<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Smart Balance Transfers &#187; Credit Crunch</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/category/credit-crunch/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog</link>
	<description>The Balance Transfer Credit Card Resource</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:26:26 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1</generator>
		<item>
		<title>Open Letter to Vikram Pandit RE: 29.99% Credit Card Rates</title>
		<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2010/02/letter-vikram-pandit-credit-card-rates-719/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2010/02/letter-vikram-pandit-credit-card-rates-719/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:13:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Weber</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Card Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Card News Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Crunch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/?p=780</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Dear Mr. Pandit, I would like to bring to your attention a matter which may have escaped your purview.  In October of 2009, your company sent opt out notices to certain credit card holders.  Recipients of the letter were given two options:  close their credit card accounts and maintain their current interest rate or keep [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2010/02/letter-vikram-pandit-credit-card-rates-719/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>30</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Too Late to Opt Out of Citi 29.99% Rate Increases</title>
		<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2010/01/too-late-to-opt-out-citi-rate/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2010/01/too-late-to-opt-out-citi-rate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:03:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Weber</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Crunch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/?p=671</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In mid-October, comments started flooding in from Citi customers that received interest rate increases from Citibank to as much as 29.99%.  During the following weeks, over 100 comments were posted from justifiably angry customers, many of whom had great credit and long relationships with Citi.  At the time, I was happy to see that people [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2010/01/too-late-to-opt-out-citi-rate/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Credit Card Opt Out Options</title>
		<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/12/credit-card-opt-out-options/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/12/credit-card-opt-out-options/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:02:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Weber</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Crunch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/?p=658</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you get a piece of mail from a credit card company these days, its much more likely to be an opt out notice than a 0% APR for 1 year offer.  During the past two years, credit card offers sent via the mail have declined by nearly 75%.  However, that hasn't stopped credit card companies from using the postal service to send out rate increase notices.  During the past year, just about every major credit card company has sent out one form of these notices to a wide range of customers.  Usually, these mailings provide you with two options:  accept a higher interest or opt out and close your account.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/12/credit-card-opt-out-options/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Citibank Interest Rate Increases Stoke Anger</title>
		<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/11/citibank-interest-rate-increases-stoke-anger/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/11/citibank-interest-rate-increases-stoke-anger/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:39:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Weber</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Card Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Crunch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/?p=625</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Consumers continue to write in about Citibank interest rate increases.  Most with good credit will find that a 0% balance transfer credit card can help them get away from Citi's rate increase, but others may have not choice to accept if they fail to respond in time.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/11/citibank-interest-rate-increases-stoke-anger/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Citibank Continues Interest Rate Increases</title>
		<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/11/citibank-continues-interest-rate-increases/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/11/citibank-continues-interest-rate-increases/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:44:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Weber</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Card Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Crunch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/?p=614</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Citibank continues to raise interest rates and draw the ire of customers whose low apr credit cards have become high interest jokes.  0% balance transfers are one option customers can pursue.  Opting out and getting a new credit card is often the best approach.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/11/citibank-continues-interest-rate-increases/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Where&#039;s My Citi Rate Increase Letter?</title>
		<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/11/wheres-my-citi-rate-increase-letter/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/11/wheres-my-citi-rate-increase-letter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:55:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Weber</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Crunch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/?p=596</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For the past three weeks, I&#8217;ve been hearing from people who&#8217;ve been hit with the 29.99% rate increase.  Most are people who pay their bills in full, have had their cards for many years, and previously had low interest rates.  I fall into the same category as many of these people, and yet, I still [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/11/wheres-my-citi-rate-increase-letter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>29.99% Interest Rates No Longer Newsworthy</title>
		<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/29-99-interest-rates-no-longer-newsworthy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/29-99-interest-rates-no-longer-newsworthy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:28:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Weber</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Crunch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/?p=575</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It has now been over a week since Citibank raised interest rates on many of its most loyal customers and it seems as if no one in the media cares.  This continues to shock me, as the number of visitors contacting me has not dwindled.  And my concern that tens of thousands of customers have [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/29-99-interest-rates-no-longer-newsworthy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Will the Mainstream Media Please Cover the CitiBank Story</title>
		<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/will-the-mainstream-media-please-cover-the-citibank-story/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/will-the-mainstream-media-please-cover-the-citibank-story/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:57:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Weber</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Crunch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/?p=572</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Since so many of you come to Smart Balance Transfers to vent, I want to take the opportunity to do some of my own venting.  People began receiving rate increase notices this weekend.  By Monday morning, I&#8217;d heard from at least 30 people, and the number of comments continues to swell.  Increasing interest rates to [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/will-the-mainstream-media-please-cover-the-citibank-story/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Review of CitiBank Interest Rate Increase Letter</title>
		<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/review-of-citibank-interest-rate-increase-letter/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/review-of-citibank-interest-rate-increase-letter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:45:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Weber</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Crunch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/?p=561</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I just got a copy of the Citibank interest rate increase letter and, perhaps like many of you, am completely baffled.  Unfortunately, I&#8217;ve spent the past five years reviewing credit card terms and was hoping to find some definitive answers in this letter.  However, the terms Citi is proposing are as incomprehensible as its decision [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/review-of-citibank-interest-rate-increase-letter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>19</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Read Before You Opt Out of a Citi Rate Increase</title>
		<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/read-before-you-opt-out-of-a-citi-rate-increase/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/read-before-you-opt-out-of-a-citi-rate-increase/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:15:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Weber</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Crunch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/?p=553</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After a relatively calm three months in which credit card rate increases slowed substantially, Citibank&#8217;s decision to raise interest rates to 29.99% on tens of thousands of customers has taken many-myself included-by surprise.  Yesterday, I posted some options for people dealing with this situation and I wanted to update those as well as point out [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/read-before-you-opt-out-of-a-citi-rate-increase/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Help Smart Balance Transfer Help Others</title>
		<link>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/help-smart-balance-transfer-help-others/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/help-smart-balance-transfer-help-others/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:35:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Weber</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Crunch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/?p=550</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The shocking and unprecedented interest rate increases from Citibank has generated a flood of comments and, as editor of Smart Balance Transfers, I am trying to put as much helpful information online as I can.  Consequently, I am hoping that someone can email me a copy of a rate increase notice so I can review [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smartbalancetransfers.com/blog/2009/10/help-smart-balance-transfer-help-others/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

<!-- Performance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: http://www.w3-edge.com/wordpress-plugins/

Page Caching using disk: enhanced

Served from: www.smartbalancetransfers.com @ 2012-02-03 22:29:49 -->
