Consumer Survey Results Released

Talk to College Students About Money

Parents, before kids go off to college, have a conversation about needs vs. wants, credit cards and debt, spending and saving, writes Alan Prahl of the Financial Information and Service Center, a non-profit program of Goodwill NCW, in the Appleton Post-Crescent.

Associated, Elan to Launch New Cards in April

Green Bay, Wis.-based Associated Bank is preparing to launch new credit cards in April under its new strategic partnership with Elan Financial Services, the Business Journal reported.

Swearing Off Credit Has Downside Too

Although the credit report firm Equifax says credit card applications are down nearly 50 percent, smaller card issuers like Appleton-based Prospera Credit Union have seen the opposite. At the same time, some people, such as young professionals, are swearing off credit cards entirely – which could actually delay the process of establishing a good credit profile. Read more in the Oshkosh Northwestern.

New Credit Card Rules to Take Effect

Effective Feb. 22, credit card bills will show consumers how long it will take and what it truly will cost to pay off their balance if they only make minimum monthly payments, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel explained.

Business Owners Take Aim at Interchange Fees

Several Madison-area business owners met with local media to talk about the impact of credit card “interchange fees” on small business, which they say squeezes retailer and raises consumer prices. But Mike Semmann of the Wisconsin Bankers Association says benefits of accepting electronic payments come at a cost, just like any other cost of doing business. Read the Cap Times article.

Opinion: Card Fees Hard on Wis. Businesses

�Many Wisconsin legislators and residents have recently pondered why so many of the state�s businesses were closing up shop. We can suggest one thing that certainly isn�t helping businesses keep the doors open and the lights on: credit card transaction fees,� writes a group of several retailer trade associations in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Big Banks, CUs Play to Win at UW-Madison

Financial institutions including UW Credit Union, U.S. Bank and Associated Bank are among the big players at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, using contests and giveaways to win the business of a 42,000-student marketplace. Read the Wisconsin State Journal article.

Elan Acquires Associated Bank Card Portfolio

Minneapolis-based Elan Financial Services has acquired Green Bay-based Associated Bank�s credit card portfolio, the Small Business Times of Milwaukee reported.

AmEx Dropping Some Customers

American Express is offering select members a $300 gift card to drop its card, according to a notice on its web site. Read more in the Business Journal of Milwaukee.