Have you had a rough patch in your financial life? Or maybe you’re trying to position yourself to get the lowest possible rate on a mortgage or even a new job. For whatever reason, you may be like one of the many people I speak to on our Financial Helpline and Ask a Planner sessions who are trying to improve their credit. If so, here are some steps you can take: Continue reading “8 Steps to Improve Your Credit Score”
Are you dealing with a challenging financial issue? Whether it’s a decision you need to make or a mess you need to get out of, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) exists to help. Its mission is “To make markets for consumer financial products and services work for Americans – whether they are applying for a mortgage, choosing among credit cards, or using any number of other consumer financial products.” How can the CFPB help you? Continue reading “4 Ways The CFPB Can Help You With Financial Issues”
When I sit down to talk with someone about their finances, I get the basic information about how they are positioned in various areas of life such as age, kids, income, 401k contribution percentage and balance, other investments, rent/mortgage, other debts, etc…the standard questions a financial planner asks to quickly assess a situation. Something that is more common than I’d like it to be is hearing about the way people “manage” their debt load. When I read this article about credit card addiction, it really struck a chord with me. I have heard each of the 10 behaviors that indicate a potential problem with credit cards…recently. Actually, I’ve heard all of them in just the last week. Continue reading “You Might Be A Credit Card Addict If…”
One of two things hold you back from better credit — inaction or the wrong action. So it’s either time to start doing or to start doing it right. Here are 11 ways to do that: Continue reading “11 Ways To Boost Your Credit Score”
I recently saw someone with a cell phone case that doubled as a sort of wallet. It had an opening to keep cards and cash so everything you need is in one place. At first, that seemed pretty neat. Who wouldn’t want to simplify their life?
Did you make any financial New Year’s resolutions this year? According to Fidelity, approximately 54% of Americans planned on making one this year. Whether you avoid making New Year’s resolutions or embrace the challenge of making financial changes in the New Year, we all have financial goals that require some attention. Continue reading “7 Ways to Blow Your New Year’s Resolutions”
One of the reasons New Year’s resolutions do not work is that they’re too general. Lose weight, for instance, tops the list every year. But without some specific, absolutely doable action tied to the resolution, it feels out of reach and, in turn, is quickly abandoned. Continue reading “5 Focused Resolutions For Better Credit In 2014: Which One Is Right For You?”
Have you ever paid for a service with a credit card and just weren’t satisfied? Or bought something and found yourself unable to return it because of some obscure policy? If your answer to either of these questions is “yes,” take solace in the fact that you’ve got some recourse. As long as you made your purchase with a credit card that provides a dispute process – which almost all do – you may have a way to get your money back. However, there’s a right way and a wrong way to engage this process. To learn more about how to properly dispute your credit card purchases, read on. Continue reading “How to Dispute a Credit Card Purchase”
I recently received an email from a friend asking for a suggestion for a new cash back rewards card. Credit card debt can be a dangerous thing but as long as you pay off the balance in full each month, getting cash back is a great perk to using credit cards. I especially like cash back as a reward because of the simplicity and flexibility it offers versus miles and other types of rewards. Without further ado, here are the best ones I’ve found: Continue reading “The 5 Most Rewarding Cash Back Credit Cards”
This summer, you’re going to be inundated with credit card rewards offers. From your TV to your computer and especially your mailbox, avoiding these offers is going to be next to impossible. But here’s the question you should ask yourself: how “worth it” are rewards anyway? Continue reading “How “Worth It” Are Credit Card Rewards Anyway?”
