What You Should Know about Experian

[E]xperian is one of the three major credit reporting agencies for the US. It is the newest, formed in 1996. It also happens to be the biggest of the three with around 220 million consumers included and 25 million businesses.
What Experian Does
Just like with the other two credit reporting...
What You Should Know about Experian

How to Talk to a Boyfriend/Girlfriend about Their Credit Rating

[I]f you’ve been dating someone for a while, you may be getting serious. Before you start dreaming about the perfect wedding day or what life will be like with 2.5 kids and a dog, you need to know you’re on the same page about important issues.
While many people think nothing of talking about ho...
How to Talk to a Boyfriend/Girlfriend about Their Credit Rating

5 Summer Expenses that Can Break a Family Budget

[S]ummer is often considered a time for fun and relaxation. Warm weather, long days and plenty of activities equal an exciting few months. However, for those on a budget, it can also mean more debt or feeling left out if they can’t enjoy their favorite activities. Here are six things you might e...
5 Summer Expenses that Can Break a Family Budget

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

How to Protect Your Ability to Get a Mortgage

[I]f you have been shopping for a home or just learning about what it takes to get a home loan, you probably already know the importance of a good credit history. Along with this important piece of the puzzle are other factors that you want to consider.
Inconsistent Income
While you may average...
How to Protect Your Ability to Get a Mortgage

What is the Most Important Thing to Know About Your Credit?

You will read a lot of information about credit history, credit scores and credit reports if you are working on improving your credit. Some of this information will be accurate while some will be incorrect. It can all get overwhelming and confusing. It may be easier to narrow it down to the most...
What is the Most Important Thing to Know About Your Credit?

Embarrassing and Frustrating Situations for People with Bad Credit Scores

There are a few common themes for many people with bad credit scores who want to make changes. They often find themselves in embarrassing or frustrating situations with no idea of what to do or where to turn.
When You Have More Debt than You Can Pay
This often happens when people take on too...
Embarrassing and Frustrating Situations for People with Bad Credit Scores

How Much will a Credit Inquiry Hurt Your Credit Score?

When you are shopping around for a new car or buying a home, you may consult with multiple lenders. They will run your credit to see if you qualify. Those inquiries will impact your credit score. The question on many people’s minds is by how much.
A Single Inquiry
When you permit a lender...
How Much will a Credit Inquiry Hurt Your Credit Score?

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?

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?

Special Credit Scores that Impact Your Life

You know that credit scores are used to predict your likelihood of repaying a loan or paying off any credit obligations such as a credit card. Did you know that there are other types of scores that use nontraditional information to make certain determinations?
These are secret scores that may...
Special Credit Scores that Impact Your Life

Are You Doomed to Have Bad Credit Forever?

Miss one payment by 30 days and watch your credit score sink like a rock. Work hard to pay your bills on time from that time forward and it seems like your score creeps back up. If you have multiple negative accounts from the past on your record, it only compounds the problem. It may seem like...
Are You Doomed to Have Bad Credit Forever?

Is One Credit Card All You Need If You are a College Student?

College students can benefit from having a credit card before they graduate. It helps them establish a credit history that they will need to rent an apartment or buy a car. In addition, it will help them in the future when they want to buy a home if they have a long and positive history of...
Is One Credit Card All You Need If You are a College Student?

What You Should Know about Being an Authorized User to Protect Your Credit Score

One of the best ways to improve a low credit score is to become an authorized user on someone else’s account. If they have an excellent credit history, this will help your credit score to rise. However, there are things both parties need to be aware of before taking this action.
The...
What You Should Know about Being an Authorized User to Protect Your Credit Score