“How important is your credit score?” That question was posed to me recently as I stood onstage after delivering a presentation on how to optimize your credit to a group of some 500 women for the annual Women’s Money Conference in Las Vegas. I only had a few moments to summarize the importance of credit… Read More

You may not even realize the impact bad credit has on your life, but if you take a close look, you’ll see that it is likely costing you money, time and even relationships. In the Old Testament, the people of Egypt suffered 10 plagues because Pharaoh wouldn’t allow Moses to lead his enslaved people away…. Read More

In the spring, snow melts and flowers bloom and many people take time off for a little vacation. Regardless of whether your preferred vacation spot is just around the corner or on the other side of the globe, you might be surprised to discover that your sunscreen can keep you from buying a car this… Read More

If you have bad credit or no credit, the thought of a lender looking at your credit is probably a little unnerving; sometimes terrifying is the word. But not all lenders require you to have stellar credit to get a loan. And a few won’t even check your credit reports or scores. Here are five… Read More

Bad credit is something you don’t want associated with your finances. Unfortunately, you may have less than stellar credit at some point in your life. Credit scores represent a person’s credit worthiness, designed to show a lending institution who is a good investment, and who is… not so much. Banks believe that credit scores —… Read More

Are you trying to rebuild your credit? Fingerhut, an online retailer, says it wants to help with its FreshStart program, a new twist on the old “catalog card” offers that have come and gone over the years. Designed for customers who have been turned down for Fingerhut’s credit card, it gives customers a second shot… Read More

After years of economic turmoil faced by millions of Americans, a large number of consumers now have new attitudes toward the kinds of financial missteps that can land borrowers in credit trouble, including strategic defaults. A sizable amount of Americans now consider it socially acceptable to have a low credit score or strategically default on… Read More

It’s been a rough several years, and while the employment outlook is slowly turning hopeful, those who’ve been through hell and back because of unemployment and underemployment, not to mention the economic body blows they’ve taken along the way, may find that they’re still at a competitive disadvantage for the jobs they want because of… Read More

Melissa was about to try and live the American Dream. Eager to buy a house, she applied for a pre-approved bank loan only to discover that an old unpaid bill that she resolved two years ago is still lingering on her credit report. That’s dragging down her score. And she’s getting desperate. “I can’t buy… Read More

Once burned, twice shy doesn’t seem to apply to those who were burned by the housing downturn. Even those who lost their homes to bankruptcy or foreclosure in the past few years are often eager to take advantage of lower housing prices and ultra-low interest rates available now. The question they often ask us is,… Read More