The economy is collapsing, credit has become difficult if not impossible to obtain.  Whatever will the credit card companies do without their steady flow of profits?  Don’t worry, they will find a way to take our money.  Their stake in their own future is too great to let this downturn stop their bottom line.

What would the world be like without credit cards?  How will we ever be able to survive without the steady flow of credit?  Will it be a disaster or could this possibly be a good thing for the consumer.

Our parents and grandparents didn’t find their lives diminished without credit cards, home equity loans, or lines of credit.  When they wanted to purchase something they saved their hard earned money and waited to buy something until they could afford to pay for it.  What a concept.  Actually being able to buy the “things” we want when we can afford them.  What would happen if the credit card disappeared from our lives?  Would we be unable to survive?  The companies would like us to believe this myth, but maybe we would be better off in the long run.  Maybe we would be a more responsible generation.

The credit card companies would like us to believe that without their product the economy would collapse and the end of the world would soon follow.  What they don’t want us to know or care about is that the consumers would actually have more money to spend if we didn’t have to pay all this interest that is going into their pockets.

The goal of all credit card companies is to take our money.  They will take any steps to do that, even if it means marketing their programs to our youth and to lower classes of workers regardless if they are able to pay back the money they borrow.

Don’t feel sorry for the credit card companies losses in the short term.  The economy will prosper again and the companies will always find a way to take our money.  The amount of money that these companies have taken from us is staggering.  The amount of money that would be available to us would add up to millions of dollars available for us to spend.

There would be less family turmoil, fewer foreclosures, and more financial stability.  Divorce would be less common and our children would be much happier not having to listen to their parents fight over money each month.

I am aware that what I am proposing is an empty dream.  We have become too dependent on easy credit.  Our society would have a very difficult time giving up our precious toys.

But, consider for just a moment the benefits of a life without credit cards.  Sit down and think it through. Throw those credit cards away and imagine what our lives would be like if we took control of our future and left the next generation the prosperity that we have enjoyed.

You have spent years trying to build great credit and now is the time to take advantage of all you hard work.  Using the credit card perks and cash back reward programs can save you thousands of dollars.  The best part is you earn them on things you are buying anyway.

For those with good credit the benefits are endless.  You can redeem your cash back for hundreds of different purchases.  They can be used for airline miles or even tickets, hotel room stays, vacations, travel, renting cars, and buying clothes.  The possibilities are endless.  For the first time in the history of the credit card company game, you can actually come out ahead.  Instead of the credit card companies making money off of you, you can earn an income off of them.  Don’t feel too bad for them.  They have a hundred other ways to make money, especially if you don’t pay your balance in full every month.  They make most of their money on higher risk borrowers anyway.

Some cards do have reward limits, however, so it will benefit you to do a lot of research before deciding which card you are going to use.  If you have excellent credit you should have no trouble finding and getting the card you need.  Beware of annual fees and penalties for paying your balance every month.  These card are not worth it, don’t waste your time on them.  If the offer includes a limit on the amount of awards, don’t take that one either.  There are plenty of other offers out there.

The more you spend every month, the more rewards you will see.  The one thing that you have to do is pay your balance every month.  Don’t end up spending more on interest rates than you gain from rewards.  This can easily become a losing situation if you are not careful.  Have a plan and stick to that plan.  Remember, this is an opportunity to make money, treat it as such.  If you are too busy to stay ahead of the game, use a low interest credit card, you will end up much better off.

If you do not have excellent credit however, you will not qualify for the best of these credit card offers.  They are reserved for those who have worked hard to deserve this special credit.  The better your credit, the better the deal.  If you do have less than perfect credit you can still find rewards cards, but obviously the rewards are not as good as those with better credit.

In conclusion, if you pay your bills on time and your credit rating show this, you need to take advantage of the amount of savings that are available to you.  If you use these offers wisely you can end up much better off than you are now, which should be really good already since you have spent all those years building that ever important credit score. Just remember to play by their rules and you win.

Rising fuel prices combined with fewer passengers has forced airlines across the world to find ways to cut costs.  With the ever present risk of bankruptcy many airlines are finding themselves in dire circumstances.  As a consumer we should recognize the problems airlines face today and accept some changes.  But, are some airlines going too far?  The airlines are having to draw a fine line between cutting costs and providing quality service to its passengers.

As the consumer we expect that when we give our credit card number to an airline that we will receive a certain amount of comfort.  Many carriers are reducing cost with such policies as removing pillows from domestic flights, reducing leg room for coach passengers which leaves them enough room to add additional seats, charging for traditionally free services such as meals and drinks, and charging for extra baggage.  .  There are however many cuts being made that are to the point of outrageousness.

The rumors and realities are many.  Some airlines in the world are even asking their passengers to use the bathroom before boarding to reduce the amount of fuel the aircraft uses flushing the toilets.  This seems pretty extreme but goes to show that anything that helps save money is a possibility.  Most airlines are charging for meals and drinks and even eliminating the rider’s ability to pay cash.  They say that if their passengers pay with a credit card it saves the company the time it takes to make change.  This, they say, is to make service on flights better to offset the inconveniences that the consumer is experiencing. Some airlines are even asking passengers for their credit card number to charge as they go.

