All posts by Leonard Kreicas

Ann Taylor and Loft Credit Card

Store,

the Ann Taylor lookAttention Loft shoppers, save 5% on your purchases at all ANN INC. stores with the LoveLoft credit card featuring its exclusive rewards program.

The discounts apply while shopping at LOFT, Ann Taylor, Lou & Grey, LOFT Outlet, Ann Taylor Factory Outlet stores, as well as online orders.

Get FREE standard shipping on purchases over $125, while a modest $8.95 shipping fee applies to lesser amounts.

Loft credit card exclusives

  • 15% off on first purchase when opening a new LOFT credit card
  • 5 rewards points for spends at ANN INC stores and online
  • Earn a rewards card for 2,000 points earned
  • Enjoy a $15-off bonus during your birthday month
  • Enjoy an extra 15% off the first Tuesday of every month (combine with all in-store promotions and offers)
  • Double rewards during private card member events
  • FAQs

Loft (LOVELOFT) Mastercard benefits

  • Earn 2 rewards points for every dollar spent on gas and grocery purchases
  • Earn 1 rewards point for every dollar spent wherever Mastercard® is accepted
  • Receive a $20 rewards card for your first purchase made outside of ANN INC. Brands

Loveloft loft credit card

LOVELOFT credit card rates and fees

  • No annual fee
  • 23 days to try before you buy
  • Zero liability for unauthorized use of the card
  • 25.24% APR on purchases
  • 3% balance transfer fee
  • $37 late payment fee
  • Issued by Comenity Bank (Alliance Data)
  • No automatic payment option
  • Pay balance as soon as possible to avoid fees
  • For details apply here

Resources for the LOFT shopper

Loft styles

The new LOVELOFT Card app allows you to shop on the go, because checking out with your digital card, tracking and redeeming your Rewards Cards with the app is a breeze. Plus, you can pay your bill and view your account information at any time and place.

LOFT fashion is part of the ascena retail group, inc., which is a leading national specialty retailer offering apparel, shoes, and accessories for women under the Ann Taylor, LOFT, Lou & Grey, Lane Bryant, cacique, maurices, dressbarn and Catherines brands, and for tween girls under the Justice brand.

Active military personnel 6 percent APR maximum

News

soldier jeans backpackThe little-known Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act (SCRA) prevents credit card issuers from charging individuals entering, called to active duty in the military, or deployed service members more than 6% APR on what they owe the institutions.

Military.com writes the limit applies to other loans besides credit card debt.

  • Outstanding credit card debt
  • Mortgage payments
  • Pending trials
  • Taxes
  • Terminations of lease

The article later clarifies the conditions for the 6% APR maximum.

“The SCRA unambiguously states that no interest above 6 percent can accrue for credit obligations (that were established prior to active duty or activation) while on active duty, nor can that excess interest become due once the servicemember leaves active duty – instead that portion above 6 percent is permanently forgiven.”

“Furthermore, the monthly payment must be reduced by the amount of interest saved during the covered period.”

“Note: This law only covers debt incurred prior to military service.”

Recently Lexology.com reported “The U.S. Department of Justice is Ramping Up its Enforcement of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.”

“Contrary to beliefs held by many, the SCRA applies to all companies, not just banks. The current law is very broad in scope, providing benefits and protections related to rental agreements, security deposits, prepaid rent, evictions, installment contracts, interest rates on all debt: including home loans, credit cards and student loans, mortgage foreclosure, civil judicial proceedings, automobile leases and repossessions, life insurance, health insurance and income tax payments.”

“On November 2, 2016, DOJ announced a new program, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Enforcement Support Pilot Program, to support its enforcement efforts related to protecting the rights of current and former military personnel as part of DOJ’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative.”

“The new pilot program funds Assistant U.S. Attorney and trial attorney positions to assist with SCRA enforcement, and also designates military judge advocates currently serving as legal assistance attorneys to serve as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys to support DOJ’s enforcement efforts related to the SCRA.”

