PULSE Offers Tips to Track Expenses, Shop Securely Through Holiday Season
HOUSTON, Dec 03, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- In today's economic downturn, most families are feeling pressure to
spend frugally this holiday season, as the growing importance of
properly managing household funds compels consumers to keep a watchful
eye on spending. This month, PULSE, a leading ATM/debit network and
Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) company, offers consumers
helpful tips on using debit cards to save money, manage their budget and
protect their identity during the holiday shopping season.
"The holidays can be a difficult time of year for consumers to keep
track of just how much money they are spending on gifts, travel and
entertainment," said Cindy Ballard, PULSE executive vice president.
"Debit cards offer a great way for consumers to monitor their spending
online almost instantly, allowing more accurate, real-time budget
tracking and better financial management as compared to cash and checks."
Debit cards offer consumers control over their finances, with the money
spent in a debit card transaction drawn from existing funds in their
account.
"It is important for consumers to remember to track account balances
through register entries or online banking, to avoid overdrafts and
associated fees," said Ballard.
The holiday season is also a good time to think about the coming year
and how to plan a family budget. For more information, visit www.DebitFacts.org,
where this month's exclusive expert article features tips from financial
planning expert Judy Lawrence on how to build a monthly budget that
accounts for holidays, savings and everyday expenses.
DebitFacts.org,
sponsored by PULSE, helps consumers learn how to prevent identity theft,
lower the risk of financial fraud and use their debit cards to track
spending when shopping during the holidays and year-round.
PULSE Holiday Spending Tips
--
Change Your PIN - Changing your debit card PIN periodically and
using different PINs for different accounts provides a greater level
of security and can make it more difficult for a criminal to use your
card.
--
Surf Securely - Look for secure transaction symbols when
shopping online to ensure your account information is protected.
--
Report Missing Cards - Immediately call your financial
institution if your debit card is lost or stolen to reduce the chance
that it will be used improperly.
--
Protect Your PIN - Never give your PIN to anyone online or in
person, for any reason. Never let anyone enter your PIN for you.
--
Track Your Spending - Check your balance online to ensure that
all of the charges are accurate, and not fraudulent.
For more tips and facts about debit card usage, visit www.DebitFacts.org
About PULSE
PULSE is one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks, currently
serving more than 4,500 banks, credit unions and savings institutions
across the country. PULSE is owned by Discover Financial Services (NYSE:
DFS). The network links cardholders with more than 265,000 ATMs, as well
as POS terminals at retail locations nationwide. The company is also a
valued resource for industry research related to electronic payments and
is committed to providing its participants with education on evolving
products, services and trends in the payments industry. For more
information, visit www.pulsenetwork.com.
SOURCE: PULSE
PULSE
Anne Rhodes, 832-214-0234
arhodes@pulsenetwork.com
or
GolinHarris
Rebekah Morgan, 972-341-2509
rmorgan@golinharris.com