Decoding Credit Card Terms and Conditions
Nonprofit credit counseling and debt management agency Take Charge America helps consumers decode the fine print
PHOENIX – (Oct. 10, 2017) – Credit card offers arrive all the time, offering a dizzying array of perks and promises. From balance transfers and cash back to low introductory rates and travel rewards, it’s easy to get lost in the perks – and miss the fine print.
“Credit card mailers are designed to entice,” said Michael Sullivan, a personal finance consultant with Take Charge America, a national nonprofit credit counseling and debt management counseling agency. “But buried beneath the promises are terms and conditions that spell out the limits of those enticing offers. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Sullivan decodes seven common terms and conditions to help consumers better understand credit card offers:
Annual Percentage Rate: The APR is the annual interest rate consumers are charged on top of their balance. If your credit card has a 10 percent rate, you’ll pay $10 in interest per $100 you borrow annually. APRs can be fixed or variable, and largely depend on your credit score. The worse your credit, the higher your APR.
Low Introductory Rate: The key word here is “introductory.” While some cards’ introductory rates are good for 12 months or more, it’s far more common for a low rate to jump up after a few short months. Make sure you understand how long the promotional rate will last before applying for a card.
Penalty Rates: Low interest rates are fickle – they will skyrocket the first time you’re late on a payment or if you fail to pay the minimum amount due. Most cards will also charge a fee in these instances, usually $25 or higher. Read the fine print to ensure you understand the penalties.
Variable Rates: If your card carries a variable rate, it’s subject to increase without notice if the prime rate goes up. Even if your card is advertised as fixed rate, the fine print usually states it’s only fixed for 12 months.
Balance Transfers: With balance transfer offers, consumers can transfer their debt from high-rate cards to a low or zero-interest cards. On the surface, this makes perfect sense because you’ll save on interest right away. However, you may be charged a transaction fee and have a variable or introductory interest rate, so do the math before signing up.
Cash Advances: Just like balance transfers, the cash advance can carry hefty transaction fees and an introductory rate that will soon expire. It’s an enticing offer – especially if you’re low on cash – but it’s probably worse for you in the long run.
Rewards: Consumers love buying gas or booking airfare on their credit cards knowing that they are earning rewards. Unfortunately, rewards are usually strictly limited. For example, some cards promise five percent cash back – but only on your first few hundred dollars in purchases. Some rewards programs are better than others, so read up before you start making purchases.
Consumers seeking relief from credit cards, student loans or other debt can visit takechargeamerica.org or call 866-528-0588.
About Take Charge America, Inc.
Founded in 1987, Take Charge America, Inc. is a nonprofit agency offering financial education and counseling services including credit counseling, debt management, student loan counseling, housing counseling and bankruptcy counseling. It has helped more than 1.6 million consumers nationwide manage their personal finances and debts. To learn more, visit www.takechargeamerica.org or call (888) 822-9193.
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ROAM
RELEASE NEW SINGLE
"GUILTY MELODY"
PREORDER GREAT HEIGHTS & NOSEDIVES ON ITUNES HERE
S
TREAM
"PLAYING FICTION"
ON YOUTUBE HERE OR ON SPOTIFY HERE
ALBUM NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER
October 9, 2017 -ROAM have officially released the third single off their upcoming album Great Heights & Nosedives titled "Guilty Melody" today.
Fans can stream the song now on Spotify or through Apple Music.
ROAM release their second album, the singalong gold that is Great Heights & Nosedives, on Friday this week via Hopeless Records. "Guilty Melody" continues to showcase the bands' catchy songwriting and youthful energy, while exploring darker themes. With excitement towards "Guilty Melody", guitarist/vocalist Alex Adam stated: "It's really about a messy end to a relationship I went through last year where things got super weird super quick"
ROAM announced they are releasing their second album titled Great Heights & Nosedives on October 13th, 2017 via Hopeless Records. The first single from the album, "Playing Fiction", premiered in the UK on BBC's Radio 1 Rock Show with Daniel P. Carter and can now be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music. The music video can be seen on YouTube here. The album is now available for pre-order through the band's site, or on iTunes with an instant grat download of "Playing Fiction" here.
