Sara Coleman

Augusta

Writer at Freelance

Southern Mama, working writer.

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Articles

5 Best Credit Cards For New Parents

1 month ago | bankrate.com | Garrett Yarbrough |Sara Coleman |Alice Lesperance |Courtney Mihocik

The sleepless nights, the excitement and the big questions — all are expected when you’re a new parent. While par for the course with a new addition in the household, adjusting your finances to the new reality can be equally overwhelming. As you re-evaluate your family budget, you may find it an ideal time to add a new credit card to your wallet that earns rewards on the purchases you’re bound to make more regularly.
What Happens If You Go Over Your Credit Card Limit?

2 months ago | bankrate.com | Sara Coleman |Re'Dreyona Walker

When you exceed your credit card limit, you face declined transactions, steep penalties, a drop in your credit score — and the potential for your issuer to freeze or close accounts. If you go over your limit, prioritize paying down as much of the balance as you’re able to open up more room on your credit line and lower your overall credit usage. Turn to alternatives like a balance transfer card for breathing room on high-interest rates or call your issuer to request a higher line of credit.
Best Credit Cards For Young Adults

2 months ago | bankrate.com | Sara Coleman |Tracy Stewart

Many young adults — especially college students and recent graduates — often face some challenges when building credit. For starters, banks and lenders may be uncomfortable extending lines of credit to young people who haven’t yet proven their creditworthiness. Not only that, but credit products geared to consumers with a thin credit profile or lower credit score tend to be lackluster and don’t always offer the best rates and terms.
Best travel credit cards with 0% intro APRs

2 months ago | bankrate.com | Sara Coleman |Benet Wilson |Benét J. Wilson |Liza Carrasquillo

Travel reward credit cards and 0 percent introductory APRs on purchases and balance transfers don’t often co-exist. Having travel rewards and 0 percent APR are incredible perks on their own, but when you combine the two, you have the makings of a credit card with potential for substantial savings — and the chance to do some serious traveling.
How To Use 0% APR Credit Cards For Home Renovations | Bankrate

Dec 15, 2024 | bankrate.com | Sara Coleman

Using a 0% APR credit card to finance your home renovations is risky, but it could make sense in some circumstances. Here’s what to know.
Review of Bank of America Merchant Services

Dec 4, 2024 | bankrate.com | Sara Coleman |Greg Johnson

Bank of America Merchant Services offers an all-in-one payment processing and point-of-sale service for small businesses. To take advantage of its software solutions and flat-rate pricing, your business must purchase the BofA point-of-sale equipment. Through this bank’s merchant services, your business can accept almost all forms of debit and credit card payments, in-person or online.
Ink Business Preferred vs. Amex Business Gold

Oct 30, 2024 | bankrate.com | Sara Coleman |Brendan Dyer

Written by Edited by Published on October 30, 2024 | 4 min read Bankrate is always editorially independent. While we adhere to strict , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for . The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page.
What Is A Paydex Score?

Oct 24, 2024 | bankrate.com | Sara Coleman |Daniella Ramirez

A Paydex score, which ranges from 0 to 100, assesses a business’s financial health for vendors, lenders and insurers. The Paydex scoring model is based on dollar-weighted trade references, emphasizing the impact of larger payments. Timely payments can improve your Paydex score; a score above 80 is considered to be low risk. A low score can complicate a business’s access to financing and insurance, while timely payments and positive trade references can help improve it.
6 Best Navy Federal Credit Cards of 2024

Oct 11, 2024 | newsweek.com | Sara Coleman |Kristy Snyder

Understanding the value of cash back is simple, but valuing airline miles or points redeemable for travel requires digging a bit deeper. At Newsweek, we’ve developed a common language to talk about the value of points and miles: our valuations. Our valuations translate points into dollars and cents in a way that reflects reality.
Merchant Services 101: A Complete Guide

Oct 3, 2024 | bankrate.com | Sara Coleman |Liza Carrasquillo

Merchant services is a wide-ranging term used to describe the various payment-related services and equipment for small businesses. Merchant services can include everything from credit card processing to accepting gift cards and setting up loyalty programs. A small business owner will need to carefully select a merchant services provider that fits their needs for payment processing times and can integrate with other business systems.