Credit Intelligence
Boosting Your Credit Smarts
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Stein Mart Department Store. Clearwater, Florida.
Polly: That dress you’re trying on looks terrible on you!
Mava: But it’s 70 percent off, and I already have the shoes to match.
Polly: It doesn’t matter. That dress does nothing for you.
Mava: Polly, we have a party in two hours and I need to find a dress now! If I buy it today, AND apply for the store credit card, I’ll get an additional 10 percent off.
STOP! FREEZE FRAME!
What’s wrong with this picture?
We’ll tell you.
Even as a marketing expert and co-author of this book, Mava was not showing credit intelligence when she almost:
- • made a panic purchase,
- • bought from want instead of need, and
- • applied for another store credit card.
Before we go any further, we would like to introduce ourselves! Polly has over 30 years of experience in the credit industry. Currently, she is a credit consultant, specializing in credit payments solutions for businesses in both the United States and abroad. She is the former President of The Home Shopping Network Credit Corporation. Mava also has over 30 years in the credit industry. Currently she is a marketing executive specializing in branding, direct marketing, and public relations. She is the former Senior Vice President of International Marketing for MasterCard International.
First and foremost, we wrote this book for ourselves, because even though we are experts in related industries, as shopping BFF’s, we still get sucked into the buying and credit cycle. Then, we decided that this information could help so many people that we had to share it!
As “Olympic level” shoppers who have fallen into and pulled each other out of many of the traps and pitfalls surrounding the use of credit, we decided we had to write a book on how to boost your credit smarts and still keep the fun in shopping.
During our training in our quest for the “Shopping Gold Medal” (which has involved thousands of hours, thousands of dollars, and hundreds of locations), we became aware of behavioral manipulations by retailers that you need to familiarize yourself with to increase your credit intelligence.
We all think we are credit smart! Not true. With changes in technology and payment types, what may have been credit smart in the past may not be today.
In a report released in April 2012 by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation, “In Our Best Interest: Women, Financial Literacy and Credit Card Behavior,” it states that:
- • As many as 60 percent of us carry a balance on a credit card.
- • Up to 40 percent of us pay a late fee.
- • Approximately 15 percent of us are over our credit limit.
- • Up to 15 percent of us take cash advances on a credit card (which is a very expensive loan).
- • In contrast, less than 45 percent of us actually pay our credit card balances in full each month.
This book is for everyone!
Whether you shop at Family Dollar or Nordstrom’s, are in debt or flush with cash, use cash or credit, can’t get a credit card or have several, this book is for you.
Our intention in writing this book was also to write so that everyone could understand the information we share. That’s why we included many of our personal stories and experiences, and we wrote this book using straightforward language.
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Book Details
About the Book
Award-winning author and credit industry expert Polly A. Bauer, CPCS, and marketing expert Mava K. Heffler have been business associates in the credit card industry. They’ve also been best friends for over two decades who love to shop! They share their stories of lessons learned on shopping adventures with humor and insight and provide you with a roadmap to credit intelligence by sharing their shopping adventures and lessons learned about credit as “Olympic level” shoppers who have fallen into and pulled each other out of many of the traps and pitfalls surrounding the use of credit and the behavioral buying manipulations by retailers. They have written this book as a guide on how to boost your credit smarts and still keep the fun in shopping. This book uses straightforward language so that everyone can understand the information, and includes many personal stories and experiences. Polly and Mava take you on a guided tour through a variety of topics and provide “Smart Tips” for you to utilize to improve your credit smarts.
Polly A. Bauer is the co-author of the award winning book The Plastic Effect: How Urban Legends Influence the Use and Misuse of Credit Cards, with Steven Lesavich. which won a Gold Medal in the budgeting/Finance category of the 2013 Living Now Book Awards. Formerly CEO of Home Shopping Network Credit Corporation, she is the CEO of Polly Bauer & Associates, a credit card consulting company established in 1995. Polly strategically guides companies and individuals through a maze of credit card misinformation with common sense, compassion, and humor that sets her apart as an international corporate speaker, consumer advocate, and media expert. Mava K. Heffler’s blue-chip professional background includes marketing, advertising, communications, branding, market research, direct marketing, sponsorship, promotion, and public relations at Fortune 500 leaders such as MasterCard International, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Thompson, CNBC, and EMCOR Group, Inc. With experience encompassing both domestic and international markets, Mava has expertise marketing to both consumers and businesses. Named a “Brand Builder”, one of the “Top Women in Business To Watch”, and amongst “Top Marketers” by the press and media, Mava’s programs have received a variety of industry recognition and awards.
