Why It Is Important To Have A Hotel Rewards Credit Card

Why It Is Important To Have A Hotel Rewards Credit Card
If you're a person who travels a lot and often stay in
hotels, then a hotel rewards credit card can be good for
you. Are you familiar with hotel rewards credit cards? Do
you know how you can make the most out of them? This
article talks about credit cards with hotel rewards and the
advantages they offer. Here we will review a few hotel
rewards credit cards along with their best features at this
time. Like all reward credit cards, benefits are subject to
change.

Hilton HHonors Platinum Card from American Express

Hilton HHonors is a hotel rewards credit card that also
gives its card members the opportunity to earn mileage
points for a free travel with not just one but 50 different
airline affiliates. There are over 2, 800 participating
Hilton hotels that you can stay with and earn your points
wherever you are. This hotel credit card is great for
frequent flyers and for often who often have to spend days
in hotels and inns.

Chase TravelPlus Visa Card

Having a Chase TravelPlus Visa card enables you to earn
travel rewards such as hotel accommodations, airline
tickets, cruises and car rentals. It awards 2 mile points
for every $1 of travel purchases and 1 mile point for every
$1 spent on general purchases. It has a reasonable annual
fee of $29 and a 0% APR for up to a 12 month period. What's
great about this travel reward credit card is that it has
no blackout dates so you can rack up those points without
limits.

Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card

The Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card lets you earn
reward points every time you use your card for purchase.
Also, you are instantly awarded with 15,000 bonus points
right after your first purchase. Get special privileges as
a Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card holder from all
2,800 Hilton Family hotels worldwide. It also has no annual
fees.

Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card

Do you usually stay at Starwood hotels? The Starwood
Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express gives its
holders a chance to earn as much as 10,000 bonus points in
their first year. You get 3 Starpoints each time you use
your card at any Starwood hotel and resort. You also get 1
Starpoint for every dollar spent on general purchases and
double Starpoints from purchases made at participating
Starwood partners. After your $15,000 usage, you will be
awarded with 15,000 bonus Starpoints. There is no annual
fee for the first year and $45 annual fee thereafter. If
you're a frequent Starwood Hotel client, then this hotel
rewards credit card is definitely for you.

Know More about Your Preferred Hotel Rewards Credit Card

The four hotel rewards credit cards we've discussed are
just some of the most popular ones by businessmen and
frequent travelers. Remember that every credit card holder
has unique needs. The features we've discussed here are
just the major benefits of the card. For a complete, up to
date list of features and benefits, please visit Reward
Credit Card Site.com.

As with all credit cards you should compare the rates and
fees to see which one best suits you. Last but not the
least, see to it that you choose a hotel rewards credit
card that gives you the most points at your favorite hotel.

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Earn hotel rewards points for free hotel stays, gift
certificates and enjoy special benefits. See full review of
the popular hotel reward credit card: Hilton Honors rewards
credit card. Visit the site for more credit card rewards
offers and credit card reward programs reviews:
http://www.rewardcreditcardsite.com

Currency Trader: Ten Top Ways to Lose Your Shirt!

Currency Trader: Ten Top Ways to Lose Your Shirt!
A frighteningly high percentage of forex traders lose their
money in the markets.

It's so easy to do!

Here are ten top ways to lose your shirt while trading
currencies.

1. Maintain Fundamental Ignorance! Or, to put it another
way, ignorance of the fundamentals! If you maintain a
complete lack of understanding as to what drives the
markets, what news releases and government numbers affect
the markets, then you will lose your shirt - guaranteed!

2. Learn on a Demo Account! Demo accounts are a great way
to learn. They're also a great way to build a nice, solid
sense of false security. You trade $50,000 here, $150,000
there, some trades work, some don't, and all the time
you're building up your trading game, right? You suspect
the data is not quite as real-time as it might be in the
demo, but you don't worry about it. And the emotions of
trading virtual money, handed to you on a plate, and real
money that it took you three months to pull together, are
pretty much the same...aren't they?

