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Derek Thompson

Derek Thompson - Derek Thompson is a senior editor at The Atlantic, where he oversees business coverage for the website.
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He is a visiting research fellow at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget at the New America Foundation. Derek has also written for Slate, BusinessWeek, and the Daily Beast. He has appeared as a guest on radio and television networks, including NPR, the BBC, CNBC, and MSNBC.

How Credit Cards Companies Make Money Off Honest Customers

By Derek Thompson
Aug 13 2010, 10:35 AM ET Comment

It's easy enough to understand that credit card companies make money by lending you money, charging interest and collecting fees when you spend too much or don't pay the money back on time. But how do they make money from every time you innocently swipe? This handy graph explains:


Read the full story at CreditScore.net.


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