Credit cards

Kelly and I have long since kept zero balances on our credit cards. We’ve instead paid an annual fee on our card and enjoyed the perks of frequent-flier miles, free flights, and other rewards that they provide – all without costing us a fortune in interest.

Looks like our free ride is over, though. In the past few days, some of our credit card companies have sent us notices that the rates they charge for interest are going through the roof. The purchase APR will be jumping to 24.41% and the cash-back APR is rising even higher. The reason for this was clearly (and boldly) spelled out in the “other notices” section of the letter:

“The principal factor we considered in amending your account is maintaining profitability on your acccount.

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N&O omits rival paper’s name in print, mentions it online

The News and Observer ran a story this morning about rival newspaper The Carrboro Citizen asking for a small business loan from the Town of Carrboro. In the online version of the story, the newspaper’s name is mentioned (emphasis mine):

The Carrboro Citizen’s plans buck two trends. Across the U.S., newspapers are printing fewer copies as circulation and advertising revenues decline. At the same time, many recoil at the suggestion of government aid such as that granted to other industries.

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