What if you could win a trip to a dream location? Well for five lucky winners that will be a reality courtesy of Travelocity to celebrate the launch of the new Travelocity Rewards American Express(R) Card. All one must do is enter into a sweepstakes to have a chance of becoming one of those five.

When it comes to how easy it is to enter and where you could travel if you win, for many it is something that would be worth a try. To gain entries all one must do is completing a brief, online enrollment form found at www.travelocity.com/take5. As for the locations that 5 lucky winners will be selected around September 24, 2010; they can win a trip as well as a couple of extra benefits to the following:
 

• Santiago, Chile
• Auckland, New Zealand
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Zurich, Switzerland
• Orlando, Florida
   

Unlike many other sweepstakes or contest offered by other credit card issuers this one is very different in a major way. With this Travelocity sweepstakes those entering do not have to be a Travelocity or Barclays cardholder in order to win the trips. There are no purchases necessary, and making purchases with your plastic are not supposed to increase your odds for winning.

When it comes to credit cards around the world have you ever wondered how your interest rates compare? If not you will probably be surprised to learn that on many accounts cardholders in the U.S. are still considered as having the lowest rates even with all the changes that happened over the last year.

When looking at the country that has the most comparable rates to the United States, the closest would be the United Kingdom. For the most part, U.K credit cards typically range anywhere between 17.8% and that of 19%. When it comes to the higher end of interest rates many consumers will find that the rates are much higher depending on the offer but are generally between 34% and 46%. When looking at other countries offer credit cards here are the average rates that many cardholders are seeing:
 

• Canada - 19%
• United States. - 16%
• United Kingdom - 17%
• Australia - 17%
   

While there are when differences that set us apart from the international community, when it comes to why cardholders in the United States are able to enjoy lower interest rates compared to the international community it is simply because of our reliance of plastic in years past. For the most part American cardholders tend to make more purchases that others around the globe and in many cases only pay the minimum balance required. Because of this, issuers are able to offer much lower rates and still make the profits on both interest and fees (such as triple digit annual fees).

If you are like many American consumers, you can probably still remember the time you would receive multiple credit card application in the mailbox during a single week. At times you probably even got two or three from the same credit card issuer for different card offers; each having its own unique interest rates and rewards among other things. While things are no longer the same and mailings seemed to dwindle down during the forth quarter of 2009 it now looks as credit card solicitations are starting to pick back up.

According to an article on Forbes.com, it seems that credit card issuers have begun to start back utilizing mail as marketing channel of choice much similar to years past. In the first quarter of 2010 mailings of credit card solicitations have increased dramatically over the same time period a year ago. A recent study showed that in all there was around a 29% increase in mailings, and experts look for this number to increase as the economy stabilizes and consumers begin to start to spend more.

While some may rather have less mail from credit card issuers, others seeing an increase in offers as a welcoming site. Over the last couple of months many issuers have restructured the criteria they use to approved or pre-approve cardholders. With this, many of those looking for credit were declined or offered cards with interest rates that were well above what they were used to seeing in the past. While they may not get the same exact credit card application saying that they are pre-approved as those they were wanting in the past, at least now they have more options when it comes to the plastic they are eligible to carry.

When it comes to choosing a cash back credit card, what cards rank at the top or your list? While the answer will be different for everyone, a common factor in determining the top card that will take residence in your pocketbook is perceived value.

Recently the folks here at CreditCardGuide.com wrote an article entitled "Editor’s Pick: Best Cash Back Credit Cards 2010" that breaks down a couple of the hottest plastic available to consumers. While there were many to choose from, those that made the list offer cardholders not only great rewards but also great value. The top choices included both of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Cards, the Chase Freedom MasterCard, the PenFed Visa Platinum Cashback Rewards Card as well as a couple of others. In all, these cards are not only highly popular among current cardholders but they have also changed the way that issuers develop reward cards.

As stated earlier there are many reward cards available that have great deals when it concerns getting cash back. When applying for any credit card, one important thing to remember is to always make sure you read and understand the terms and any other paperwork that is associated with the card. While getting rewards is great, if you don’t completely understand any fees or other cost associated with the card it could cost you than the price of your original purchase. In addition to that, it could negate any rewards that you have accumulated to a certain point.

As summer quickly approaches so too are the months that millions of people will start to hit the road. As was the same for prior years, one of the major concerns for Americans traveling during these months is gas prices. Traditionally during this time we have seen gas prices skyrocketing nationwide forcing some to rethink just how much traveling they will doing. One thing we have seen over the years are many incentives such as discounts and cash back given by credit card issuers for making fuel purchases with their card. Now it seems that this has been adopted by one of the largest retailers in the country, and instead of saving with credit card purchases it is with a prepaid card.

Earlier this month, it was reported by Wal-Mart that they would begin offering cash back for consumers using their branded re-loadable prepaid card. The major difference that will set them apart from their competitors is that at the moment they are the only one giving cash back solely on fuel purchases. On these purchases cardholders can look to receive 1% of the total sale when swiping their card at the pump nationwide until December 31, 2010.

Although it is quite new to receive cash back on fuel purchases; getting cash back, rewards, and discounts on prepaid cards is nothing new. There are many prepaid cards such as the Upside Prepaid Card that do exactly that. In addition to those, many debit card coupled with checking accounts allow you to receive incentives as well for shopping with you plastic through their online portal. While in several cases you may not receive the same amount of cash back as you would by using your credit card, to some consumers that is something they are willing to exchange for not having to borrow money to pay for products.

When it comes to ways we thank our soldiers for protecting the freedoms that Americans are able to have, both individuals and companies have found creative ways to show their appreciate for the sacrifices that they make. Credit card issuers are no exception, and one issuer in particular has found one way that shows thanks while putting cash back into the pockets of those serving in the U.S. Military.