ROAM Upcoming Tour Dates:
w/ New Found Glory
October 24th - Columbia, SC @ Music Farm Columbia
October 25th - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
October 27th - Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage
October 28th - Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
October 29th - Brooklyn, NY@ Warsaw
October 31st - New Haven, CT @ Toad's Place
November 1st - Providence, RI @ Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
November 3rd - Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
November 4th - Toronto, ON @ Opera House - SOLD OUT
November 5th - Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theater - SOLD OUT
November 6th - Pittsburgh, PA 2 Rex Theater
November 7th - Jersey City, NJ @ White Eagle Hall
November 9th - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
November 10th - Grand Rapids, @ MI The Intersection
November 11th - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave II
European 'Great Heights & Nosedives' Shows
November 15th - Madrid, ES @ El Sol
November 16th - Barcelona, ES @ Sidecar
November 21st - Cologne, DE @ MTC
November 22nd - Hamburg, DE @ Headcrash
November 23rd - Berlin, DE @ Musik & Frieden
November 24th - Warsaw, PL @ Hydrozagadka
November 25th - Poznan, PL @ Minoga
November 26th - Prague, CZ @ Rock Café
November 28th - Bratislava, SK @ Fuga
November 29th - Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert
November 30th - Vienna, AT @ Arena
December 1st - Rome, IT @ Wishlist Club
December 2nd - Milan, IT @ Legend Club
December 3rd - Zurich, CH @ Werk 21
December 5th - Antwerp, BE @ JH Kavka
December 6th - Amsterdam, NL @ Upstairs at Melkweg
UK 'Great Heights & Nosedives'Shows
December 8th - London, UK @ The Dome
December 9th - Newcastle, UK @ Think Tank
December 10th - Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
December 11th - Manchester, UK @ Deaf Institute
December 12th - Leeds, UK @ Key Club
December 13th - Birmingham, UK @ Mama Roux's
December 14th - Cardiff, UK @ Clwb Ifor Bach
For more information
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Rocky Mountain Power Announces Winners of the Act wattsmart Video Contest
Contest prizes total up to $15,000 in energy-efficient home upgrades, merchandise
Salt Lake City (October 9, 2017) – Rocky Mountain Power today announced the winners of the2017 Act wattsmart Video Contest, with the grand-prize winner receiving $10,000 in energy-efficient home upgrades. The contest, which ran from July through September, invited Utah residential Rocky Mountain Power customers to submit a video showing why saving energy is good for Utah and how they live wattsmart. A full list of the winning videos can be seen on Rocky Mountain Power’s website.
Judges selected Nick Dixon of Layton, Utah, as the grand-prize winner with his clever video, “Energenie.” The humorous video depicts a man asking a not-so-helpful genie for riches and world peace, which are granted with energy efficiency suggestions on how to save money and create a cleaner world. The video also includes tips for how Utah residents can live wattsmart.
“I often work from home and use a lot of electricity for what I do, so I’ve always tried to offset my electricity usage by making sure lights are turned off, I’m mindful of thermostat temperatures, and that I use the most energy-efficient equipment I can find,” said Dixon. “I feel like we have a responsibility to keep Utah beautiful and clean, and being wattsmart is a way for individuals to do their part. A lot of small changes add up quickly.”
For his winning video, Dixon will receive $10,000 in energy-efficient home upgrades courtesy of Rocky Mountain Power. The grand-prize winner is currently researching ways to maximize his winnings to create the most energy efficient impact on his home.
In addition to Dixon’s grand-prize winnings, the Act wattsmart Video Contest runner-up, Matthew Johnson of Orem, Utah, will receive $3,000 in energy-efficient home upgrades with his video “Wattsmart Machine.” Casey Wayman of West Haven, Utah, will take home $2,000 in energy-efficient home upgrades as the People’s Choice Award winner for his video, “The Wattagette.”
“We were thrilled with the videos submitted into this year’s Act wattsmart Video Contest,” said Tiffany Erickson, External Communications, Rocky Mountain Power. “The themes and ideas in each submission are a good barometer on how we are doing in regards to educating the general public about energy efficiency. It is rewarding to see first-hand how customers combine their creativity and our information to share their passion for living wattsmart.”
For more information on the Rocky Mountain Power Act wattsmart Video Contest, visitwww.wattsmart.com.
About Rocky Mountain Power
Rocky Mountain Power is committed to the delivery of reliable electric service that’s safe, low-cost and increasingly from clean, renewable resources. Serving more than 1 million customers in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, the company is one of the lowest cost energy producers in the nation. Rocky Mountain Power is moving toward a sustainable energy future that includes increased use of solar, wind and other renewable resources; and provides customers with more choices to meet their energy needs.
