What You Should Know about Credit and Car Insurance

[I]f you have poor credit, you probably know it will impact your ability to get a credit card or loan. However, it can also influence how much you will pay for car insurance. The connection between credit rating and car insurance may seem odd to consumers, but it is an essential combination for...
What You Should Know about Credit and Car Insurance

What You Need to Know about Disputing Information on Your Credit Report

[I]f you check your credit reports, there is a good chance that you might find an error. Statistics show that one in five credit reports contain errors. That’s not good news for consumers who rely on credit reports for new credit and loans. However, you can dispute any errors and get them...
What You Need to Know about Disputing Information on Your Credit Report

What You Must Consider about Consolidating Debt

[Y]ou have a hard time keeping track of the bills you have to pay. With multiple credit cards and more than one loan, it’s a wonder you keep it all straight. You may wonder if a debt consolidation loan is right for you. Before you go this route and try to find a way to consolidate your loans,...
What You Must Consider about Consolidating Debt

Understanding What Charged-off Means

[I]f you’ve looked at your credit report recently, you may have noticed that an account says Charged Off. You may not be sure what that means for you and for your credit score. It’s an important term you should understand to help you improve your credit score.
A creditor will charge off your...
Understanding What Charged-off Means

Why You Should Change the Due Dates on Your Bills

[Y]ou open up the credit card statement only to see another $30 late payment fee assessed. Ugh! You can’t believe you forgot to make a payment on time again. In between running the kids to daycare or school, meeting with clients and taking care of errands on the weekends, some things just get...
Why You Should Change the Due Dates on Your Bills

What Can You Do with Bad Credit?

You always hear about all of the things you can’t do when you have bad credit. You can’t get a home loan and maybe not even a car loan. You usually can’t get a credit card and you may get turned down for rental housing with bad credit.
Having bad credit isn’t a good situation to be in. You have ...
What Can You Do with Bad Credit?

Starting Over from Bad Credit

[Y]ou hit rock bottom with your credit. All of your accounts went to collections and your car was repossessed. You don’t even want to check your credit score because you know it’s bad. While the situation might seem hopeless, you can turn it around. Once you’ve lost any credit worthiness, you are...
Starting Over from Bad Credit

What You Need to Know about Bad Credit Personal Loans

[G]etting a personal loan is an option when you need money for an unexpected expense, to make a purchase or for other expenses. Some people use it to finance a vacation, wedding or other event. However, if you have bad credit, it can be difficult to qualify for one of these loans.
Luckily, there...
What You Need to Know about Bad Credit Personal Loans

Why Credit Scores Matter and What They Mean

[Y]ou hear a lot about credit scores when you’re applying for a loan or credit card. You may also hear about good credit and bad credit when you get insurance or rent a vehicle or apartment. With all of this hype about credit scores, why do they matter so much?
A Picture of a Moment in Time
Your ...
Why Credit Scores Matter and What They Mean

How to Take a Vacation with Little Money and Bad Credit

[I]t’s getting about the time of year when people start planning their summer vacation. If you’re stuck in a dead-end job and have a bad credit history, you may think taking a vacation is just a pipe dream. However, it is still possible to enjoy a short trip, and it’s better not to charge every...
How to Take a Vacation with Little Money and Bad Credit

Things You Should Know If You Must Deal with a Debt Collector

[I]f you have an outstanding debt that you are currently unable to pay, it can be scary to deal with the agency trying to collect. Before you contact them or toss the bill aside, there are some things you should know.
Debts do Expire
You cannot be legally bound by a debt that is past the...
Things You Should Know If You Must Deal with a Debt Collector

How to Use Your Tax Refund to Improve Your Bad Credit

[W]hen a person has bad credit, it can seem impossible to improve it. Usually, you have bills you can’t pay and your job is barely making ends meet. When you get that tax refund, you may be tempted to use it for something special or to replace or repair something that’s broken, but you can also u...
How to Use Your Tax Refund to Improve Your Bad Credit

Reasons Not to Get a Credit Card with Bad Credit

[Y]ou’ve probably heard that there are credit cards for people with any credit, bad credit, no credit at all. For most, they can qualify for some kind of credit card even if their credit score is below 600. However, just because you can qualify for a credit card, should you get one?
You Can’t Han...
Reasons Not to Get a Credit Card with Bad Credit

Top Credit Cards for Bad Credit

[I]f you have bad credit or less than excellent credit, you may have trouble finding a credit card offer where you can get approved. However, there are credit cards designed for people who have a negative history to help them rebuild their credit. Here are a few to consider.
Credit One...
Top Credit Cards for Bad Credit

How to Tell If You are Spending Too Much

[S]hopping can be fun, especially if it’s for items you want more than need. There’s nothing wrong with taking a few dollars out of your paycheck to do something nice for yourself. However, for many, they end up spending too much and staying in a vicious cycle of debt. Here are a few ways to tel...
How to Tell If You are Spending Too Much

Can Bad Credit be Repaired in 30 Days?

[I]n theory, the answer to this question is “yes.” If you dispute an item on your credit report and the error is fixed, your credit could improve quickly. Even if the creditor refuses to respond in 30 days, the item can be removed. You could see your credit score go up as a result.
The reality of...
Can Bad Credit be Repaired in 30 Days?

Can You Lease a Car with Bad Credit?

[L]easing a car instead of buying one is attractive to people for several reasons. You can trade it in when the lease is up, ensuring you drive a newer car all of the time. Monthly payments are usually lower with a lease than with a purchase. Plus, you don’t have to worry about trading it in w...
Can You Lease a Car with Bad Credit?

Bad Credit Doesn’t Last Forever

[A]t least it doesn’t have to if you learn from previous behavior. Rather it was the result of poor choices or an unfortunate event, you don’t have to pay for credit mistakes for the rest of your life.
A study from VantageScore Solutions shows that credit scores can improve over time. How long? ...
Bad Credit Doesn’t Last Forever

Do Men or Women Have Higher Credit Scores?

[A] survey conducted recently shows that women have higher credit scores than men on average. A survey conducted by Experian, a credit reporting agency, showed that women had an average score of 675 over men’s average score of 670. The survey included 750,000 people.
According to the agency, a...
Do Men or Women Have Higher Credit Scores?

Does Your Credit Score Tell Who You’ll Vote For?

[A]nalysts use all kinds of indicators to measure the likelihood of who a person will vote for in the Presidential election. Why not consider credit scores? Do people with higher credit scores vote for one party or one candidate over another? Just as age, location and other factors are used to...
Does Your Credit Score Tell Who You’ll Vote For?