Learn everything you need to know about credit cards. What is an APR? How do you maximize rewards? What is "FICO" anyway? The Card Guide will get you on your way to a smart wallet that earns you money!

1. PRES
ENTED BY WALLABY
CARD GUIDE
THETHE

2. WHY CREDIT CARDS ARE SMART FINANCIAL TOOLS
๏ Credit cards earn you valuable rewards
every 3me you swipe
๏ Credit cards provide you with added
security and insurance
๏ Make sure to read the fine print to avoid
unpleasant surprises
The Card Guide, Presented by Wallaby Financial • © 2014, Wallaby Financial, Inc. • www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide • @wallabycard
NUMBER OF CARDS
IN 2012
CREDIT
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
PRE-PAY DEBIT
MILLIONS
333.6
159.1
282.8

3. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR CREDIT SCORE
๏ Your score is an indica3on how likely you
are to repay your debt
๏ Your score is dynamic and may change
every day
๏ To increase your score, pay on 3me and
limit your spending
The Card Guide, Presented by Wallaby Financial • © 2014, Wallaby Financial, Inc. • www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide • @wallabycard
FICO SCORE
BREAKDOWN
35%
30%
15%
10%
Payment History
Credit Utilization Rate
Credit History
New Credit
Types of Credit
10%

4. WHAT YOUR CURRENT WALLET SAYS ABOUT YOU
๏ Get more from your spending by using credit cards instead of cash
๏ Determine if your current cards are working for you
๏ Earn the best rewards with the right card
The Card Guide, Presented by Wallaby Financial • © 2014, Wallaby Financial, Inc. • www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide • @wallabycard
+18%
-40%
THE NUMBER OF
REWARDS CARDS
INCREASED BY 18%
FROM 2008 TO
2013 VERSUS A
40% DECLINE IN
NON-REWARDS CARDS

5. MAKE YOUR CREDIT CARDS WORK FOR YOU
๏ Understand the different types
of rewards
๏ Choose the credit card with the
rewards you value the most
๏ Not all points are created equally
The Card Guide, Presented by Wallaby Financial • © 2014, Wallaby Financial, Inc. • www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide • @wallabycard
27%
5%
48%
20%
TYPES OF CARDS IN WALLABY’S DATABASE
No rewards
Airline miles
Points
Cash back

6. CATEGORIES OF CREDIT CARDS
๏ Understand the different types of credit cards
๏ Don't seGle for a card just because the issuer mailed an offer to you
๏ Take your 3me and do research to find the card that's right for you
The Card Guide, Presented by Wallaby Financial • © 2014, Wallaby Financial, Inc. • www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide • @wallabycard
2012VS 2017
PERCENTAGE OF GROWTHTOTAL # OF CARDS
Union Pay
Visa
MasterCard
Maestro
Amex
JCB
Discover
51%
2012
2017
29%
23%
28%
36%
5%
26%

7. APRS, FEES, TERMS: STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE
๏ Understand both what you
need and want from your card
๏ Read the fine print to
understand how your card
will work
๏ Call your issuer if you have any
ques3ons about terms or fees
The Card Guide, Presented by Wallaby Financial • © 2014, Wallaby Financial, Inc. • www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide • @wallabycard
Total U.S. Outstanding Consumer Debt
as of April 2014
Source: Creditcards.com
$3.18 TRILLION

8. LOYALTY PROGRAMS: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
๏ Loyalty programs can save 3me
and money
๏ Some loyalty programs are
linked to credit cards while
others are not
๏ Memberships can be limited by
terms and condi3ons changing
at without prior no3ce and
difficult redemp3on policies
The Card Guide, Presented by Wallaby Financial • © 2014, Wallaby Financial, Inc. • www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide • @wallabycard
2.65 BILLION US LOYALTY
MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS
21.9
TOTAL MEMBERSHIPS
9.5
ACTIVE
MEMBERSHIPS

9. GET MORE WITHOUT SPENDING MORE!
๏ Use your rewards card
whenever possible
๏ Join loyalty programs, dining
programs, and shopping portals
๏ Redeem your rewards frequently
The Card Guide, Presented by Wallaby Financial • © 2014, Wallaby Financial, Inc. • www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide • @wallabycard

10. HOW TO AVOID LOSING YOUR REWARDS
๏ Read the fine print to learn
about the specifica3ons of
your rewards program
๏ Track your rewards
๏ Don't let your rewards expire
or devalue
The Card Guide, Presented by Wallaby Financial • © 2014, Wallaby Financial, Inc. • www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide • @wallabycard
1/3OF CREDIT CARD
REWARDS ARE
WASTED

11. MAKE YOUR CREDIT CARD PAY YOU
๏ You can earn money from your
credit cards
๏ Make sure you have the right
card for you in your wallet
๏ Keep track of bonus offers
to maximize
The Card Guide, Presented by Wallaby Financial • © 2014, Wallaby Financial, Inc. • www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide • @wallabycard

12. READ MORE AT:
www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide
@wallabycard
The Card Guide, Presented by Wallaby Financial • © 2014, Wallaby Financial, Inc. • www.walla.by/the-­‐card-­‐guide • @wallabycard
PRES
ENTED BY WALLABY
CARD GUIDE
THETHE