3. Get Over-Leveraged! You drop $5,000 into the market, and
your broker offers to turn it into $100,000, just like
that, with a few clicks of his mouse. How cool is that?
Now, you can go crazy, trade in bigger lots, take bigger
hits, because you're in the $100,000 league! And hey, when
your original $5,000 investment is gone in a day or two,
don't worry. Your broker will soon call you up with one of
those nice margin calls! Then you'll have to call your bank
with one of those not-so-nice pleading-for-more-money calls.

4. Have No Trading Plan! You just want to lose money,
right? And lose it as fast and as furiously as you can. So
the last thing you want to do is figure out where your
strengths are, and set them down in a coherent way, matched
in with a good trading methodology that suits you and that
you've back-tested. Avoid those trading plans like the
plague!

5. Over-Trade! You get in, you get out, you make five pips.
You get in a few minutes later, you get stopped out, you
give your tiny profit away. You get in again, out, in, out,
shake it all about, and before you know where you are, it's
11.30 at night, your family have all gone to bed, and
you're looking at another day of loses. You're on track to
being shirt-free!

6. Set Tight Stop Losses! You must use stop losses on all
your trades, of course. But to be certain of a total
wipe-out, make sure those stop losses are as tight as you
can get them to your entry point. You want your profits
made in a straight line, right? So if the market starts to
go up and down just a little bit, your tights stops will
stop you out ' at a loss, of course!

7. Trade a Single Currency! You've got a really, really
clear picture of what is about to happen with the Japanese
yen, right? You know it's been over-sold, and you're going
long! But will you go long against the dollar? Against the
British pound? Against the euro? Details, schmeetails! The
yen's going up, and you don't care against what! Bye-bye,
shirt!

8. Trade Against the Trend! You've heard all that "trend is
your friend" nonsense, but you're the Contrary Trader! You
boldly go against the trend at every opportunity, because
all trends turn eventually, right? You also make a habit of
catching falling knives dropped by your clumsy wife, and
sometimes you go down to the beach for a bit of
tide-turning practice.

9. Ride Those Losses! Only losers quit, right? You decided
against a stop loss of any kind, went to bed, woke up the
next morning to find your position is 200 pips wrong and
there are three missed calls from your broker on your cell
phone. Whatever you do, don't close that sucker down! It'll
come right. Eventually.

10. Cut Those Profits! Your trade is flying, it's making
you money (against all the odds!) and, quite frankly, it
has the potential to ruin your shirt-losing plans! So just
cut it short! Be brutal. There is no need to let a good
trade run, any more than there is to cut out of a losing
trade.

So there you have it - ten top ways to lose your shirt as a
currency trader!

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If you've now decided that, actually, you'd rather not lose
your shirt after all, then take a look here to see how you
can get some serious help... http://tinyurl.com/5v6vpu

Prepaid Debit Card Offers: Are they Right for you?

Prepaid Debit Card Offers: Are they Right for you?
If you have less-than-perfect credit, you may find it hard
to get approved for a regular credit card. You still have
some credit options, however. One of these is the prepaid
debit card. Following is information on how this type of
card works, its advantages and disadvantages, and two to
consider applying for.

About Prepaid Debit Cards. Prepaid debit cards entered the
market in the 1990s. They are similar, in some ways, to a
prepaid phone card. You place money into your account, and
then are able to make purchases. Once the balance runs out,
you have to load more money into the account.

Loading money onto the card is fairly easy. Some cards let
you call in and transfer money from one account to another.
You can also load money by accessing your account online.
The amount of money you put on the card becomes your credit
limit.

Advantages of Prepaid Debit Cards. There are several
advantages to this type of card. First of all, it is
available for just about anyone over the age of 18. So if
you have a history of poor credit, this may be a smart
choice for you. You can use the card instead of carrying
around cash. Paying with plastic is sometimes safer and
easier when it comes time to check out.

Most prepaid debit cards are issued through Visa or
MasterCard, which means they are widely accepted around the
world. Since the credit limit is determined by the balance
on the card, you do not have to make monthly payments. This
saves you the hassle of bills and potential late fees.

Disadvantages of Prepaid Debit Cards. Many prepaid debit
cards come with a number of attached fees. You might be
charged an application fee, as well as a fee for monthly
maintenance. Some also include a charge every time that you
make a purchase.

