The Ultimate Guide to Credit Cards
Saturday, November 9, 2024
Jon McDonald
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About The Author

Jon leverages 15-plus years of journalism expertise to inform financial consumers about emerging trends and companies making an impact in the industry. He is most knowledgeable in the areas of budgeting, credit card rewards, and responsible credit use. Jon has a passion for writing and editing, and his articles have appeared in publications produced by The New York Times.

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Latest Posts

105 posts written/edited to date
Survey: 3 in 4 Consumers Keep Unwanted Items Due to Complicated Return Policies

Survey: 3 in 4 Consumers Keep Items Due to Complicated Returns

Shopping online is incredibly convenient, but what happens when purchases don’t... read more »

Jon McDonald 10/29/2024
Price Perception: Survey Reveals Americans’ Wallets Feel Inflation is Double the Reality

Survey Reveals Americans’ Wallets Feel Inflation is Double the Reality

The annual inflation rate currently sits at 2.5%. That’s actually the lowest it’s... read more »

Jon McDonald 10/24/2024
Airport Shopping Habits: 70% of Americans Make Impulse Purchases

Airport Shopping Habits: 70% of Americans Make Impulse Purchases

If you’ve ever traveled by air, you’ve probably had one experience running through... read more »

Jon McDonald 10/23/2024
Survey: 85% of Online Shoppers Check Their Card Statements More Frequently Amid Rising Fraud Concerns

85% of Online Shoppers Check Card Statements Often Due to Fraud Concerns

At the click of a button, online shoppers can browse, purchase, and have items... read more »

Jon McDonald 10/21/2024
What is a Store Card? A Look at Brand-Specific Credit Cards and Their Limitations

Store Credit Cards: A Look at Brand-Specific Credit Cards

We’ve all been standing in the checkout line at a retail store when an associate... read more »

Jon McDonald 10/9/2024
Survey: 71% of U.S. Adults Suspect an Election Donation Request to Be a Scam

Survey: 71% of U.S. Adults Suspect Scam Election Donation Requests

Scammers have mastered the art of pretending to be people, businesses, charity... read more »

Jon McDonald 9/25/2024
What is a Cardmember Agreement?  A Guide to Identifying Credit Card Terms and Fees

What is a Cardmember Agreement for a Credit Card?

Even as a finance expert, I’ll admit I used to avoid reading the whole cardmember... read more »

Jon McDonald 9/25/2024
Survey Finds 43% of Americans Have Been Victims of Financial Abuse

Survey: 43% of Americans Have Been Financial Abuse Victims

Have you ever been a victim of financial abuse? It’s when someone you know assumes... read more »

Jon McDonald 9/19/2024
What is a Maintenance Fee? A Closer Look at the Common Subprime Credit Card Charge

How Credit Card Maintenance Fees Work

I spend a lot of time pondering questions with no clear answers: Am I saving enough... read more »

Jon McDonald 9/17/2024
What is a Closed-Loop Credit Card?

What is a Closed-Loop Credit Card?

Everyone has a favorite store (I know I do) — the one I would choose over all the... read more »

Jon McDonald 9/16/2024
What is a Reloadable Credit Card? How to Get One and When Prepaid Cards Make Sense

What is a Reloadable Credit Card?

Most of us have received gift cards for plenty of occasions over the years —... read more »

Jon McDonald 9/12/2024
What is Equifax? How Credit Bureau Reports Impact Credit Card Approval

What is Equifax? How Bureaus Impact Credit Card Approval

Oh, the ever-important credit score. It ranks at the top of my protected numbers... read more »

Jon McDonald 9/5/2024
What is Global Entry? How Cardholders Can Participate in the Travel Program for Free

What is Global Entry? How the Travel Program Works

Waiting in long lines can put a downer on any travel experience, especially after... read more »

Jon McDonald 9/5/2024
Debt Dedication: The Average American Prepared to Work Over 6 Hours Overtime to Pay Off Credit Card Debt

Americans Prepared to Work Overtime to Pay Off Credit Card Debt

For millions across the U.S., credit card debt is a daily burden. Whether it stems... read more »

Jon McDonald 9/4/2024
What Is Zero Fraud Liability? How to Protect Yourself From Fraudulent Credit Card Purchases

How Zero Fraud Liability Shields You From Credit Card Fraud

One of the MAJOR reasons it can be beneficial to you to use a credit card over a... read more »

Jon McDonald 8/29/2024
What is a Credit Card Over-Limit Fee? A Guide to the Penalty Charge

What is an Over-Limit Fee? How the Credit Card Penalty Works

Going over the limit may seem like a good option in certain situations. Maybe that... read more »

Jon McDonald 8/21/2024
Are You Living Your Childhood Dream Job? Survey Reveals 59 Million American Workers Loathe Their Current Career

Survey: 59 Million American Workers Loathe Their Career

What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a question we often ask our children... read more »

Jon McDonald 8/13/2024
NFL Game Day Costs: How Much Fans Will Spend at Every Stadium

NFL Game Day Costs: How Much Fans Will Spend at Every Stadium

The 2024 NFL season is right around the corner! As Americans gear up to watch the... read more »

Jon McDonald 8/13/2024
Study Finds 65% of Americans Think Any Travel is a Luxury in 2024

Study: 65% of Americans Think Any Travel is a Luxury in 2024

Americans love to travel. Whether exploring within our borders or going abroad to... read more »

Jon McDonald 7/30/2024
Parents Underestimate 2024 Back-to-School Spending by $370+

Parents Underestimate 2024 Back-to-School Spending by $370+

Families across the country are gearing up for the annual back-to-school shopping... read more »

Jon McDonald 7/29/2024