Is Your Credit Ready for the Holidays?

Credit often becomes even more important or a bigger hindrance around the holidays. It can either make your holidays better because you can spend more, or it can limit how much you have to spend if you have bad credit or none at all. Here are some ways to make sure your credit is ready for this...
Is Your Credit Ready for the Holidays?

Why Your Credit Score Matters If You’re a College Student

[Y]ou don’t have much money and any you do have goes towards paying your college expenses. You may wonder why a credit score even matters at this stage of your life. If you haven’t given it much thought before, you need to become aware of it now.
Your Future Depends On It
Your credit rating...
Why Your Credit Score Matters If You’re a College Student

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

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

3 Things to Consider When Buying a Car

[B]uying a car is a major investment. It can be fun, especially when you see all of the new features and systems that are available. However, it should also be a serious decision that you make after considering the following three things.
1. Your Credit
If you have good credit, you’ll find it...
3 Things to Consider When Buying a Car

How Many Credit Cards Should You Have?

[A]pply for your first credit card and get approved, and you’ll start a trend. Pretty soon, credit card companies will be sending you offers almost every day. What seems like a good idea of applying for a new card will quickly become a problem. With fantastic rates, great rewards and cute d...
How Many Credit Cards Should You Have?

What to Consider When Buying a Home

[Y]ou’ve finally made it. You have what it takes to get approved for financing and can get a home loan. Before you start shopping for your dream place, you have several things to consider to ensure no buyer’s regret.
How Much Can You Afford?
Sure, you got approved for a certain amount of fin...
What to Consider When Buying a Home

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?

Big Changes Coming to Credit Reports

[I]f you have a bad credit score, you may benefit from the changes coming to credit reports soon. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ll see your credit score improve. In fact, it is expected that up to seven percent of those who have credit histories could see a benefit.
What Changes
Most civ...
Big Changes Coming to Credit Reports

3 Ways Credit Matters to Everyone

[Y]ou pay everything with cash. Your motto is “If I can’t pay cash, I can’t afford it.” That means no credit ever. You may assume that you don’t need to worry about your credit score if you don’t plan to use credit to buy anything. Unfortunately, credit isn’t just about loans and credit cards. A ...
3 Ways Credit Matters to Everyone

4 Steps to Improve Your Credit

[F]or people with bad credit, they are often looking for the easiest or best ways to improve their credit scores. While the quick-fix schemes promised by some companies don’t really work, there are some steps you can take on your own. You won’t see an improvement overnight, but your credit score ...
4 Steps to Improve Your Credit

Spend Money Wisely to Save

[M]ost experts tell you to save money if you want to have more. While this is worthwhile advice for most situations, there are times when you should spend money to save more in the long run.
Buying a Car
One prime example is with buying a car. If you spend more money now to pay cash for a...
Spend Money Wisely to Save

Why Do Employers Look at Your Credit Report?

[I]f you’ve applied for a job, you may have been asked to provide authorization for the potential employer to look at your credit report. While you signed it just to be considered for the job, you may wonder why they need to know about your credit history. What are employers looking at when they ...
Why Do Employers Look at Your Credit Report?

Do Creditors Look Past Your Credit Score?

[Y]ou hear all about the minimum credit score needed to get a credit card or loan. It seems like this one magic number seals your fate. You wonder if creditors or lenders even look at the information in your credit report or if they just use that number to get a decision for your...
Do Creditors Look Past Your Credit Score?

How a Credit Card Can Help You Build Credit

[A]fter the recession of 2008, more people have become conscious of debt. Some of them have decided to give up using credit cards or other forms of credit in favor of a cash-only approach. While this is a good idea for people with bad spending habits or those who have a tendency to live beyond...
How a Credit Card Can Help You Build Credit

Why Living at Home May Boost Your Credit Score

[M]any Millennials have either continued living with their parents or moved back in with them. Other generations have also become multigenerational households for one reason or another. This living arrangement offers a great advantage for anyone hoping to establish or rebuild their credit.
A...
Why Living at Home May Boost Your Credit Score

How Not Having Health Insurance Can Damage Your Credit

[F]or many, health insurance is a cost they can’t afford. Premiums have gone up and co-pays are often higher as well as deductibles. If you have decided that you just can’t have health insurance, be aware of what it may really cost you.

Major Health Issues
As long as you are healthy, not having ...
How Not Having Health Insurance Can Damage Your Credit

Creative Ways to Earn More Money and Pay Off Debt

[I]f you already work a second job or have kids and no option to take on part-time work, you may wonder how you will ever be able to pay off debt and improve your credit rating. Fortunately, there are ways you can earn money even when you don’t have time to fit in another job.
1. Invest
It d...
Creative Ways to Earn More Money and Pay Off Debt

3 ideas to Help You Pay Down Debt without a Second Job

[D]ebt is something most people have but very few want. Credit card debt and medical bills are especially detrimental to a person’s life and credit rating. For many, they take on a second job and devote the income to paying off debt. However, if this isn’t an option for you, there are still ways ...
3 ideas to Help You Pay Down Debt without a Second Job

Good Debt vs. Bad Debt

[Y]ou’ve probably heard the term “good debt” or “bad debt” and you may even have an idea what it means. However, you may not always recognize the difference between the two. It’s important to understand this distinction, so you can build good credit and become financially stable.
What is Good Deb...
Good Debt vs. Bad Debt