These costs may seem steep; however, it is important to
remember that this card is an option for you if you're
having trouble getting approved for different forms of
credit. By understanding the fees involved, you can make
sure you use the card in a way to get the most out of it as
possible.

Two to Consider: There are a variety of options available
if you want a prepaid debit card. One of these is the
READYdebit card issued by Visa. This card has a minimum
amount of fees. You can load money for free through direct
deposit and bank account transfers. Also, it advertises
that all who apply will be approved.

Another option to look into is the Bank Freedom Prepaid
MasterCard. No credit check is performed when you apply for
this card. There are also very few fees involved. With both
of these options, you can enjoy many of the benefits of a
credit card without having to worry about having good
credit in order to get approved.

If you decide to get a prepaid debit card, do some research
before you apply for one. Look online at the different
choices available. When you find one that fits your needs,
fill out the application. The card will arrive in just a
few days.

----------------------------------------------------
To View Prepaid Debit Card Offers click the following link:
http://www.credit-card-surplus.com/prepaid.php . Ed
Vegliante runs http://www.credit-card-surplus.com , a
directory helping consumers to compare and apply for credit
cards.

Understanding the Human Side of a Debt Collector May Help You Deal with One (Part One)

Understanding the Human Side of a Debt Collector May Help You Deal with One (Part One)
In the present financial climate, debt collection is
commonplace and many people may have to deal with debt
collectors due to delinquencies. To deal with creditors is
an art.

If you are among one of them, you may think that debt
collectors are inhuman: they may have harassed you
relentlessly.

Nowadays, many individuals have become debt collectors
simply because they need a job, because they want to help
others, or, for some, because they have a strong need for
control and power. Whatever, debt collectors get trained,
but do not go to school to become debt collectors.

Remember, debt collectors are just human, like everyone
else. They, too, may have problems paying their own bills.

Understanding the human side of a debt collector may help
you deal with one successfully. You must understand that
their work environment is always filled with negativity.
They need to call you incessantly and relentlessly: they
would like to see as many as possible their clients become
current. Like most other types of work, they have their own
daily, weekly, and monthly goals to meet too.

As a smart consumer, learn how to deal with a debt
collector. Dealing with debt collection is less of a hassle
if you have the know-how.

According to Sun Tsu's famous book "Art of War", "Know the
enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will
never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy, but
know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal.
If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are
certain in every battle to be in peril."

So know your debt collector (your imaginary "enemy") and
know yourself, and you will resolve your financial problems
successfully.

As a smart consumer, it is important to make your account
current. It is to your own advantage if you do. Ignoring
your debt or delinquency problem - what most consumers
choose to do - will not make the problem go away. Make your
account current through a plan (knowing yourself, such as
how much payment you can afford, and what to do with your
current emergency debt situation) and good communication
with your debt collector (knowing your "enemy", such as
making the debt collector help you resolve your financial
problems).

Knowing yourself also implies adopting a positive and
confident attitude before and when you make your initial
contact with your debt collector. Remember, you are not a
bad person just because you cannot pay your bills. When you
put down your name on the dotted line to obtain a credit or
loan, you probably did it with good intention. When you are
having a financial problem, take care of yourself first and
foremost. Do things that may lift up your spirit - things
that do not require further straining your finances, such
as going camping or fishing (but certainly not going on an
expensive vacation).

Be open-minded; avoid being neither defensive nor
aggressive when you contact your debt collector. Remember,
he or she is human, just like you. An attitude is never a
good communication skill, and will not get you anywhere.

Rest assured, your debt collector knows your name and
address, your home and work phone numbers, the amount of
loan, whether it is secured or unsecured, your payment
history, your late payments, and your last payment date and
amount. Your debt collector has everything in front of his
or her computer when speaking to you. Therefore, you must
have the same level of information, otherwise you might
feel being intimidated while speaking to a debt collector.
That is to say, you must also be as prepared as your debt
collector to stay in the same level of information.

