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

How to use rewards points to save on the Fourth of July

No matter how your July 4th holiday plans shake out this year, you have the potential to earn credit card points or redeem rewards to pay for supplies, travel and more.

4 min read Jul 03, 2023
Junk fees start to disappear, but will consumers really save money?

Efforts to reduce or eliminate junk fees might just lead to higher prices across the board.

4 min read Jun 28, 2023
Select Petal 2 Card accounts are being replaced with Petal 1 Rise

Select Petal 2 cardholders have been downgraded to a card with added fees.

5 min read Jun 26, 2023
Best eco-friendly credit cards

Eco-friendly credit cards aim to protect the environment in some way, usually by partnering with firms that fight climate change or protect wildlife or the environment.

5 min read Jun 21, 2023
What is the average credit score, and how can you improve yours?

This critical 3-digit number can open—or close—doors to great interest rates.

6 min read Jun 21, 2023
Americans are tipping less, despite growing requests for gratuities

Americans are being asked to tip for more and more things, and many aren’t happy about it.

4 min read Jun 16, 2023
Personalization is the key to digital satisfaction for bank, credit card customers

Banks and credit card issuers have opportunities to delight their customers with personalized financial management products, but implementation has been inconsistent to date.

3 min read Jun 09, 2023
Travel inflation starts to ease, but prices remain high

Inflation may be slowing, but travel costs remain high. Here’s how to have fun on a budget this summer.

4 min read May 26, 2023