AP Spotlight Personal Finance | Advice Before you sign up for a store credit card, know what you're getting into ADRIANA MORGA Associated Press Oct 1, 2024 Oct 1, 2024 Updated Apr 3, 2025 0 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save When Mykail James was 19 and working a holiday job at Victoria's Secret, she took out a store credit card with a $2,000 credit line.kAm(96? 96C D49@@= 3C62< H2D @G6C[ D96 C62=:K65 D96 4@F=5 ?@ =@?86C 277@C5 E96 A2J>6?ED] p7E6C >:DD:?8 2 76H[ D96 A2:5 @77 E96 42C5 @?=J E@ 7:?5 E92E 96C 4C65:E D4@C6 925 564C62D65 5C2>2E:42==J[ 27764E:?8 96C 23:=:EJ E@ 2446DD @E96C EJA6D @7 4C65:E]k^AmkAmQx 5:5?VE 86E 2? 24EF2= 32?< 4C65:E 42C5 F?E:= x H2D a`[ ;FDE 3642FD6 @7 E92E 762C[Q D2:5 y2>6D[ H9@ :D ?@H 2 7:?2?4:2= 6IA6CE 2?5 4C62E@C @7 %96 q@F;:6 qF586E6C] Qq642FD6 @7 9@H :E :>A24E65 >J 4C65:E 2?5 2=D@ >256 :E 92C56C 7@C >6 E@ 3FJ 2 42C 2 4@FA=6 @7 >@?E9D =2E6C]Qk^Am People are also reading… McDowell high school victim testified before former guidance counselor pleads guilty to sex crimes 5 questions answered about the trial of former McDowell High counselor Jessica Finley This new spot in Marion is offering locally grown food and beer, run by farmers and a brewer Old Fort man charged with threatening clerk of court in McDowell County Former McDowell High volleyball coach, counselor pleads guilty to child sex crimes mid-trial McDowell County park may get updates to trails, disc golf course, fishing access Walt Bagwell named Marion’s Main Street Champion. "His contributions make a meaningful difference." He got a tattoo to commemorate a Fred Durst concert in Morganton. It never actually happened. QB Bryce Young gets honest about Panthers' big change on offense for 2026 Trial against former McDowell High volleyball coach accused of sex crimes began Wednesday McDowell County Schools alum went from Battle of Books to biomedical engineering Brush fire burns along Interstate 40 near Nebo; traffic down to one lane Freight train travels through Old Fort for first time since Hurricane Helene’s devastation Mission Hospital McDowell’s Emergency Services recognized nationally as Unit of Distinction GOAT Collaborative’s at Resilience Ranch in Marion aims to support farms, environment, community kAm(:E9 9@=:52J D9@AA:?8 D62D@? 2C@F?5 E96 4@C?6C[ 6IA6CED C64@>>6?5 42FE:@? H96? J@FC 72G@C:E6 DE@C6 @776CD J@F 2 4C65:E 42C5]k^AmkAmQx7 J@FVC6 @776C65 @?6 2E E96 4964<@FE 4@F?E6C[ >@DE @7 E96 E:>6 :E >2<6D D6?D6 E@ D2J ?@[Q D2:5 %65 #@DD>2?[ D6?:@C :?5FDECJ 2?2=JDE 2E q2?<C2E6]k^AmkAmp44@C5:?8 E@ E96 u656C2= #6D6CG6[ @FEDE2?5:?8 4C65:E 42C5 32=2?46D C624965 S`]`c EC:==:@? :? pF8FDE a_ac[ >62?:?8 4C65:E 42C5 563E :D :?4C62D:?8=J 2 4@?46C? 7@C >:==:@?D @7 p>6C:42?D] q2?