With the year coming to a close soon, the biggest credit news this week is about resolutions for positive money management in 2013 and wrapping up the loose ends from 2012.
The Single Most Important Advice for Better Credit in 2013
You’re going to see a lot of New Year’s resolutions articles in the next few weeks, so we decided to cut through the white noise and give you one essential tip to help you build credit in the new year — be proactive.
The bottom line is that you have to be your own champion to build your credit, because it’s not just a waiting game (although time can help you, too). We offer a few tips to help you know what to do once you resolve to be proactive in 2013.
Getting Last-Minute Gifts Without Going in Debt
If you haven’t done your holiday shopping yet, don’t panic. You might have missed out on things like Free Shipping Day, which allows you to save some cash while shopping online, but there are still plenty of ways to save some cash on last-minute gifts.
Changing your perception of how to budget for these last-minute finds is the key to success. Charisse Conanan suggests lowering your budget on each of the gifts you need to get. After all, the people on your list are more likely to appreciate a thoughtful gift than one that costs $10 more.
@smarteys @CharisseAmanda @CreditExperts
Secondhand Smoke in Apartment Buildings: Can You Make Your Neighbor Stop Puffing Inside?
Our friends at AOL Real Estate are great at writing articles about consumer protections for homeowners and renters and this piece is another one to add to the list.
Not only do you have legal recourse if a neighbor’s smoking habit is impeding on your apartment’s air quality, but there are a few things you can do beforehand to prevent the situation from escalating to a legal issue. You can work to limit the amount of smoke entering your apartment by making sure outlets and light fixtures are airtight, and try to get building management to work with you on pushing the issue with your neighbors as well.
Image: NS Newsflash, via Flickr
Kali Geldis Kali Geldis is Credit.com's Deputy Managing Editor. She writes about a wide range of personal finance and credit topics. She previously ran MainStreet.com, the personal finance website powered by TheStreet. She has also worked for The Wall Street Journal as a Dow Jones Newspaper Fund intern and at The Huntington Herald-Dispatch as a reporter.
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