Gina Barton

Lost or Stolen Credit Card: What to Do, Step by Step

Lock the card, report it, check recent charges and update everything tied to the old number. Here is the order to follow and what to keep as a record.

10/15/2026

How to Dispute a Credit Card Charge, Step by Step

A wrong charge, a double charge or a refund that never arrived: here is the order to work through a credit card dispute, what to keep on file and what to do if the issuer says no.

10/08/2026

6 Myths About Credit Limit Increases: Hard Pulls, Utilization and What Issuers Check

Whether asking for a higher limit hurts your score, what a bigger limit does to utilization, and what happens if you are turned down: six common beliefs corrected.

06/19/2026

How to Choose a Low Interest Credit Card When You Carry a Balance

Low ongoing APR, an intro 0% offer or a rewards card: a step-by-step way to choose a low interest credit card that keeps interest and late fees down.

03/06/2026

Applying for Your First Credit Card: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them, Step by Step

The steps from checking your credit report to the first statement, with the mistakes first-time applicants make at each one and what to do instead.

02/24/2026

How to Use a Secured Credit Card to Build or Rebuild Credit, Step by Step

From checking whether the card reports to all three bureaus to getting the deposit back: the steps that make a secured card work for your credit history.

02/21/2026