We all know that the livin’s easy in the summertime, but it’s also true that it can get pretty expensive. From vacationing to purchasing wedding gifts, summer road trips and everyday livin’, no season is more fun – and quite possibly more frivolous – than the summertime in your 20s. Frugal summer living doesn’t have to mean dirt-cheap living; it simply means being smart and stashing some cash away for the future. (Think of yourself as the squirrel putting away nuts in preparation for the cold season … or don’t.) Continue reading “5 Summer Tips to Help 20-Somethings Stay Frugal”
Wow! Sometimes words can’t adequately express just how awestruck (and not always in a good way) I am when I read about the financial choices that some people make. When that happens, all I can say is “Wow!” And this story definitely has me Wowing… 
Continue reading “Financial Progress Comes From Changing Our Behavior”
Ahh, the allure of a credit card sign-up bonus: $100 cash back here, 30,000 bonus miles there. Sounds like a pretty good deal, right? Well, that depends on your budget and how you plan on using your new card. Continue reading “Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses: Good Idea or Bad Idea?”
It was April 1st so I hoped that it was just an April Fool’s joke. I was at the grocery store checkout and reached for the credit card that I generally use for groceries but it was nowhere to be found. After paying with a different card, I called the credit card company to see when the last transaction was. Fortunately, it was at the restaurant where I had lunch that day so no one else had used it. After putting a temporary hold on my credit card, calling the restaurant and everywhere I had been afterwards and searching my home and car, I had to accept that it was gone and cancel the card. Continue reading “Dude, Where’s My Card?”
As though we needed a new reason not to use credit cards, this week a recent settlement between retailers and banks may end up costing consumers at the checkout counter. That’s because as of last Sunday, January 27th, merchants are allowed to charge up to an additional 4% on purchases when consumers use a credit card at the time of purchase. Continue reading “Another Reason to Cut Up Your Credit Card”
Yes, these methods are guaranteed to improve your credit score rating. There are no gimmicks, no shortcuts, just tried and tested means that work. And they don’t cost you a thing! Continue reading “5 Flawless Ways to Improve your Credit Score Rating”
Now that Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed, you may think that the good deals are gone as well. Fortunately, this just isn’t the case. While it’s true that steep discounts are to be had on those famous shopping days, plenty of items are still discounted both online and at the mall. They may not be advertised as loudly, but with a little effort, the remaining deals aren’t that hard to find. Continue reading “5 Ways to Save on Christmas Shopping After Black Friday”
I read this article about the increasing number of “bounce house” injuries and at first I thought it might have been a hoax. But then I remembered a bunch of kids’ birthday parties that I’ve attended and if my memory serves me correctly (and that’s not always such a sure thing!), there has been at least 1 injury at each party. One was particularly memorable because it was one of my good friends who was in the bounce house with her son and his head collided with her lower lip. A whole lot of paper towels and a few stitches later, she had a fat lip for over a week. Her son, to this day, jokes with her about the time he nearly knocked her out and made her go to the hospital. (It was an urgent care center but he likes to embellish a little bit for an audience.) Everyone loves the idea of a bounce house. Not everyone loves the end result of jumping around in one. They may look wonderful, but it isn’t all a 100% pure joy. Continue reading “How Some Financial Decisions Are Like Bounce Houses”
One of the things that I believe is that one of the best ways to learn how to do something well is to learn from someone who is already doing that thing very well. It’s a long established tradition. When we want to improve our golf game, we get lessons from a pro. When we want to make progress in our fitness levels, we can work with a personal trainer. When we want to create a new dinner, we can turn on the Food Network and, after salivating because of the absolutely amazing way that some of the dishes are prepared, find a new dish to put on your dinner table. This concept can be translated directly into the financial world and recently it has. This article from FICO talks about the habits of those with credit scores over 785, which places them in the top 25% of all credit scores. Continue reading “What We Can Learn From the Top 25% of Credit Scorers”
My son is frustrated and I think probably a bit mad at me (but he didn’t come out and say that). He just graduated from college and found out he has a credit score of 587. That is a terrible score but then again, as I told him, he is a terrible credit risk. Why should he have a good score? He just graduated, moved to a new city and got his first paycheck. What bank would take a chance on him? Continue reading “Help Your Child Establish Credit Early”
