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Europe and a credit card

Jun 4, 2012
Hi! I'm living in Europe for a year or so, but all my bank accounts are still in the U.S. I've been using my credit card for everything and paying off the balance monthly. Is this bad credit card behavior? Could I be hurting my credit score? Thanks! Alexa, Baltimore, MD

Living a cashless life

Mar 16, 2012
Almost everyone takes plastic these days, but it’s not like pot dealers take cards... or do they?
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Deceased dog gets credit card offer

Feb 20, 2012
In Ontario, Canada, one dog has a credit offer most of us can only dream of.

A dream and a credit score

Jan 6, 2012
''m curious about safe ways to establish credit. I have ambitions to run my own cafe and coffee roastery one day. Having a good credit history is going to be key. But, I hate the idea of spending money that I don't have and keeping track of interest rates. Are there any cards or plans I should look into, with this in mind? Charlie, Philadelphia, PA

A New Year's resolution: Eliminate debt

Jan 3, 2012
My husband and I have made pretty bad and spontaneous financial decisions that have brought us a lot of debt. Our plan for 2012 is to get out of debt and start saving more, since we depleted our savings in the past 2 years. I would like to know how to start getting rid of this debt in the smartest way and how to save significantly at the same time. Carla, Boston, MA

Worried about a tanking credit score

Dec 1, 2011
Recently, I got married. I increased the credit line on one of my three credit cards and charged a lot of money on two of the cards. One, I basically stopped using, but it is open. I also had a lot of credit checks done as I was applying for financing a car. I leased a car and started renting an apartment. Now, when I started looking for a mileage credit card so my wife and I can better earn miles to travel, I found that my credit score has decreased and my applications are being denied. How can I rebuild my score after all these credit checks. Should I cancel the card I don't use? Thanks! Adam, Los Angeles, CA

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A better option than a prepaid card

Nov 29, 2011
I have a lousy credit score and am taking steps to improve it. In the meantime, I need to get a prepaid credit or debit card so I can pay for things like airfares, rental cars, hotel reservations, etc. Can you suggest the best prepaid card to go with? My initial Internet search for said cards resulted in a headache trying to figure out if these companies were a good deal or just a consumer nightmare. Any help is greatly appreciated. Mark, Duluth, MN

Getting Personal: Social Security checks, choosing how to save

Nov 18, 2011
Marketplace Money host Tess Vigeland and David Lazarus, consumer columnist for The Los Angeles Times answer listener questions.

Holiday shopping: Will you choose debit or credit?

Nov 18, 2011
The debate over credit versus debit has been raging for years. Guest blogger Gerri Detweiler gives three reasons on each side of the argument.