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If you are one of the millions of people who are trying to climb their way out of a financial hole with hopes of rebuilding their credit and “doing it right” this time, chances are you have received dozens of “pre-qualified” or even “pre-approved” credit card offers. While they may appear as a potential step in the right direction, selecting the wrong offer could send you back into a credit hole deeper than where you started. Most First Premier Bank credit cards do just that.

One in particular, First Premier Platinum Card, should sound alarms as it plants more credit landmines than it does opportunities for credit redemption. In fact, sho

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Do you have a question about consumer credit? You may find an immediate answer by using the search engine. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please fill out the form, being as specific as possible.

Please note: The Ask Experian team cannot respond to each question individually. However, if your question is of interest to a wide audience of consumers, the Experian team will include it in a future column.

My fiancé is divorced and lost his house to foreclosure. He has a bad credit history including bankruptcy. When we marry what are the pros and cons of my taking his name? My credit is pretty good – good enough to buy a $132,000 home two years ago. I’ve heard that marrying and taking their name is a huge mistake if there are credit problems. Can you advise, please?

Taking your new husband’s name will not cause your credit histories to be merged It isn’t your name that impacts your credit history. It i

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With credit card reward deals being introduced or changed all the time it can hard to keep up with the best offers around.

But such a high level of competition between providers definitely has its benefits, especially when combined with a good balance transfer deal or signup bonus and easy online application process.

So if you are thinking of upgrading your rewards card or just want to compare different options, here is a look at some of the best reward point cards for 2011.

American Express Platinum Edge

The American Express Platinum Edge gives cardholders a lot of opportunities to earn more points with between one and three points per $1.

With enrolment into the Membership Rewards 3-2-1 program, cardholders can earn:

• Three points at major supermarkets
• Two points at major petrol stations; and
• One point for every dollar spent on all other purchases

Compared to some general reward cards, which may only offer one point for every $2 spent, this option really does provide value for using credit.

Commonwealth Bank Awards

The Commonwealth Bank’s Awards credit card offers a highly competitive rewards program that could be an affordable alternative to many of the more specific frequent flyer options, with up to 1.5 points earned for every $1 spent on the card.

The annual fee for the Commonwealth Bank Awards card is $89, but for current CBA customers this fee could be reduced to just $59, making it one of the lowest annual fee options available for a rewards card.

HSBC Platinum Qantas Credit Card

As one of the only non-Amex frequent flyer options to earn one point per dollar, the HSBC Platinum Qantas Visa card is definitely one of the better options out there.

This card also offers up to two points per dollar for purchases made overseas and with international retailers online, making it even more valuable for travellers and tech-savvy bargain hunters.

Westpac Altitude Rewards

With both an American Express card and a MasterCard credit card as part of the package, people can maximise their points and keep surcharges down with Westpac’s Altitude Rewards option.

The American Express card earns two points for every dollar spent, while the MasterCard offers one point per dollar but with no points expiry cardholders can save up as many points as they want to redeem the best rewards possible.

This card also comes with a competitive annual fee of $100, which is much less than some of the other reward options out there, so for people who want to save on upfront card costs this option could be the right deal.

No matter what kind of rewards card you are after, looking at a range of different options and comparing the points-per-dollar values will help you get a card that makes paying with plastic worth it.

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After checking your credit reports, you might feel disappointed if you find you have no credit history or fewer accounts than you expected. This frequently happens because customers mistakenly think that any bill they pay goes in their credit history. You can add something omitted from your credit history to your file, but it might not help you obtain credit.

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In what could be a major game-changer for both lenders and consumers, CoreLogic Credco, a major financial data aggregator, has just introduced its new CoreScore into the credit score mix. The new score, based on a heap of additional consumer credit and payment activity not previously reported to the credit bureaus, is said to provide lenders with a much more comprehensive and sharper picture of a consumer’s creditworthiness.

At issue is whether CoreScore will be a boon or a bane to consumers who, heretofore, had credit histories that barely registered on the credit reports, because they didn’t qualify for “normal” types of loans or credit accounts.

Now, such activities as rent payments, payday loans, child support payments, lien payments, utility payments, and just about anything actively involving a payment will become a part of your credit history and integral to the overall CoreScore to be used by lenders to evaluate prospective borrowers.

The new credit score, created in partnership with FICO, is expected to debut in early 2012 and has already been adopted by one mortgage lender.  It will be available to all lenders, including credit card issuers and auto loan originators. CoreLogi

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Advantages of a procured card

Apart from the fact that a ensured card allows you to get hold of a credit card with the features of an unsecured card, it also allows you to earn interest on a lump sum of money. The money that you use to invulnerable the card will most likely earn more interest than it would in a regular bank account, meaning that after you have finished using the card you will have made some money.

Drawbacks of a sure card

Of course, dependable cards arent for free, and they generally have higher interest rates than unsecured cards. This is not a problem if you pay your bill back in full each month. However, if you spend more than you can afford you will be subject to high rates, and you may find yourself unable to pay the amount back.

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