Those of us who have ever flown coach know that leg room is already at a premium.  But, by adding additional seats the carriers are hoping to be able to fit more passengers on each flight.  To most people this seems reasonable, unless you are bigger than average.  It seems that as Americans are getting bigger, the space on flights is getting smaller.

Charging flyers for extra baggage also seems like a reasonable policy.  However, it has been reported that some airlines who are transporting soldiers to war zones in Iraq are being charged for their baggage out of their own pockets.  They either have to pay cash while checking in or use their personal credit cards. The military says that they eventually reimburse soldiers these expenses, however this takes time to fill out paperwork which has to be submitted to their finance departments.  This can take months sometimes.  All this has to be taken care of while the soldier’s minds and energies need to be on surviving in a war zone.
In conclusion, while we as consumers must accept the reality of today’s economic environment, the airlines need to make sure that their cost cutting measures are appropriate and necessary.  We  expect a lot when we have to hand over our credit cards and we should, but a little compromise by both the industry and the customer we will all come out a little better off.

Looking at all the cash back reward credit cards out there can be overwhelming.  It is a relatively new strategy that the credit card companies are using to win your business.  Competition is fierce among these companies, who all want to get ahead in the market share business.  You can take advantage of this if you are smart and know how the system works.

There are so many offers available that it is hard to choose which one is best for you.  The cash back offers are complex but can be very beneficial if you choose wisely.  To make these offers work for you is very important.  The very first rule is to pay off your balance every month to avoid paying interest charges.  What good does it do you to get 1% cash back if you are paying 17% interest?  So, if you can’t afford to pay your balance every month you might be better off using one with a 0% interest rate for the first 12 months and then move the balance to another 0% card before the 12 month time period is up.

Cash reward cards offer anywhere from 1% cash back to 6% cash back.  For each different card there are different rules.  Rules on what you can buy to get the rewards and the method of redemption.  Most cards will give you a credit directly to your credit card account.  There are other possibilities. Some cards will even send you a check if you make that request.

Rebates can be earned on almost everything you buy.  If you play the game right you can actually end up using your credit card as a debit card and use it for everything you buy.  Go to the grocery store, use your card.  Go to the gas station, use your card.  If you use your card for everything you buy but you can end up saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year.

The best way to do this is to use just one card.  It can be very confusing and a hair pulling experience if you try to juggle several cards at the same time.  Use the best card you can find and stick to that one.  There should be almost nothing that you buy that is not put on the card.

Remember though, if you carry a balance you can end up being hurt.  Let me repeat this because it is very important and a very common mistake.  Pay your balance off at the end of the month or you are losing instead of gaining.  If you are using your card for all your purchases, you should have enough money at the end of the month to pay the balance.  If you think about it, it is really a very simple plan.  Instead of cash, use your card.  It is very rare that we, as consumers get the chance to stick it to the credit card companies.  But, if played right, the benefits can be enormous. Remember, be smart.

If you have opened up any of your junk mail lately, or watched TV, or listened to the radio, then you know that there are more credit card plans out there than you can count, even if you have an accounting degree.
For those with excellent credit there are a plethora of reward plans available.  Everything from cash back plans to travel plans.  The sheer number and complexity of these choices is mind boggling.  But, with a little effort and a lot of research there is a lot of opportunity out there too.  If you are ready to take the time and energy it takes to find the right plan for you.

If you travel a lot then you may want a credit card that offers miles or points for miles you can use for travel.  There are a few things to look out for with these cards however.  First be aware of the card company’s expiration rules.  Many people have saved miles for that big trip only to find out when they go to redeem them they expired last month.  That is the kind of surprise that nobody wants to have.
For those of us who drive a lot there are many credit cards available that will give you cash back rebates for every dollar you spend on gasoline.  With today’s gas prices skyrocketing a gas credit card can be a welcome relief to save some pennies at the pump.

If you do a lot of clothes shopping, especially if your tastes run to the expensive side.  There are many cards out there that offer you cash back for shopping at certain retail shops.  Different offers have different participating merchants but you can find a card for any of your tastes.

There are many cards associated with universities that pay you cash back for expenses for tuition and books.  Be wary though of any card that is specifically targeted for students.  They tend to take advantage of students who don’t have a lot of knowledge concerning financial matters.

You can name any expense you have and there probably is a credit card that offers you reward points.  Search engines are wonderful time saving tools to help you with your search.  The best way to find the card right for you is to find one that matches your particular spending habits.

The consumers who use their credit cards like debit cards are the ones who benefit the most.  If you pay off your balance every month without fail, you can reap great rewards by paying off your balance at month’s end.

As with any credit offer make sure you know all the details of the agreement you are entering into.  There are many pitfalls for the unwary borrower.  But if you search diligently, follow the rules, read the fine print you can find yourself saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars every year.  Be aware though that credit card companies are after your money.  Protect it as you would your loved ones and you will be fine.