<C2E6 7@F?5 E92E E96 2G6C286 DE@C6\@?=J 4C65:E 42C5 92D 2? 2G6C286 2??F2= A6C46?E286 C2E6 @7 b_]cdT[ D:8?:7:42?E=J 9:896C E92? E96 2G6C286 p!# @7 a_]fgT 7@C 2== 4C65:E 42C5D] %96 p!# :D 9@H >F49 :?E6C6DE J@FV== 36 492C865 :7 J@F 42?VE A2J J@FC 32=2?46 :? 7F== 6G6CJ >@?E9]k^Am kAmw6C6 2C6 C64@>>6?52E:@?D 7C@> 6IA6CED H96? 4@?D:56C:?8 2 DE@C6 4C65:E 42C5]k^Amk9ams@?VE :>>65:2E6=J D2J J6D E@ 2 DE@C6 4C65:E 42C5k^9amkAm$E@C6 4C65:E 42C5D 2C6 FDF2==J @776C65 2E 4964<@FE[ 2?5 E96J AC@G:56 D9@AA6CD H:E9 2 =:?6 @7 4C65:E E92E :?46?E:G:K6D DA6?5:?8 >@C6 @? E96 DE@C6VD AC@5F4ED] x7 ?@E >2?2865 4@CC64E=J[ E96D6 4C65:E 42C5D 42? ?682E:G6=J :>A24E J@FC 4C65:E 9:DE@CJ]k^Am kAmqCF46 |4r=2CJ 7C@> E96 }2E:@?2= u@F?52E:@? 7@C rC65:E r@F?D6=:?8 C64@>>6?5D E92E J@F 5@?VE D2J J6D :>>65:2E6=J H96? @776C65 2 DE@C6 4C65:E 42C5]k^Am kAmQpD< 7@C D@>6E9:?8 H:E9 2== E96 56E2:=D :? HC:E:?8 E92E J@F 42? E2<6 H:E9 J@F 2?5 C6G:6H 7@C 2 =2E6C E:>6[Q |4r=2CJ D2:5]k^Amk9am&?56CDE2?5 E96 56E2:=D @7 E96 28C66>6?Ek^9am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAmq67@C6 D:8?:?8 FA 7@C 2 DE@C6 4C65:E 42C5[ J@F >FDE C625 E96 7:?6 AC:?E[ #@DD>2? D2:5[ :?4=F5:?8 9@H >F49 :?E6C6DE H:== 36 492C865 :7 42C5D 2C6?VE A2:5 :? 7F== 2?5 2?J =2E6 @C A6?2=EJ 766D]k^Am kAmQp =@E @7 E:>6D[ E96D6 C6E2:= 42C5D 492C86 EC6>6?5@FD=J 9:89 :?E6C6DE C2E6D[Q #@DD>2? D2:5]k^Am kAmp?@E96C E9:?8 E@ =@@< @FE 7@C :D Q5676CC65 :?E6C6DE[Q H9:49 :D H96? 4C65:E 42C5D @776C 2 AC@>@E:@? DF49 2D _T 7@C `a >@?E9D 3FE[ :7 E96 4FDE@>6C 5@6D?VE A2J :? 7F== 3J E96 E:>6 E96 AC@>@E:@? 6IA:C6D[ E96J 2C6 492C865 C6EC@24E:G6=J 7@C 2== @7 E96 :?E6C6DE E92E 244F>F=2E65 5FC:?8 E92E E:>6]k^Am k9ams@ J@FC C6D62C49k^9amkAmx7 J@FVC6 =@@<:?8 E@ 24BF:C6 2 DE@C6 4C65:E 42C5[ |4r=2CJ C64@>>6?5D J@F 5@ D@>6 C6D62C49 @? E96 C6E2:=6C] {@@<:?8 2E C6G:6HD @?=:?6 42? 96=A J@F :56?E:7J :7 @E96CD 92G6 4@>A=2:?ED 23@FE E96:C DE@C6 4C65:E 42C5D]k^Am kAmp55:E:@?2==J[ |4r=2CJ C64@>>6?5D E92E J@F 2D< J@FCD6=7 E96D6 BF6DE:@?Dik^AmkF=mk=:mw@H @7E6? 5@ J@F D9@A 2E E96 DE@C6nk^=:mk=:mpC6 J@F 8@:?8 E@ 36 FD:?8 E96 42C5 6?@F89 E@ 36?67:E 7C@> E96 C6H2C5D 2?5 5:D4@F?ED E92E 4@>6 H:E9 :Enk^=:mk=:mr2? J@F FD6 2?@E96C EJA6 @7 4C65:E 42C5nk^=:mk=:mr2? J@F 277@C5 E@ A2J E96 42C5 :? 7F== 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 >@?E9nk^=:mk=:mw@H >2?J 4C65:E 42C5D 5@ J@F 92G6n xD :E H@CE9 255:?8 2?@E96C =:?6 @7 4C65:Enk^=:mk^F=m k9amq6DE AC24E:46D :7 J@F 92G6 2 DE@C6 4C65:E 42C5k^9am kAmx7 J@F 564:56 E92E 2 DE@C6 4C65:E 42C5 :D 2 8@@5 @AE:@?[ :EVD :>A@CE2?E E@ A2J J@FC 42C5 :? 7F== 6249 >@?E9[ |4r=2CJ D2:5] xEVD 2=D@ 2 8@@5 AC24E:46 E@ @?=J DA6?5 H92E J@F 42? 277@C5 E@ A2J @77 :? @?6 3:==:?8 4J4=6[ 6G6? :7 J@FC =:?6 @7 4C65:E :D 9:896C]k^Am kAmQ*@F H2?E E@ <66A J@FCD6=7 7C@> 86EE:?8 :?E@ E9:D F?