Myths You Shouldn’t Believe About Credit

Even though a lot of information is available about credit ratings and credit scores, many people have a lot of false ideas about the subject. Some of the information they find is confusing while some is just wrong. Here are some common misconceptions and the real facts.
1. You can’t get a c...
Myths You Shouldn’t Believe About Credit

3 Bad Habits You Must Break to Improve Your Credit

Getting bad credit happens in one of two ways. You may have an unfortunate situation where you lose your job or a major problem arises to hurt your credit. What is more common is simply bad financial choices that lead to poor credit. A few changes in your habits can prevent the second issue from...
3 Bad Habits You Must Break to Improve Your Credit

Millennials and Credit: What They Do and How They Can Improve

Millennials have a different viewpoint towards money, shopping and credit than the generations before. Here is a look at some of their typical behaviors and what they can do to ensure they have the best credit score possible.
Going Online
Millennials are more comfortable with technology and the...
Millennials and Credit: What They Do and How They Can Improve

Why Your Credit Score is About More Than Just Credit Cards

When you think about your credit rating and your credit score, you probably focus on your credit cards and loans. Those forms of credit weigh heavily in whether you have a good or bad credit score. However, some bills and fees that are not credit-based can also impact your score.
Parking or...
Why Your Credit Score is About More Than Just Credit Cards

Don’t Let Your Kids Ruin Your Credit

As your kids get older, you want to teach them the value of credit. What better way to do that than to put them on your card or even co-sign for a card with them? However, you must be careful to protect your own credit.
Beware the Dangers of Signing
Whether you are adding them as an authorized...
Don’t Let Your Kids Ruin Your Credit

Does More Credit Cards Mean a Better Credit Score?

One of the things you hear a lot when you are trying to establish or rebuild credit is to get a credit card. It may not make an immediate impact on your credit score, but it will help over time if you make your payments before the due date.
If One is Good, Two Must be Better
You may be thinking...
Does More Credit Cards Mean a Better Credit Score?

Are Bad Credit Loans a Bad Idea?

You’ve been turned down by every reputable lender for a personal loan. You want to pay off your debts and improve your credit score. The only option you have is to get a bad credit loan. But should you?
When It is Your Only Alternative
A bad credit loan should never be your first choice even if y...
Are Bad Credit Loans a Bad Idea?

4 Ways to Get More Money to Pay Off Debt and Raise Your Credit Score

Other than paying your bills on time, the one thing you can do to raise your credit score the most is pay down your debt. This is especially true of credit card debt since it is revolving debt and credit utilization plays such a big role in your score.
Most people don’t have a lot of extra m...
4 Ways to Get More Money to Pay Off Debt and Raise Your Credit Score

Three Choices for Dealing with Credit Scores

Credit scores can be confusing. So much information is included on a credit report along with codes that it can seem overwhelming. People who have had low credit scores often resort to one of three ways of dealing with them when they don’t understand the reason behind the numbers.
Method #1 – Ig...
Three Choices for Dealing with Credit Scores

The Combined Credit Score: FICO

You’ve probably heard about all kinds of credit scores if you are trying to find out your number or improve your credit rating. You may know that each of the three major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, give you a credit score.
You may even wonder if there is a c...
The Combined Credit Score: FICO

Credit Score Interpretation: Understanding Why It Takes 7 Years to Get Bad Stuff Removed

Most negative information can stay on your credit report for seven years. Have you ever wondered why the magic number is seven and if there is any way around it?
Congress instituted the time for negative data to remain on credit reports back when the Fair Credit Reporting Act was put in place....
Credit Score Interpretation: Understanding Why It Takes 7 Years to Get Bad Stuff Removed

Can You Get a Free Credit Score 3 in 1?

Are you looking for a report that gives you a free credit score from each of the three major credit bureaus? While you can get some variations, it is generally not possible to get all three of your credit scores for free. That’s the short answer. Here is a more in-depth look at getting free c...
Can You Get a Free Credit Score 3 in 1?

Can You Buy the Credit Score You Want?

People today live in a society where you can buy just about anything you want. The idea is that everything comes with a price and if you are willing to pay enough for it, then it can be yours. So, it makes sense to think that buying a credit score would be an option.
The Money Stops Here
Credit...
Can You Buy the Credit Score You Want?

Avoid Credit Mistakes in your 20’s for the Future

If you just graduated college or are even in your mid-20s, you may not yet be thinking about your credit rating. You may not be ready to buy a house now or already have a car loan, so credit is not one of those things you pay attention to. However, you should avoid these common credit mistakes...
Avoid Credit Mistakes in your 20’s for the Future

Can You Hack Your Credit Score?

Are you looking for a fast and easy way to increase your credit score? Maybe you found your dream house but can’t qualify for a mortgage with your current credit score. Maybe you want to get a credit card but have been turned down repeatedly. Whatever the reason, you are hoping to find a way to h...
Can You Hack Your Credit Score?

Credit Score Tracking: Is It a Good Idea?

You may have heard about sites like Credit Karma, Credit Sesame and Quizzle that track your credit scores. Many of them offer free monthly scores while others provide them quarterly. Still other sites charge a monthly fee that can range from just a few dollars to $20 or even $30 a month to track...
Credit Score Tracking: Is It a Good Idea?

How Can You Find Out Your True Credit Score?

You’ve probably heard about all of the different credit scores that you have. You have one score from Experian, another from Equifax and a third one from TransUnion. Not to mention the fact that an insurance company will get a different score than a car lender or mortgage broker would.
With all ...
How Can You Find Out Your True Credit Score?

How Credit Card Utilization Impacts Your Credit Score

Are you trying to figure out the best way to improve your credit score? One way to make a difference quickly is by changing the amount of credit utilization. This can increase your score in as little as 30 days.
What is Credit Utilization?
In basic terms, it is how much of your available credit...
How Credit Card Utilization Impacts Your Credit Score

How to Get a Free Credit Score Yearly

If you have heard about the free annual credit reports that you can get, you may think this is a wonderful way to get your credit score at the same time. Unfortunately, your credit report won’t come with a credit score, but it is still something you should get every year.
Monitor Your Credit
If ...
How to Get a Free Credit Score Yearly

How to Protect Your Credit Score When You Can’t Pay All of Your Bills

The unthinkable happened. You lost your job or needed to take unpaid time off for an illness or other situation. Your hours or your pay was cut. Whatever the cause, you now are left with more bills than what you have in income to pay them. You may not have had a savings account or at least not...
How to Protect Your Credit Score When You Can’t Pay All of Your Bills