If you tend to do much of your holiday shopping with your credit cards, you’re probably familiar with the common post-holiday credit card debt many consumers face. It can take months to pay off those Christmas and other holiday gifts for all of your friends and family.

While there are many things you can do to cut down on holiday shopping debt (like only using cash or preparing a tighter budget), there’s a simpler option that still lets you take advantage of your credit cards. Shop early. read more..

Major lenders and banks have begun discussions with the new federal government over the credit card reforms that were such an issue during the recent electoral campaign. read more..

Whether you travel frequently for business or are considering a family holiday overseas, you have to make a decision about how you’ll handle your money while travelling. Your cash probably won’t be accepted internationally, so you’ll have to exchange it for local currency. You also have to worry more about losing cash because you can’t replace it if it’s lost or stolen. Traveller’s cheques are a common substitute for cash, but they can be inconvenient (even though safer and easier to replace) and you might end up with cash as change anyway. Credit cards are another option — replaceable if lost or stolen, and you don’t have to worry about things like counting out the correct change in a currency you aren’t familiar with. read more..

The National Australia Bank (NAB) has announced another element in its ongoing series of bank reforms, with a measure expected to save the average cardholder $170 each year.

Beginning January, NAB will automatically allocate monthly repayments made on credit card accounts to the most expensive, highest-interest accruing component of the card. For most credit cards, this is likely to be cash advances and balance transfers. This new reform could be the difference between an 18% p.a. interest rate and a 22% rate. read more..

People get and use credit cards for many different reasons. For some, it’s about the convenience. For others, it’s about having more security than cash can offer. Some cardholders use them for the rewards. Some want the added spending power and ability to finance large purchases over time. And still others keep credit cards around as potential emergency funding sources. Let’s talk about that last one. read more..