The cost of cash advances are particularly onerous. When traveling abroad, carry a mix of plastic, cash, debit cards and traveler's checks. Placing a fraud alert on your credit files prevents an imposter opening credit in your name. You can't sign up for a new credit card and go shopping with it three minutes later. More Teen consumers Credit card companies are targeting the increasingly powerful teen consumer.
Teens get the credit card and the bill, but parents are legally responsible.
Nonprofit organizations caution that teens lack personal finance teaching, and aren't ready for plastic. More Be careful when you do the card hop Changing credit cards for a better deal may net attractive teaser rates, but many cards now deter balance transfers with tough terms and high costs. Read the fine print carefully. More Credit score During and after a divorce, you need to make a clean financial break to keep your credit report accurate. A first step is to cancel credit card accounts, even if you were only an authorized user, and reapply for new accounts.