Comments on: Ask Jean Thursday: A Bright Side to the Hike in Your Monthly Minimum

By: atk24

atk24 — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:48:36 +0000

I contacted Chase two days ago and they told me that it was a mistake that my account had gone from 2% to a 5% increase and the representative corrected it right there on the spot. I confirmed later that day on the website and it had been changed back to 2%. I was rather shocked that they corrected this so quickly and I am very sorry to read about other people who do have to pay the additional 5%. If I were in their boat, I would definitely look into a balance transfer offer, but beware of the fine print and good luck!

By: jr2000

jr2000 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:41:45 +0000

I’m in the same boat with Chase. I simply can not come up with an extra $500 a month. I’ve been debating on calling them directly to try to work it out or going to a credit counselor. I’m not sure which is the best option. I’m not sure if they’ll work with me unless I become deliquent first, which I really don’t want to do.

By: alienstarchild

alienstarchild — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:47:23 +0000

I had the same thing happen, but the minimum payment is going to $1800 fom $700. I can’t possibly come up with that. I tried calling, the # for the Special Services Dept is 18778902941, and expect to get disconnected half a dozen times before you finally talk to someone. The woman I talked to said I could work out a plan to pay $800 a month, have it all paid off in 5 years, it would have to be electronic transfer directly from my checking, and of course my card would be cancelled. Then she asked some questionsabout my income and other debt, and told me she thought I could make the $1800 payment easily. I don’t earn that much on a paycheck! I talked to a debt management program last month, but at the time I thought I was better off trying it on my own, then this happened, and also another card went from 6.99% fixed to 17.99% variable.I also called them, but they said the interest rate was non negotiable. The first months interest on that one is going to put me over limit, so while I would rather pay my bills the way I agreed to when I got the credit (and after all, the credit card companies sent me the offers, not the other way around), I just don’t see any other way out now. It doesn’t make any sense that these credit companies would put people who have been paying their bills on time into these impossible situations. After talking to the credit councilor last month, I was feeling optimistic about getting this under control on my own, but it just isn’t going to happen.