In the modern world, almost everyone holds a credit card. Reportedly, 7 in 10 American’s have at least one credit card and there are 364 million open credit card accounts in the U.S. as of November 2018. The reach and popularity of credit cards have made it a major target of fraudsters out there. Many [...]
The process of buying a home can be overwhelming—especially if it’s your first time. You want to make sure you’re getting the best house at the best value, but without prior experience, how can you really know? Here are some helpful pointers for first-time homebuyers: 1. Avoid making large purchases before you apply for your [...]
1. Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals Saving tends to be easier when you have a certain purpose in mind: Saving for your first house, your retirement at a certain age, a child’s college education, or even a trip around the world. The important thing is for your goals to be specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and time-bound, or [...]
In its most basic sense, credit means having the use of something before you pay for it. This ability to borrow adds flexibility to planning and makes it possible to pay for expensive items over a period of time. There are many types of credit that you can choose from, and each has its own [...]
Finally, after all that looking, you’ve found the perfect home and are ready to make an offer. Everything is in order – almost. At the last minute, you discover that your credit report contains incorrect information. Errors have negatively impacted your score to the extent that you can’t qualify for an ideal mortgage. Don’t worry, [...]
First thing’s first: there is no magic solution to raising your credit score overnight. If you have a low score due to, say, bankruptcy (which can affect your credit for up to seven years), boosting it requires a long-term plan of consistent on-time payments and other responsible credit practices. However, a low score due to [...]
If you are among the millions of Americans who have not yet used traditional forms of credit, you may think you have to turn to expensive sub-prime lending institutions in order to borrow money. Without a history of using credit cards or loans, you won’t have a traditional credit score – which most financial institutions [...]
Credit scores have a major impact on our financial lives. Lenders and other organizations rely on these numerical “grades” to make objective and accurate business decisions. Good scores enable you to borrow money easily and with attractive interest rates, while poor scores result in high-interest loans and lines of credit – or being denied the [...]
If you are familiar with the way credit scoring works, you probably know that avoiding being “maxed out” on your credit cards and other revolving accounts generally impacts your score in a positive way. You might also be aware that the FICO score – the most popular model – dedicates 30% of its score calculation [...]
Credit cards are a powerful financial tool. If you use them wisely, they will help you achieve your financial goals. But as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. Abuse them and you will find yourself in a world of financial hurt. If you recently got your first credit card, here are nine [...]
Credit cards are a powerful financial tool. If you use them wisely, they will help you achieve your financial goals. But as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. Abuse them and you will find yourself in a world of financial hurt. If you recently got your first credit card, here are nine [...]
So you’ve set a budget and it looks perfect on paper. You established different spending categories and set what seems like reasonable limits. Yet somehow it just doesn’t work out month after month. Sound familiar? The first thing to do is double-check that your budget is reasonable given factors like income and goals. But if [...]
You probably have plenty to do at the end of the year, from holiday parties to family visits. Even so, it is a good idea to set aside time for financial planning. The money moves you make at the end of the year can have an impact that lasts well into the new year and [...]
When it comes to spring cleaning, most people target their homes. And while it’s always a good idea to reduce clutter and clean up, don’t forget to refresh your finances as well. That’s right, it’s time to scrub away bad financial habits and dust off your savings goals. Check out these nine ways to review [...]
Sports fans have Super Bowl Week. Aquatic predator enthusiasts have TV’s Shark Week. But what about those who revel in discovering the crags and corners where hidden savings dwell? If you fall into this group, you don’t have to feel left out of the 7-day celebrations, because now there is Plan Savings Week! What It [...]
One of the most important gifts you can give your children is an understanding of how to manage money. We all want our kids to be financially savvy adults one day, but it’s become increasingly difficult in today’s swag culture. Here are some things you can do to ensure your child grows up with a [...]
If you’re not used to reading them, credit reports can make about as much sense as a restaurant menu printed in a foreign language. At least in a restaurant, you can point to what someone else is having. But if you don’t know how to read your credit file, you could make mistakes that could [...]
Preparing financially for retirement for many people is a shot in the dark: just save as much as you can and hope it’s enough. It’s understandable that people take that view. After all, it can feel like there are too many variables to even get a grip on. How do you know how much money [...]