As a smart consumer, always request a copy of the payment
history and a copy of your contract for the delinquent
account (if you have not already done so), and have them
mailed to you. This may not only buy you more time, but
also show your intention to resolve the problem. To protect
yourself, you must read your contract in its entirety and
review your account payment history. If errors occur, use
them to your advantage.

Review your state's laws regarding collections and the
federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) to know
your rights as a consumer. Know what a debt collector can
and cannot do. If you do not wish your debt collector to
call you at work, fax a request to that effect. A debt
collector cannot disclose your debt information on a
telephone answering machine without your prior permission,
or by mailing you a postcard.

If you are knowledgeable of the law and your rights, your
debt collector will know that he or she cannot intimidate
you.

(Part Two will be on the communication with a debt
collector.)

----------------------------------------------------
Stephen Lau is a researcher, writing medical research for
doctors and scientists. His publications include "NO
MIRACLE CURES" a book on healing and wellness. He has also
created several websites on health, golf, Zen living,
mental depression, and money management, including the
following:
http://www.longevityforyou.com
http://www.smartcreditsmartmoney.com

Don't miss this overlooked tax deduction!

Don't miss this overlooked tax deduction!
With April 15th looming in the near future, many folks are
scrambling to give Uncle Sam a good reason not to
confiscate their hard earned pay. And while there are an
assortment of arguments and deductions available to the
creative taxpayer, an often overlooked one is the deduction
for unreimbursed Casualties, Disasters, and Thefts.

Insurance doesn't cover everything all the time

Psst...come over here...a little closer...I want to tell
you a secret. Despite your insurance agent's best efforts,
not every claim you file is covered by insurance. "No
%#@*" you say?!? "I pay all that money in insurance
premiums and when (fill in the blank) happens, all I hear
is "that's not covered" "Well, thanks for nothing!"

We're from the government and we're here to help

How many stories end with the IRS riding to the rescue?
Well, none actually. However, the IRS can help ease the
pain in the case of certain unreimbursed casualty losses.
What is a casualty loss? A casualty is the damage,
destruction, or loss of property resulting from an
identifiable event that is sudden, unexpected, or unusual.
Can you give me some examples? Damage to property caused
by floods, fires, earthquakes, car accidents, and tornados
just to name a few. So what types of losses aren't
deductible? Destruction done by a family pet, dropping and
breaking fragile items, and anything you intentionally burn
up or pay someone to destroy (NO KIDDING!!!) are all not
deductible. What if my stuff was stolen? You're still in
luck (sort of)! The IRS defines theft as the taking and
removing of money or property with the intent to deprive
the owner of it. The taking of property must be illegal
under the law of the state where it occurred and it must
have been done with criminal intent. Sounds great! Where
do I sign up? Well, before you go getting all misty eyed
over your new found affection for the IRS, let's take a
deep breath. Like everything involving taxes, there are a
few hoops you have to jump through. First of all, you have
to itemize your deductions. So if you're filling out
1040EZ, you're out of luck. The only way to claim these
deductions is to file Form 4684 and attach it to schedule A
on a regular 1040 form. Another thing to consider is that
any reimbursement you receive from your insurance company
is not deductible. In fact, IRS publication 547 states
that if you expect to be reimbursed for part or all of your
loss, you must subtract the expected reimbursement when you
figure your loss. What if I decide to not file a claim with
my insurance company and instead take a deduction on my
taxes? Good idea but the IRS won't allow it. If your
property is covered by insurance, you must file an
insurance claim for reimbursement of your loss. Otherwise,
you cannot deduct a loss as a casualty or theft. The only
silver lining here is that if your insurance company
reimbursed you minus a deductible, your insurance
deductible is deductible from your taxes. Confused yet?
Can you help me make sense of this? PLEASE! Unfortunately,
things get slightly more complicated. For the purposes of
this article I will forgo explanations pertaining to the
$100 Rule and the 10% Rule. Just suffice it to say that
these are two more calculations that are required before
you arrive at the amount of your deduction. Instead, let
me show you an example which will hopefully bring this
togehter for you:

