Installment credit brings several benefits including payments that never change and the chance to increase your credit score I often like to use the analogy that debt is a tool to either build something spectacular or to smash things up really badly. Just like there are different types of hammers that are used for specific needs, there are different types of debt for specific needs. Trying … [Read more...]
16 Worst Debt Mistakes to Ruin Your Financial Life
Getting in debt isn’t the end of the world but these worst debt mistakes could ruin your financial future Everyone gets into a little debt sometime in their life. The average American household owes $16,000 in credit card debt and over $132,500 when you include mortgage loans. Debt is a financial tool. Like using a hammer, it can be used to build something you couldn’t otherwise. Use it … [Read more...]
Surprising Facts about Bad Credit that Put You in Control
These surprising facts about credit will help you be a smarter consumer of debt and increase your FICO score Despite what Dunkin Donuts would like you to believe, America runs on credit rather than deep-fried donuts. Americans hold $9.1 trillion in debt they used to buy a home and $1.4 trillion to pay for education. They used $1.2 trillion in credit to move themselves around and charged more … [Read more...]
5 Experts Help You Take Control of Your FICO Fast
Credit experts share their top tips for taking control of your FICO score and boosting your credit fast Sometimes it feels like you have no control over your financial life, like you can’t seem to get on top no matter what you do. It can be extremely frustrating and this feeling of helplessness is one of the biggest reasons people fail at budgeting and reaching their financial goals. At the … [Read more...]
Guide to Credit Cards: 5 Sneaky Ways Credit Cards Get You to Overspend
Credit card companies have $25 billion reasons to get you to overspend. Use this guide to credit cards to understand all the sneaky ways they do it. Visa and Mastercard booked $25.9 billion in revenue last year. That’s money moved from your pocket to theirs through interest, annual fees and other charges. And that’s just the top two credit card companies. The industry books hundreds of … [Read more...]