Wells Fargo paid a hefty fine for not following the SCRA guidelines.

“The Justice Department announced that Wells Fargo Bank, doing business as Wells Fargo Dealer Services, has agreed to change its policies and pay more than $4.1 million to resolve allegations that it violated the SCRA by repossessing 413 vehicles owned by protected servicemembers without obtaining a court order.”

“In a separate announcement, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) assessed a $20 million civil money penalty against Wells Fargo for the same infractions.”

The AOG USAA World Mastercard goes one step further for active-duty individuals.

  • Special 4% SCRA rate: When you have a balance on your account at the time you enter active military duty, get 4% on that existing balance during the period that you serve your country.
  • 100% rebate of finance charges: We’ll rebate all finance charges accrued during a qualified military campaign.

Bank of America has an entire FAQ page on the SCRA.

“For example, the SCRA places a limit on the amount of interest that may be collected on financial obligations of any kind: 6 percent per year during the time of military service. Any amount over and above that 6 percent is permanently forgiven.”

“There are 3 conditions you need to fulfill in order to benefit from the 6 percent interest rate cap provided by the SCRA. You need to have taken out the loan before you began active duty (a loan taken out while on active duty is not eligible for SCRA benefits), you must make a request for benefits within 180 days after the end of your active duty and you must request the benefits by supplying a copy of your active duty orders or other qualifying documentation.”

“If you have a credit card or installment loan amount with Bank of America, we will extend your benefits on those accounts for an additional 6 months. If you have a mortgage account with us, we will extend your benefits for an additional 12 months.”

 

Discover It Cash Credit Card

No Annual Fee,

5% rebate on gas purchases has arrived.

Discover it Credit Card saves cardholders 5% on up to $1500 in purchases at gas stations, wholesale clubs and on ground transportation (activation required) from January 1 through March 31, 2017.

discover-it-credit-cardAll other purchases earn 1% cash rewards made with your Discover it card.

For new account holders Discover matches cash back rebates at the end of your first year, that’s up to 10% cash back (limits apply).

Note: if the account is closed before 12 billing cycles, there will be no match.

Best of all, Discover charges you no interest for 12 months from the date of your account opening, provided minimum payments are on purchases you make.

This feature is great to finance those larger purchases that may not be affordable with a single paycheck or could deplete your emergency nest egg.

You can redeem your cash rewards for cash at any time and with no minimums.

You can use your Discover it rewards just like cash, towards purchases at Amazon.com.

All these perks are given to the cardholder with NO annual fee!

Other Discover it Credit Card features include
damaged cell phone window

  • Hassle-free returns: Discover will refund purchase price ($500 max)  on eligible items, if the original store will not accept it within 90 days of purchase
  • Free cell phone insurance, up to $500, through purchase protection (call for details)
  • Should you lose your card, you can freeze your account in seconds with an on/off switch with the Discover App on your smartphone or the discovercard website
  • Paperless statement option
  • $0 fraud liability guarantee against unauthorized spending
  • Text alerts for security and reminders
  • Automatic payments available so you never miss a payment
  • Free monthly FICO scores from Transunion to track your credit rating

The fine print (subject to change):

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Introductory 0% financing for one year
  • No interest if balance paid in full with 25 days
  • Fee for balance transfer: 3% ($5 min)
  • Fee for cash advance: 5% ($10 min)
  • Fee for foreign transaction: 0%
  • Fee for late payment: $0 first time; $35 after that
  • Fee for returned payment: up to $37
  • Fee for going over your credit limit: $0
  • APR: purchases 11.24% to 23.24%
  • APR: cash advances 25.24%

Bonus Discover Deals with selected merchants for online purchases

  • Apple (5% off)
  • Walmart (5% off)
  • Kohl’s (5% off)
  • Macy’s (5% off)
  • Papa John’s (25% off)
  • 1-800 Flowers (15% off)
  • Avis (25% off weekly rental)
  • Bath & Body Works (20% off)

and over 100 more at discover deals.

