Debit

The Federal Reserve on Thursday proposed a new rule that would dramatically cut the swipe fees that banks charge merchants when customers use debit cards. The move, which stems from a provision in the financial overhaul bill in July, could benefit stores. But banks say it could harm consumers.

Summer vacation season is almost upon us. But before you throw your bathing suits in a duffel bag and drop the dog off at a kennel, take time to read this advice about using your debit card while enjoying your well-deserved getaway. Make the wrong move when it comes time to pull out the plastic,...

In an increasingly digital world filled with virtual goods and online services, the teens of today aren't just being marketed to every time they sign into Facebook to play a virtual game; they need to buy stuff for their avatars or purchase digital goods. But children they can't slide their...

Visa topped Wall Street's earnings expectations, as the credit-card giant smartly shifted its focus to debit cards, which consumers are using more frequently for non-discretionary purchases such as gas or food. The company boosted its revenue outlook for 2011 to boot.

In the final quarter of 2008, amid lingering excitement from the presidential election and continuing worries about the economy, a highly significant historic moment quietly came to pass: credit cards began to die. While it would be months before the controversial, much-maligned C-CARD act would...

Anyone who thinks smoking isn't a costly addiction should ask Josh Muszynski, who went to purchase a pack of smokes at a local gas station and wound up with a $23 quadrillion charge on his debit card -- and a $15 overdraft fee to boot. The 17-digit mistake didn't hit Muszynski until he checked his...

The status of using a credit card to pay for dinner, a movie, clothes or anything else you need or want immediately is a lot of fun to have -- until the bill arrives. And the joy of using a credit card, as almost everyone who has used one on a spending spree or a weekend out knows, can easily turn...

It's a bad time to be a bank. With jobs failing, homeowners struggling, and inflation putting even basic necessities out of the reach of many consumers, some banks are scrambling just to stay afloat. The government is helping, but even with Treasury Secretary Paulson's massive influx of money,...

AOL Money & Finance writer and editor Zac Bissonnette is a sophomore at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and an expert on getting a great education without going broke. Got a college question? Leave a comment and he'll get back to you!The Wall Street Journal recently took a look...

The Treasury Department is rolling out a debit card today in 10 states so that people without bank accounts won't waste their sustenance checks on huge check cashing fees. The DirectExpress Debit MasterCard automatically loads new payments onto the card each month, so there are no checks to be lost...