of consumption. When you borrow for consumption you have nothing left and you still owe for it
AND - The way to financial freedom is delayed gratification. Truly we should see delayed gratification as a blessing and not a curse. If you will live for ten years
23. The Money Post
First things first ? it is a pretty site. Unlike some other blogs, TheMoneypost.com doesn?t try to cram everything onto one page. This blog claims to examine all aspects of the financial world. While this isn?t a blog that deals strictly with cards, you do get your share of credit card information and then some more. They?ve got this very interesting story about ?Good credit card debt?. What this blogger actually does is regurgitate interesting news from all over and adds in some unique comments.
24. Dual Income No Kids (DINKS)
In a world of specialization, can credit card debt specialization be far behind. And, well it is justified ? a single person will not have the same credit card problems as a family with three kids. Similarly, the problems of couples with no kids (or DINKS as they prefer to be called) are quite unique and require different solutions. This blog discusses personal finance, success, and related issues within the context of a committed relationship. The authors are Miel and James, two young newlywed professionals living in Washington DC. Oh, and yes, they do discuss credit card problems related to couples.
To put it straight ? this isn?t a credit card site and information about cards is limited. But what the blog does is provide information on how to ensure that you don?t waste your wealth. Wealthbuilding.com professes to help you ?learn to be wealthy ? because being poor sucks!!?
One advice they do provide on this topic is about cards offering 0% APR or some low teaser rate. What many people don?t realize is that the fine print is where the credit card companies get you. Usually, they will charge a cash advance fee of 3 to 5%? Want to know more, check the blog.
miss honey
March 28th, 2007 at 12:36 am
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The Digerati Life
April 7th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Thanks for the honor of being on this list! I enjoy a lot of the blogs on this list as well, thanks for the resource!
ordinary credit blogger reader
May 7th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
I absolutely agree. They are really top. They always present only alluring posts,that are, useful for me (I believe many visitors think the same way). They help me with money and credit card use.