Can You Tell a Person"s Credit Score by Dating Him (or Her)?

You’ve met someone you really like. You start to imagine life with the person long-term. You plan the wedding, the 2.5 kids and even figure the kind of dog – or fish – you will get after you settle down together. How those dreams go will depend a lot on the type of credit rating your date h...
Can You Tell a Person"s Credit Score by Dating Him (or Her)?

3 Common Questions about Credit Scores

No matter how much information is available, people still have questions about credit and credit scores. Part of the problem is that some of the information is inaccurate and other times it is just confusing. Here is a look at three of the most common questions asked.
1. Can I Get a Free Copy of...
3 Common Questions about Credit Scores

How Everyday Habits Impact Your Credit

Unless you are trying to buy a new house or car or get a credit card, you may not think much about your credit. Then, you are focused on trying to make improvement quickly. What you may not realize is that your everyday habits have the biggest impact on your credit score. You can make a...
How Everyday Habits Impact Your Credit

Getting More of Your Credit Scores

If you have been turned down for credit or a loan because of a bad credit score, you know how important that number is. What you may not realize is that you don’t have just one credit score. You have dozens of scores, multiple ones from each credit reporting agency. And those numbers are...
Getting More of Your Credit Scores

Can You Be Rejected for a Secured Credit Card?

If you have bad credit, you may have been told that the only way to get credit is through a secured card. Have one of those, someone said, and it will help your credit score improve. But is a secured credit card a sure thing for someone with bad credit?
What is a Secured Credit Card?
A secured...
Can You Be Rejected for a Secured Credit Card?

Can Getting In-Store Credit Hurt Your Credit Score?

You’ve seen the offers from all of the major retailers. You apply for the in-store credit card and receive a percentage off your purchase. The credit card is only good for use in the store or chain of stores and you receive special offers that other customers don’t get. Sounds like...
Can Getting In-Store Credit Hurt Your Credit Score?

3 Ways Getting Married Could Ruin Your Credit Score

The moment was so romantic. Dinner, candle lights, a beautiful ring. Now you are engaged. While you are busy planning the wedding and picking out invitations and writing up the guest list, don’t forget about your credit. This unromantic aspect of getting married is a reality check,...
3 Ways Getting Married Could Ruin Your Credit Score

When Too Many Credit Scores are Confusing

You signed up for a credit monitoring site like Credit Karma that gives you a free credit score. You got a credit card with a company that provides a free score every month. A second credit card company gives you yet another credit score. When none of them are the same, it can be...
When Too Many Credit Scores are Confusing

Is Bad Credit a Deal Breaker for Your Valentine?

Credit scores are everywhere. They impact your ability to get a house, a new car and even a job. They may also impact your ability to find a date or get married. While a credit score isn’t the most romantic or exciting trait in a date or spouse, it is an important one.
Would You Date...
Is Bad Credit a Deal Breaker for Your Valentine?

3 Rules to Live By for Excellent Credit

If you are working hard to improve your credit, you are going to want to work even harder to maintain it. You know by now that improving credit scores is not nearly as easy as ruining them. Here are three rules to live by if you want to maintain your good credit.
1. Make your payments on...
3 Rules to Live By for Excellent Credit

Drastic Steps to Take to Improve Your Credit

You read about little things you can do to help you save money, pay down debt and improve your credit rating. But what if skipping your morning latte, clipping coupons or buying on sale isn’t enough to help your financial situation? If little steps aren’t enough, you may have to make...
Drastic Steps to Take to Improve Your Credit

Does the Job You Have Change Your Credit Score?

You hear about so many different factors that impact your credit score. All of that information can get confusing. One area that many people are concerned about is with their jobs. Can the job you have hurt – or help, your credit score?
Income and Credit
The answer is no, at least not directly. T...
Does the Job You Have Change Your Credit Score?

Does Age Matter to Your Credit Score?

So much of your personal information is included in your credit report that you may wonder if it links to your credit score. Age is just one of those factors and one you can do nothing about. So, does it affect your credit rating?
When Age Doesn’t Matter
Your date of birth doesn’t...
Does Age Matter to Your Credit Score?

How Saving Money Can Help Improve Your Credit

If you want to improve your credit score and have a good to excellent credit rating for long-term, you must learn how to save money. While you can try all kinds of tricks to raise your credit score, you will be likely to fall back into the same trap unless you have savings to help you along the...
How Saving Money Can Help Improve Your Credit

Can Your Bad Credit Hurt Your Child"s College Education?

Credit rating plays an important role in many aspects of people’s lives, and a new way has just been added. Changes are being made to the PLUS loan with regards to bad credit. The result is that fewer parents may be able to help their kids get the college education they want.
PLUS Loans...
Can Your Bad Credit Hurt Your Child"s College Education?

Why Your Credit Score Isn"t Improving

It is a frustrating feeling to be working diligently to improve your bad credit only to see that your score stays the same, only moves up one or two points in as many months, or even worse – actually drops by those same one or two points. When you are trying to do everything right and it seems n...
Why Your Credit Score Isn"t Improving

Why Credit Scores are On the Rise

According to public data, the average credit score has gone up a few points from the low point of the recession. FICO scores for 2008 were at 686 and in 2013, they went up to 690. That is only a four-point increase, but it is significant.
Positive Indications
Any increase shows that the average...
Why Credit Scores are On the Rise

Got Bad Credit? You Can Still Have a Smartphone

Most cell phone companies require a credit check if you wish to buy a smartphone and have a contract. For those with bad credit, they are often turned down or required to pay a deposit. They may only qualify for a prepaid contract, which is often significantly higher than traditional plans.
To...
Got Bad Credit? You Can Still Have a Smartphone

Don"t Let Your Friends Ruin Your Credit Score

College is a fun time of life for many people. After graduation, the fun often continues with a full-time income and more freedom in the schedule now that studying is finished. One of the dangers during these years or any other time is that your spending habits will go out of control and you...
Don"t Let Your Friends Ruin Your Credit Score

4 Credit Lessons You Should Teach Your Kids

Your child got his blue eyes and red hair from you and his smile from his dad. Your daughter has the same easy-going attitude as you but the wit of her mother. Good or bad, kids get a lot of their personalities and looks from their parents. It shouldn’t be surprising that they also get...
4 Credit Lessons You Should Teach Your Kids