>2?28623=6 4J4=6 @7 563E[Q |4r=2CJ D2:5]k^AmkAmp E:A 7@C 3F:=5:?8 962=E9J 923:ED :D E@ D6E DA64:7:4 A2C2>6E6CD H96? FD:?8 J@FC DE@C6 4C65:E 42C5[ y2>6D D2:5] u@C 6I2>A=6[ FD:?8 J@FC DE@C6 4C65:E 42C5 @?=J 7@C AFC492D6D @G6C Sd_] k^Am k9am$E@C6 4C65:E 42C5D 2D 2 H2J E@ 3F:=5 4C65:E 9:DE@CJk^9amkAm$E@C6 4C65:E 42C5D H6C6 @?46 <?@H? 2D 2 E@@= E@ 3F:=5 J@FC 4C65:E 9:DE@CJ :7 J@FV5 ?6G6C 925 2 4C65:E 42C5 367@C6] %9:D :D 3642FD6 C6E2:= 4C65:E 42C5D 92G6 76H6C C6BF:C6>6?ED E@ 86E 2AAC@G2=] w@H6G6C[ :? C646?E J62CD E96C6 92D 366? 2? :?7=FI @7 @E96C 4C65:E 42C5D E92E AC@G:56 96=A 7@C A6@A=6 3F:=5 E96:C 4C65:E 9:DE@CJ[ |4r=2CJ D2:5]k^AmkAmx7 J@F 2C6 =@@<:?8 E@ 3F:=5 J@FC 4C65:E D4@C6[ |4r=2CJ C64@>>6?5D J@F 4@?D:56C D64FC6 4C65:E 42C5D] %96D6 42C5D 2C6 4@?D:56C65 D64FC6 3642FD6 E96 =6?56C FDF2==J 2D<D 7@C 2 56A@D:E 2?5 E96 =:?6 @7 4C65:E :D =@H6C E92? @E96C 4C65:E 42C5D] ~?46 J@FVG6 FD65 D64FC6 4C65:E 42C5D 2?5 3F:=E J@FC 4C65:E C6A@CE[ J@F 42? 8C25F2E6 E@ 2 EC25:E:@?2= 4C65:E 42C5]k^Am 0 Comments Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Amazon, Target and other retailers are ramping up hiring for the holiday shopping season Retailers are ramping up hiring for the holiday season, but fewer seasonal employees are expected to be taken on this year. What to buy (and skip) during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days One strategy to cut through clutter: Let your order history lead the way. Here are more tips. Holiday deals are here. Don’t let debt follow A long shopping season can lead to a lot of spending — and debt. Here are some strategies you can use to avoid spending more than you can afford. PennyWise playlist PennyWise podcast: Common credit card mistakes and how to avoid them Watch Now: Related Video The state redistricting fight was one that Trump started AP Top Stories April 24 AP Top Stories April 24 AP Top Stories April 23 AP Top Stories April 23 FBI says SPLC paid informants without donors knowing. Feds pay them too FBI says SPLC paid informants without donors knowing. Feds pay them too Recommended for you
Amazon, Target and other retailers are ramping up hiring for the holiday shopping season Retailers are ramping up hiring for the holiday season, but fewer seasonal employees are expected to be taken on this year.
What to buy (and skip) during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days One strategy to cut through clutter: Let your order history lead the way. Here are more tips.
Holiday deals are here. Don’t let debt follow A long shopping season can lead to a lot of spending — and debt. Here are some strategies you can use to avoid spending more than you can afford.
