Cathleen McCarthy

Philadelphia

Freelance Writer and Editor at Freelance

Founding Editor at The Jewelry Loupe

Writer. Advocate for creative independence. Founder/editor, The Jewelry Loupe.

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Articles

7 Tips For Traveling With Friends Using Travel Rewards

Nov 8, 2024 | bankrate.com | Cathleen McCarthy |Liza Carrasquillo

This page was originally published in early 2023 and reflects the author’s financial decisions during that time. The card details have since been updated. Traveling with friends can be a lot of fun, but only when everyone is on the same page about how to pay for it and where to go. By pooling together credit card rewards and taking advantage of cardholder benefits, your travel group can save a lot of money overall.
How To Get A Refund For A Fraudulent Credit Card Transaction

Aug 9, 2024 | bankrate.com | Poonkulali Thangavelu |Greg Johnson |Cathleen McCarthy

Suspecting a fraudulent credit card transaction should not be overlooked and can be addressed through certain protections and a refund process with the card issuer. It is important to confirm that the transaction is indeed fraudulent before taking action as mistaken accusations can cause problems. The Fair Credit Billing Act offers protections for unauthorized charges and limits your liability to $50.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Mar 13, 2024 | bankrate.com | Nouri Zarrugh |Garrett Yarbrough |Cathleen McCarthy

The Capital One Venture X Rewards card offers a winning combination of streamlined rewards and luxury perks for frequent travelers at a mid-tier price point. On top of the 2X base rewards rate that has made the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card a favorite, the Venture X comes with valuable benefits like an annual travel credit and anniversary points.
Guide to the Citi Prestige 4th Night Free Benefit

Jan 21, 2024 | bankrate.com | Liz Bingler |Cathleen McCarthy

Citi is an advertising partner. The Citi Prestige® Card is no longer accepting new applications, though existing cardholders can continue to take advantage of its benefits. If you’re looking for a Citi card with a money-saving hotel benefit, consider the Citi Premier® Card, which offers cardholders an annual savings of up to $100 off a hotel stay of $500 or more booked via ThankYou.com or 1-800-THANKYOU. The Citi Prestige® Credit Card* has long been one of Citi’s flagship rewards cards.
Credit Cards You Can Get With A 600 Credit Score

Jan 3, 2024 | bankrate.com | Ashley N. Parks |Courtney Mihocik |Cathleen McCarthy

If your credit score is in the 600s, that’s an indicator that your credit-building journey is on the right track. A 600 on the FICO scale means your credit score is fair and could be good soon if you keep up positive credit habits. The higher your score, the better access you have to the best credit cards. But even if you don’t have excellent credit, plenty of competitive options are available to help you keep up your credit-building efforts.
Why teach your kids financial literacy early

Dec 8, 2023 | bankrate.com | Kevin Payne |Cathleen McCarthy

Normalize money conversations with your children from a young age to create opportunities for honest questions as they age. Don't be afraid to admit your past mistakes and help your children learn from them. Use everyday situations and keep the conversations fun to help create a healthy environment around financial conversations. If you’re a parent, it’s likely you wish nothing but success for your child as they grow up, including how they manage their finances.
Why I'm Skipping Black Friday For Small Business Saturday

Nov 12, 2023 | bankrate.com | Mariah Ackary |Cathleen McCarthy

This page was originally published in November 2022. See Bankrate’s 2023 Small Business Saturday survey for updated data. Like most people, it’s been several years since I’ve waded through in-person Black Friday crowds, but I’ve participated in the holiday virtually since 2020. After Thanksgiving dinner, I retire to the couch and start filling up shopping carts on my phone, trying to accomplish my holiday shopping while the best deals are live. This year, I plan to do something different.
How to Negotiate a Debt Settlement

Nov 8, 2023 | bankrate.com | Dawn Allcot |Hannah Lynn Smith |Cathleen McCarthy

You can negotiate your debts with your creditors directly or can hire a debt settlement company to do the negotiating for you. Settling your debt is inherently risky and shouldn’t be a first resort option. Consider consolidating your debts prior to looking into settlement. Understand your rights as a consumer before negotiating your debts to avoid getting scammed or taken advantage of.
Tips for using student credit cards

Sep 21, 2023 | creditcards.com | Angelica Leicht |Cathleen McCarthy |Kaitlyn Tang

Credit cards can be excellent tools to help you make safe and easy transactions, and if you’re in college or a higher education program, student cards are designed to help you get started. And, while these cards are geared toward students specifically, they can still come with sweet perks and rewards programs. So, when handled the right way, a student card with rewards and perks can put money in your pocket.
Do no harm: Eric Braunwart on Fair Trade Gems

Sep 18, 2023 | thejewelryloupe.com | Cathleen McCarthy

Ethically sourced, fair-mined, eco-friendly, sustainable – these are buzz words in jewelry now. So many jewelers are claiming that as part of their brand. When I see those words on a jewelry website, I dig deeper. Does the term apply to gems as well as metals? Are they monitoring their sources or just donating a percentage to a cause? If I don’t find specifics to back up their claims, I become skeptical – and so should you. Responsible sourcing is far easier to claim than to achieve.