Claire Dickey

Former Editor, Credit Cards

EXPERTISE

Rewards credit cards
Travel credit cards
Credit card news
Building credit

EDUCATION

A.B.J. Advertising, Grady College of Journalism at The University of Georgia

There’s no reason to feel intimidated by a credit card. As long as you pay off your purchases every month, there’s little risk and tons of upside.
— Claire Dickey

Claire Dickey is a credit cards editor at Bankrate, focusing on news, product guides and educational content. Her areas of expertise include rewards and travel credit cards, building credit and credit card news. Always on the lookout for the latest credit cards and card perks, as well as cards-related legislation and regulations, Claire is passionate about demystifying personal finance topics. Her goal is to help readers save money, earn rewards and protect their credit scores.

When she’s not strategizing about how to maximize rewards on her next trip, Claire is an avid runner and day hiker.

Claire wants you to know

If you’re trying to build credit, my best advice is to keep things simple. A credit card is a great way to show your creditworthiness, but picking one can be overwhelming since there are so many options out there and so many features to consider. Stick to the basics: Look for a card with low fees and the option to put down a large deposit and get a matching credit limit. If you pay on time and only charge small purchases to the card, your score can grow surprisingly quickly.

Claire's recommended readings

There’s no reason to feel intimidated by a credit card. As long as you pay off your purchases every month, there’s little risk and tons of upside.
— Claire Dickey

Claire's latest articles

Credit card balances match record high in Q1 2023

Americans’ credit card balances plateaued at a record high in early 2023, the first time in two decades they didn’t fall during the first quarter of the year.

3 min read May 19, 2023
How to redeem credit card rewards

Rewards programs offer prime opportunities to get a payoff from your credit card purchases. To maximize that payoff, you need to know the ins and outs of redeeming the cash back, points or miles you’ve [...]

5 min read May 17, 2023
Can you get COVID from a credit card?

Cash and plastic cards were not COVID-19 vectors then, and they aren’t now.

4 min read May 17, 2023
What is the date of first delinquency on credit card debt?

There is a time limit for how long a delinquent payment is on credit reports.

3 min read May 17, 2023
Amazon credit cards change names, add benefits

Two of Amazon’s credit cards have new names and new benefits. Here’s what changed.

3 min read May 12, 2023
Guide to Air France/KLM Flying Blue

Book affordable award flights to Europe with the Flying Blue rewards program.

9 min read May 12, 2023
Fed’s latest interest rate hike further burdens credit card debtors

The Federal Reserve’s series of interest rate hikes has made credit card debt much more costly.

2 min read May 05, 2023
Credit card rules you can break in an emergency

Tips you need for managing your credit card to best support you in times of need.

6 min read Apr 26, 2023