That issuer is Discover and they recently announced that they are giving cardholders both Double Cashback Bonus® and Double Miles on purchases made at United States military bases from Memorial Day through Labor Day. While one would think that this is only on U.S. soil, these rewards are on purchases made in military installations in the United States and overseas, and includes purchases made at commissaries, exchanges, convenience stores, gas stations located on bas and more.

While our military personally only have a few days on the calendar where they receive praise for what they have done, companies like Discover have decided to show thanks to the Vets in a way that they have done for the last three years. When it comes to why this issuer has chosen to make give these rewards to our military personal over the last couple of years a representative states "Giving our service men and women a little something extra is a great way for us to express the gratitude we have for all that they do."

More information on getting Discover cash back bonuses and other ways to help our soldiers, details can be found at www.discover.com/military.

When it concerns credit card fraud there is no doubt that it continues to remain one of the major interest of almost every cardholder in the United States. As this type of fraud continues to rise around the world many issuers have tried rigorously to find ways to combat it. While here in the U.S., security measures are continuously being developed and implemented; internationally, over the last couple of years issuers have migrated to another type of plastic. That new card is what is known as a chip-and-PIN smart card which on many accounts has done very well preventing its cardholders from fraud.

So what exactly is this chip-and PIN smart card, and why is it considered safe? These cards are both debit and credit cards that contain a microchip embedded within their plastic. The microchip itself stores data such as a pin number that must be verified by the cardholder during a transaction before a purchase can be made. As this number must be entered at point of sale, having one of these smart cards helps prevent the usage of cards that have been stolen or lost, which is the cause of majority of the reported credit card fraud incidents.

When it comes to these smart cards, they have been something that has been discussed in the U.S. for a while now. While they are highly popular with European and Canadian cardholders, they have yet to become widely accepted here in the states. Mainly due to the cost involved to implement such a chip and PIN system many issuers and merchants are reluctant to move from traditional technology. Instead both issuers and merchants look to major processor such as Visa and MasterCard to develop updated security measures to keep their customers money safe. Only time will tell if this will be something cardholders here in the states will be able to use in the future, but if the trend continues to grow abroad it only seem more likely that American cardholders will soon have one of the smart cards in their pocketbooks.

As many people look for alternatives to help build their credit without using credit cards, many have come across prepaid cards stating that they can do the same. While some cards are different, you have probably noticed that many have credit building features such as allowing cardholders to have access to a line of credit as well as reporting to the company known as the PRBC.  While many don’t know exactly who the PRBC is or what they do, for those that need help lifting their credit score it something that could be worth investigating.

So what exactly is the PRBC and what does it do? As an acronym for the Pay Rent, Build Credit Incorporation it is a Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) compliant credit storehouse so to speak. Currently it is being utilized by millions of Americans who are unable to obtain traditional credit for whatever the reason may be. In all it allows consumers to demonstrate their credit worthiness by their ability and commitment to future payments by using their payment history on recurring bills, such as rent, utilities, insurance and more.

When it comes to companies such as the PRBC, opinions are mixed on how much of an impact it actually has. While both sides have valid points, one thing that’s certain is that it can definitely help you if you are unable to get approved for a range of financial products and services. If your credit history is not where you would like it to be, using a prepaid card that reports to the PRBC is an option that should be considered. Just remember that it takes time and effort, and can’t be changed overnight.

When it concerns mobile devices, every day there something new that makes things much easier for several groups of people. While there are some that take things such as "Apps" for smart phones that use them for pleasure, there are others that use this software for the sole purpose of business. For those using them for business, one of the most revolutionary applications has become being able to accept plastic as payment. In the past, accepting plastic consisted of inputting the card number into the mobile device in order to make a purchase but like so many other things this has evolved. Now out of beta testing a company named Square is ready to fully launch a card reader application for mobile devices, which can be used to accept debit, gift and credit cards anywhere you have a signal.

With this application, consumers carrying an iPhone and several other smart phones can now accept credit cards on the fly without having to have a traditional processor terminal available. This is simply done by one of two ways which involve either using a credit card reader (an attachable part) or by entering the cardholder’s card number into the application. When it comes to the credit card reader this device is about the size of a quarter and plugs into the headphone jack and is then ready to use. For security reasons, once the card has been swiped information associated with the card is hidden from the merchant.

Traditionally when wanting to accept credit cards merchants would need to sign up to have an account through a third party organization which with the purchase of an actual reader and fees involved could cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. With new applications for mobile devices such as the one from Square, these have dramatically cut the cost and increased the ability to accept cards anywhere. In addition to that it gives average consumers the ability to take their businesses to an entirely new level by being able to process credit cards at prices they can afford.

Whether a rare occurrence or an indication that consumer finances are becoming more stable, for the fourth month in a row reports for April have shown that credit card delinquencies continue to drop. Since the beginning of the year, credit card delinquencies have slowly declined for many of the major credit card issuers (American Express, Citi Bank, Bank of America, Discover, Chase and Capital One). However with such decreases, one issuer’s (Bank of America) defaults also know as write-offs slightly increased.  Even with the small increase, some experts are expecting B of A to report decreases in future months just like many of their competitors.

When looking at credit card delinquencies one must remember that they are essentially the measure of the number of credit cardholders more than 30 days late on their payments. Even as delinquencies continue to fall, many believe that economic data still shows that card issuers are not in the clear yet. As unemployment rates still remain high, experts state that credit card defaults will stay at the levels we are seeing today. In addition to that recent data on payments has been artificially inflated by the use funds that are not available to consumers year round. With this they report that many cardholders are using tax refunds to pay on credit card debt and this could result in continuation of delinquencies and defaults by those same cardholders moving forward.