Macy’s Thanks For Sharing 2016

Rewards

Macy's Exclusive Thanks For SharingMacy’s 2016 Thanks For Sharing (TFS) program ended on January 1, 2017.

Thanks For Sharing members will receive a Macy’s gift card worth 10% of all eligible purchases made with your enrolled Macy’s credit card account in February or March 2017.

There were three ways to enroll.

  • At your local Macy’s store
  • Online at macys.com/thanks
  • By phone at 1-888-933-6229

$10 of the $25 enrollment fee, up to a total of $15,000,000, were donated to non-profit organizations such as Make-A-Wish and the Go Red For Women.

In 2015 Macy’s donated the following amounts to these charities:

  • Make-A-Wish® $8,100,00
  • Go Red For Women® $3,400,000
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of America $1,200,000
  • Breast Cancer Research Foundation® $1,000,000
  • The RESPECT Campaign $1,000,000
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters® $300,000
The following points were featured for the program in 2016, but now are listed for archival purposes.

BENEFITS

10% rewards on almost all purchases made with an eligible Macy’s credit card from the enrollment date until Dec. 31, 2016, in the form of a Macy’s gift card. boys and girls clubThanks For Sharing members CAN COMBINE their rewards with the Plenti rewards program to give them a total of 11% or more bonus on net purchases.

For Macy’s cardholders unfamiliar with Plenti, it automatically gives at least 1% or more rewards on all eligible purchases made with their Macy’s credit card.

15% Bonus Days

Get 15% rewards instead of 10% on September 17 and October 25. Mark them on your calendar to start your holiday shopping early.

There is no limit on how much the gift card is worth: some people have earned Thanks For Sharing Gift Cards worth $400 or more.

The gift card has no expiration date.

The $25 enrollment fee is a one-time charge that must be made with a Macy’s credit card.

You can give the card to loved one for a shopping spree.

It can be used at any Macy’s store and online at macys.com.

This card is NOT a coupon, so use it just like cash to buy any item of your choice at Macy’s.

FEATURES

The first $3.4 million of the donation goes to the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women® movement. The balance, up to an additional $11.6 million, will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation®, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®, Children’s Cancer Research Foundation®, The RESPECT! Campaign, an initiative of Futures Without Violence®,  Reading Is Fundamental®, and local Big Brothers Big Sisters and Boys & Girls Club in your select area.

Your gift card will be mailed during  February or March 2017 to the address on file for the account, so if you have moved notify Macy’s of your current address to make sure you will get the card.

The Thanks For Sharing Program has some exclusions for items charged on the Macy’s credit card, although it does give a 10% rebate on EveryDay Value items which normally do not accept any Macy’s coupons.

The exclusions are mostly large-ticket items, services and some licensed departments:

  • furniture
  • floor coverings
  • mattresses
  • box springs
  • fur salon
  • bridal salon
  • gift cards/certificates
  • electronics and associated accessories
  • special orders
  • watch/jewelry repair
  • sunglasses
  • maternity wear
  • athletic shoes for him, her and kids
  • Tag Heuer
  • custom decorating
  • carpet cleaning
  • service and delivery fees
  • gift wrap
  • purchases from licensed departments
  • bill inserts
  • restaurants

You cannot redeem the Thanks For Sharing gift card for cash or use it as a payment or credit on your Macy’s credit card account.

The value of the rewards card applies to net purchases from enrollment until Dec. 31, 2016. Any prior eligible purchases returned before 1/6/2017 will have 10% of the money obtained from the return subtracted from the reward’s card final value.

For example, if you bought a pair of jeans for $100 and then exchange them for a pair of jeans costing $200, your Thanks For Sharing gift card will be worth $10 ($20 – $10), not $20 (10% of your $200 purchase).

If you want you can withdraw from the program and request a refund of the enrollment fee by calling 888-933-6229, before December 17, 2016, or in person at any Macy’s store before December 31, 2016, however you will not receive the gift card.

For detailed information, refer to the Program Terms and Conditions.