Credit-card miles: Flight to nowhere

Dear Dave,

I'm a senior in college, and my roommate just got a credit card that features airline miles. He want me to get one, too, so we can take a trip together at the end of the year. What do you think about this idea?

Tim

Dear Tim,

This is a bad idea on so many different levels. First, you're close to graduation and beginning your real life. You don't want to start out with a bunch of hanging over your head.

Second, have you seen the restrictions on airline miles lately? Jupiter has to align with Mars while you're standing on one leg to cash in on those things. It's ridiculous! Plus, statistics from Consumer Reports show that 78 percent of all airline miles are never redeemed. What does this mean? It means in most cases people end up with no cool trip and a bunch of debt.

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I'm not against going nice places and having fun, and you probably deserve to celebrate a little after finishing college. But going into debt for it is a really bad idea.

Just for a trip, Tim. Today, many debit cards have airline miles associated with them. So there's no reason to take a chance with credit cards.

Dave

Long-term disability insurance?

Dear Dave,

My husband is 31 years old and has been offered long-term disability insurance through his employer. It only costs $25 a month, but we're trying hard to live on a budget and get out of debt. Is this coverage worth it?

Rebecca

Dear Rebecca,

Yes!

is a fantastic buy. It's inexpensive, and in return it will pay you about 60 to 70 percent of his salary if something bad happens and he becomes disabled. That's not a bad deal for just $300 a year.

Statistics show that a man in his early 30s is 12 times more likely to become disabled than to die before the age of 65. Everyone needs to have long-term – not short-term – disability insurance.

Hopefully, you'll never find yourselves in a situation where you have to use this type of policy. But in the event that something awful does happen, it can help save you from financial ruin!

Dave

Perpetual debt

Dear Dave,

My father-in-law is telling us we should apply for an interest-only loan when we buy a house and then pay extra on the principle. What do you think about this idea?

Nick

Dear Nick,

Interest-only mortgages are horrible. Stay away from them!

Lots of folks get into these traps by promising themselves they'll pay extra on the principle. But according to FDIC statistics, 97 percent don't pre-pay on their loans.

Some lenders will also try to use a flashy or "sophisticated" analysis to convince you this is a great way to get into a great house. But the funny thing about most of these sales pitches is that there's no mention of the fact that you've exponentially increased risk. And risk can be mathematically entered into the equation, making your supposed gains disappear.

The best thing you can do – short of saving up and paying cash for a home – is make a huge down payment on a . Then, pay it off as quickly as possible.

When you have an interest-only loan, you end up paying only on the interest. And that's a great way to find yourself in debt for the rest of your life!

Dave

Credit Card Mergers Do Not Affect Card Usage, Says Cardbeat

WESTBURY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the past few years, the credit card industry has witnessed landmark
mergers between issuers such as Bank of America and MBNA, JPMorgan Chase
and Bank One, and Barclays and Juniper Bank, among numerous others.
Two-thirds of cardholders whose issuers have been a part of a merger
have not changed the ways they use their credit cards post-merger,
according to research recently published in Cardbeat®,
the syndicated market research report by Auriemma Consulting Group (ACG).

“These consumers were pleased with the
customer service, card pricing and rewards of their credit cards, and
chose to continue using them because the products and features did not
change after the merger,” says Megan
Bramlette, managing editor of Cardbeat.

Overall, consumers are neutral on bank mergers, with 68% expecting
little change to their opinion of their credit card company if their
card issuer was bought or sold.

“Consumers care less about the bank that
issues their card and monthly statements than the benefits they receive
from that relationship,” Bramlette says.
Falloff in activity occurs when card rewards are not as rich post-merger
as they were before, or when interest rates and account fees on the
portfolio rise.

“Merging banks need to consider how consumers
will react to their products post-merger,” she
continues. “Our research shows that most
consumers are confident about the ongoing independence of their current
credit card issuers and have made it clear that they will remain loyal,
even after a merger, as long as cardholder benefits and service levels
remain the same.”

The information in this release includes data from 401 credit card users
surveyed in February 2007. The findings were originally published in the
February 2007 issue of Cardbeat.

ACG is a management consulting firm in the payments and lending
industry. Cardbeat is a syndicated market research study from ACG that
provides insight into how consumer perceptions impact credit card
acquisition and usage.