Does your favorite celebrity endorse a prepaid card? Do all the ads out there for prepaid cards tempt you to get one? If so, it is a good idea to reconsider your options.

While prepaid cards may be the latest rage, the time-tested option of using a checking account is still a superior means of conducting transactions and storing money.

A 2011 study by Consumers Union analyzed fees at some popular banks and compared them to those of popular prepaid cards. The study showed that savvy customers can end up with very limited fees or even no fees at all with a checking account. For example, by avoiding non-network ATMs and taking other measures to avoid fees, customers who use Alliant Credit Union’s Free Basic Checking plan would pay nothing at all for an account. At the high end of the accounts that were studied is a US Bank Free Checking account, and savvy customers would spend only $21.25 per year on this account.

With June quickly approaching many families are starting to prepare for a summer vacation. In less than a month, many kids will be finishing up the school year and parents will be exercising some well earned vacation days.

At CreditShout, this means helping our readers maximize their travel points to make that trip a little more affordable. One of the most popular destinations for families redeeming their card rewards (or least the one we get the most questions about) is Disney. Every week around this time we get a few emails that look something like this:

Dear CreditShout,

My wife and I are starting to save for a Disney vacation. We aren’t “huge” spenders so probably won’t be relying solely on credit card points to pay for this but they will help! Which cards would you recommend using to help us start saving for the trip?

The good news is that here are plenty of cards with travel rewards programs to choose from. However because there are so many different programs, choosing the right one can be confusing especially when you aren’t a high spender – every point you earn matters!

In this situation, your first thought is to probably sign up for the official “Disney” branded credit card. However with credit cards, a little research usually goes a long way and the most apparent option isn’t always the best option. To demonstrate this, today we are going to compare the Disney Premier Visa with another popular option for those earning credit card rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

If you are a Canadian who frequently purchases US goods, a US credit card could be beneficial to your budget. Sure, the Canadian Dollar is currently slightly stronger than the US Dollar, but that benefit will be negated by the typical 2.5 percent conversion fee. Thus, it may make sense to use a US card and avoid that fee.

The easiest way for a Canadian to obtain a US credit card is through a Canadian financial institution. The process is the same as applying for a Canadian credit card, except that you’ll be able to make purchases in US dollars. You’ll need a Canadian credit history and have to meet the same requirements as you would for a standard Canadian credit card, but there isn’t much else to it.

You’re cruising along the highway wondering how the driver next to you can text and eat without driving off the road. Next thing you know your engine light comes on and your car sputters. Oh well, time to call your credit card company and use that roadside assistance coverage, right? Hold your horses.

Although many credit cards come with roadside assistance coverage, it may not be all that it appears to be. Does your card offer roadside assistance? What does each program entail? What should you watch out for?

Suppose that you signed up for the American Express Platinum card. You saw the high-end travel perks and thought that the $450 fee was well worth it. Maybe they were at the time if you were a high rolling globe trotter. However, if you got tired of rubbing elbows with other high rollers or your lifestyle has changed for other reasons, the time may have arrived to downgrade to a less expensive card.

If you own a relatively expensive American Express card such as the Platinum or the Premier Rewards Gold card, and aren’t taking full advantage of the benefits, you can actually downgrade the card to another offering from American Express. If you are downgrading from say, Blue Cash Preferred to Blue Cash, many times this can often be done without a hard credit pull or even an account number change.

Let’s take a look at some of the more popular cards offered by American Express that have either no annual fee, or something a bit more reasonable.

You’ve applied for a great deal on a credit card. You’re ready to be notified of your approval and cash in on those great rewards. Then, you find out that your application has been denied. What’s up with that?

If we lived in a world of perfect decision-making, things would operate much more smoothly. However, we do not. That’s why there are appellate courts for erroneous legal judgments, official reviews for questionable calls by referees and, in the credit card business, reconsiderations.

So, if you’ve been turned down on a credit card offer, you may get a second crack at it. Some companies will reconsider their decision if your application has been denied. Let’s take a look at how to go about getting a second chance with your desired credit card.

If a credit card issuer has rejected your application, it should have sent a letter explaining why. This is a good starting point for your appeal.

It is a good idea to read the denial letter carefully to determine why your application was declined. It can tell you whether or not it is worthwhile to contact the issuer’s reconsideration line in the first place. For example, if your application was rejected because your credit score is too low and you’ve gone through 8 vehicle repossessions and been evicted 4 times in the past 2 years, you probably won’t get approved for a credit card on second look. However, if it was because of income issues and your income information is outdated, reconsideration become a much more realistic option.

Have this letter handy when you contact the issuer. It should contain a reference number to expedite the call and allow you to reference it when speaking with a customer service rep.

With the US dollar seemingly getting weaker by the minute, you may wonder how anyone can afford to travel abroad these days. Once highly valued by the outside world, the US dollar is now weaker than many other first-world currencies. With this in mind, you’ll probably want to minimize your expenses as much as possible while traveling abroad. Sure, you can find the cheapest flights, use credit card rewards and so on, but what you may not realize is that your bill could be several percent higher if you choose the wrong credit card. This is because of foreign transaction fees, which could add several percent to your tally while abroad.

Let’s take a look at how foreign transaction fees work and some good cards that do not have them.

Foreign transaction fees are simple. A set percentage is charged on purchases that you make abroad. A common rate is 3 percent, but this varies from card to card.

To illustrate how foreign transactions could affect your total travel expenses, suppose that you take a trip to Italy over the summer. Below is an example of the expenses that you may incur and how much extra you would have to pay with a foreign transaction fee of 1, 2 or 3 percent: