Mint.com is Closing: Here are the best Mint alternatives.
Some financial gurus argue that a credit score is really just a debt score. On one level, this perception is correct. Your credit score does have a lot to do with how well you manage debt. But the idea that you must take on debt over the long term in order to build your credit…
If you’re looking for a free way to check your credit score, look no further than three websites. Quizzle.com, CreditKarma.com, and CreditSesame.com each offer free scores. Although they offer similar services, each site has its own nuances and unique perks. But before we get into an analysis of each service, it’s important to understand one…
In a financial sense, you are your credit score! It’s just a reality of life in the 21st century. Lenders, landlords, employers, and even insurance companies will rely on your credit score in determining whether or not to extend credit, lease an apartment, offer a job, or even sell an insurance policy to you. The…
Chase is offering free credit scores and alerts to virtually anyone. It’s available to all current Chase customers, but you can sign up for the service even if you don’t have an account with the bank. The service–Credit Journey–lets you continuously monitor both your credit score and your overall credit. It can be a valuable…
A reader wrote in asking about credit scores. She wanted to understand why the credit score she received from the credit bureaus was different than the score used by her bank. Here’s her question: Q: I enjoy reading your blog. I have one question regarding the credit scores. I checked my credit scores with the…
As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been on a refinancing binge. My wife and I have refinanced our home twice in the last 12 months, and my business partner and I are doing the same with three rental properties. With mortgage rates at an all-time low, these deals were just too good to pass up. And…
Unfortunately, the answer is, “It depends.” It depends on what your credit score is now, and why. And it depends on how much you want to improve your credit score. Serious credit problems — foreclosures, collections records, etc. — will stick to your credit report for seven to 10 years. During that time, you’re not…
Not too long ago, the only way to get your free credit score was to sign up for a seven or 30-day trial. You had to enter your credit card, and if you forgot to cancel the membership, they started charging your card. Today there are several ways to get your credit score for free…
Even small errors on your credit report can cause big problems. A typo in your home address could make it difficult for you to pull a copy of your credit report, for instance. A larger error, such as a creditor misreporting your financial information, could cause more serious issues. This is why it’s essential that…