It's almost as if the credit card companies get some kind of perverse pleasure in making credit card agreement terms and conditions so mind-bogglingly complicated that almost no one can fully understand them. Sure, many people don't even bother reading all of the legal and financial jargon, but those of us that care about what we're getting in to would like to see the inclusion of some plain english in some of these things. Add to that the ridiculous increases in late fees and other penalties and you can see why the credit card companies are raking in the cash. Be careful!
I just came across an excellent series by Frontline (produced by PBS) entitled "The Secret History of the Credit Card". PBS has posted the program in it's entirety online along with an accompanying web site. Worth a watch–very interesting and informative.
There was an article in a recent issue of National Geographic Traveler that highlighted some issues travelers may have when trying to use credit and debit cards overseas. The article wasn't posted online but I have posted the main points below.