In June you had a car accident and your car was totaled.
You did not carry collision coverage on your car. You paid
$18,500 for the car. At the time of the accident the car
was worth $17,000. The salvage value of the car after the
accident was $200. Your adjusted gross income for the year
the casualty occurred is $70,000. You figure your casualty
loss deduction as follows:

1. Adjusted basis of car (cost in this example)
$18,500
2. Value of car at time of accident
$17,000
3. Value of car after the accident $200
4. Decrease in value (line 2 minus line 3)
$16,800
5. Loss (smaller of line 1 or 4)
$16,800
6. Subtract insurance $0
7. Loss after reimbursement
$16,800
8. Subtract $100
$16,700
9. Subtract 10% of $70,000 AGI $7,000

10. TOTAL CASUALTY LOSS DEDUCTION $9,700

Although a $9,700 tax deduction may not be as desirable as
a $17,000 check from your insurance company, in this case,
it's better than nothing. So the next time you suffer a
property loss that's not fully covered by insurance, you
may still be elgible for some financial relief. And that
could cause you to say something you've never said before
"Thank you IRS!"

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Eric D. Patrick is an attorney and Chief Operating Officer
of Consumers Insurance Agency Inc. in Camp Hill, PA. Please
contact us at http://www.consumers-insurance.com and
http://www.thatsnotcovered.com . Providing our clients
with meaningful advice and thoughful service for over 25
years.

Maximizing Your Returns From Rewards Credit Card

Maximizing Your Returns From Rewards Credit Card
Okay, so you've applied for a rewards credit card. Now
what? How can you maximize your returns for your reward
credit card?

If you've chosen the right reward credit card, then you
should have no problem in earning points more quickly.
Consider what type of reward credit card you have and see
if it matches your spending habits. If not, then it's not
yet too late to make a switch. If you're still planning
about getting a reward credit card, then take your time in
choosing the one that is most appropriate for your needs
and lifestyle.

Choose your rewards credit card well

How do you normally use your credit card? Do you usually
use it to pay for your monthly expenses such as groceries
and utility bills? Does a large amount of your budget go to
your car maintenance and gas expenses? Or do you travel a
lot and spend more on hotel accommodations, car rentals and
plane tickets? Based on your lifestyle, you can choose
whether a cash-back credit card, a gas rewards credit card,
or a travel rewards credit card will be best for you.

Check your credit report

Reward credit cards with the best deals are only offered
for those who have excellent credit rating. Check your
credit report and see if there are some steps you can do to
improve your credit.

Take Advantage of the 0% Introductory Offer

Whichever rewards credit card you choose, there is usually
a 0% introductory offer that you can avail off. The best
ones are those that give a 0% APR on both purchases and
balance transfers for a whole period of 12 months. Most
reward credit cards come with a high interest rate so if
you choose the one with 0% APR on purchases and balance
transfer for a whole year, that would be a great savings
and convenience on your part. There are credit cards that
give a reasonable interest rate even after the introductory
period expires and that's the reward credit card you want
to have.

Ask for additional cards

Some reward credit cards give additional cards for other
members of the family or even friends of the card holder.
The points earned from additional cards still go to the
main card holder so you get to earn more rewards at a
shorter time.

Pay off your monthly balances on time

Even if you intend to earn as much points as you can, don't
use your credit card for purchases if you know that you
can't make your monthly payment on time. Unless you're
still within the 0% introductory period, then you can
afford to incur a remaining balance and pay it off for the
next month. Remember that reward credit cards have higher
rates and if you often incur a monthly balance, the amount
you pay for your interest may be worth way more than the
value of the rewards you actually get.

Use your credit cards to pay your utilities

If your credit card gives you a point for general
purchases, then take advantage of it and use your card to
pay your telephone bills, electricity and cable. Since you
really have to pay for these bills one way or another, why
not use your card and collect points at the same time
instead of paying in cash?

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Ann Wilson is the head writer of Credit Card Rewards -
Credit Card Reward Programs - Rewards Credit Card Site.
This resource provides consumers with valuable reviews and
information on the best gas, cash back, travel, or airline
credit cards programs. Visit
http://www.rewardcreditcardsite.com for more information.