“This book may very well be the cure for the toxic connection between credit card debt and declining health.” - Christiane Northrup, M.D., Author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom
“Excellent advice from two savvy women with 60 years combined experience in the credit card industry. True credit management wisdom. Wish I could have read it when I was making credit management decisions.” - Darel Rutherford, Self-made Millionaire, Author of So Why Aren’t You Rich?
“Financial worries and credit card debt sure can make you sick. Credit Intelligence has workable strategies for coping with this type of stress.” - Brenda Watson, Brenda Watson Media, New York Times best-selling author, and PBS television personality
“Smart tips and real-life strategies for living in a material world. Credit Intelligence is sure to improve your financial health and overall well-being.” – Dr. Michelle Robin, Founder and Chief Wellness Officer (CWO), Your Wellness Connection healing center
“It’s your money and it’s your good name. You need to protect them both. This book will show you how.” – Sonia Choquette, CEO, Inner Wisdom, Inc., New York Times best-selling author, and radio personality
“Who knew? Credit Intelligence is full of insider information about credit and the credit card marketing industry. This might be the buying manifesto for a new generation of empowered shoppers.” – Cory Bergeron, President and Founder, Pitch Video
“If you’re over your credit limit, you need to steal this book.” – Dale Irvin, CEO, Just Imagine
About the Author
About Polly Bauer Credit and Payments Expert + CEO
Polly Bauer is the award-winning author of The Plastic Effect. She is founder of the Credit Card Loss Prevention School and CEO of Polly Bauer & Associates, a credit card consultancy she established in 1995.
Cyber Security professionals call her “a springboard for a new level of understanding of how credit cards are used and misused,” and Knowledge Capital and Industry consultants praise her and her work because it’s “filled with the wisdom that can only come from a true insider. No one knows the credit card industry better than Polly.” She has identified sweeping industry trends in the fields of credit card fraud prevention and detection and, as a merchant advocate, specializes in loss prevention and customer payment data security.
As a key visionary and preeminent expert on credit cards operations and all forms of payment, Polly has directed the global expansion of e-commerce companies into 170 countries and currencies. She managed a $950 million credit card portfolio for a billion-dollar corporation.
Polly Bauer’s genius is helping people to think before they swipe and teaching consumers to recognize the misconceptions they have about the use of credit. Her ability to strategically guide corporations and individuals through the maze of misinformation with true common sense, compassion, and humor is what sets her apart as an international corporate speaker, consumer advocate, and media expert. Her focus on credit cards and how it affects consumer purchasing behavior has been presented to audiences of thousands around the globe.
When she’s not traveling and teaching, Polly loves to dance, go to movies, hit the beach with a good summer read, or get together with her husband, daughter, family, and friends.
Stay in touch with her and her growing tribe worldwide: www.pollyabauer.com
Twitter: @PollyABauerAbout Mava Heffler Marketing and Communications Expert + CMO
Mava Heffler has a blue-chip background that includes marketing, advertising, communications, branding, market research, direct marketing, sponsorship, promotion, and public relations working at Fortune 500 leaders such as MasterCard International, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, CNBC, and EMCOR Group, Inc.
Encompassing both domestic and international markets, Mava has expertise marketing to both consumers and businesses.
Having developed global branding and image campaigns, Mava has a depth of experience creating enterprise-wide, integrated marketing strategies, core competencies, and restaging business units. With an intrinsic ability to weave together corporate vision, strategic planning, creativity, and marketing execution, Mava produces breakthrough results.
Named a “Brand Builder,” one of the “Top Women in Business to Watch,” and listed amongst “Top Marketers” by the press and media, Mava’s programs have received a variety of industry awards. She has been broadly quoted in the press and the media, and has been a frequent presenter at events and conferences.
On the personal side, Mava enjoys spending quality time with her daughter, friends, and family, as well as snow skiing, scuba diving, and travel.