Credit Articles

Your credit report is a very powerful report that essential controls what you can and cannot do in your life. Unfortunately many people aren't aware of what a credit report actually is and what information is contained on the report. This article b...

Article excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain" TM copyright 2004, all rights reserved, by Eve Abbott, the Organizer Extraordinaire Each year billions of dollars in credit fraud is perpetrated on unsuspecting ci...

Imagine...obtaining credit that's incredibly easy...opening doors of opportunity you never even considered being possible. Credit which will allow you to take the dream vacation of a lifetime, drive luxury cars, dress in the latest fashions, achieve ...

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, collectors are not allowed to disclose a consumers past due debt to anyone other than the debtor and in some cases a spouse. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act would have required collectors to ident...

1. Buy clothes at thrift stores. BEFORE you buy them, however, hold the clothing to the light to make sure there are no tears, check the seams under the arms, make sure the buttons are all there, and don't buy anything that you can't try on. 2. Nev...

For those of us who know how to use them properly, credit cards can actually be quite fun and lucrative. To those who do not know how to use them properly, I would say that you should stop reading this column right about now, or at least I would advi...

Q: I'm opening a gift shop and want to be able to accept credit cards. I talked to the branch manager at my bank, but he didn't seem to know much about how it all worked. He did say that I would need something called "a merchant account" and somet...

Are you thinking of buying a house? Do you want to buy a new car to replace that old wreck? Trying to get insurance on you home, auto, or life? In each of these situations, what's on your credit report will determine if you can get a loan or insuranc...

To reduce or minimize the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft or fraud, there are some basic steps you can take. The most important one is to ask periodically for a copy of your credit report. This is crucial because it is the surest and quic...

The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and Trans Union are similar and feature a "Credit Score", which is created from credit report data submitted to them about you. Their report includes where you live, your bill-paying habits, and bankr...

As a young student I feared getting bad grades because I didn't want any bad marks on my "permanent record." Get an "F" in fifth-grade science and it goes in your record. Act up in Mrs. Brown's class? Yep, it's in your record too. Get caught using a ...

By Federal law, you are entitled to one free credit report per year directly from a credit-reporting agency only if you certify that: 1. You are unemployed and seeking employment in the next 60 days. 2. You are receiving public assistance. 3. You bel...

What are the avenues available to businesses with weak credit profiles or to companies pursuing credit transactions that are perceived as too risky by credit providers? Many companies apply for credit at banks, finance companies or equipment leasing ...

There are no secrets to repairing your credit. Many shady credit repair agencies would love you to think the contrary. Negative items can be removed from your credit report and you can do it yourself. One does not need a credit repair "expert" or "la...

I've got some very important info I want you to think very seriously about. I'm sure by now you've heard of Identity Theft,...heck you may have even been affected by it. I know many of my friends have. But how about what may potentially be even a mor...

Today, credit is an indispensable part of our lives. In order to get the things you need, such as a home or a car, you have to apply for a credit. But you cannot get a credit without having a credit history, and you cannot get a good quality credit w...

#1 Make sure mistakes aren't hurting your credit. Reviewing your credit report can help you avoid costly errors. In one recent study, more than 50% of the credit reports checked contained errors. Other studies have shown similar results with as high...

The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and Trans Union are similar and feature a "Credit Score", which is created from credit report data submitted to them about you. But very often your credit report includes inaccurate, wrong or incomple...

Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the number of identity theft incidents reached 9.9 million in 2003. These crimes are estimated to have taken the average victim $500 and 30 hours to re...

Do you know why you should check your credit report? Of course you do, because you have undoubtedly experienced one working in your life! No matter where you roam, your credit report follows you through life, updating all aspects of your life: your e...

Most of us get a credit card on our name when we go to college or when we are in our senior years of high school and all of us stumble into the same types of difficulties when it comes to finding an issuer and managing the credit card. Most banks ask...

You're probably thinking "Tell me something I don't know" but in this time of low interest rates you might be thinking that you've got a great deal since credit card interest rates are low. Wrong. Credit card companies have a cutoff as to how low t...

The next time you open your credit card statement, take a closer look at the small insert titled "changes to your credit card agreement". You know the one I'm speaking about. It's that small, folded paper written in legalese that you promise to rea...

Your credit score may just be a little number, but it packs a big punch. A poor credit score can keep you from getting a mortgage or a car loan. In addition, your credit score may haunt you for a long time if it suddenly drops. Of course, if you have...

There are many evils associated with credit cards, but there are benefits that are hard to ignore. One benefit is having the credit card company act in your behalf to recover funds from a disputed transaction. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act the ...

Imagine opening your credit card statement one morning and discovering to your horror that you suddenly owe thousands of dollars - on purchases that you never made. Impossible? Credit card fraud on the rise, so you need to treat your card and its inf...

Credit reporting agencies maintain electronic records of your credit activities. Today, there are three major national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. If you are planning on applying for a loan or credit anytime in the near future,...

Credit cards are a great way to make purchases and record to the penny the spending. They also provide a way to postpone payment on items and thereby earn more interest on your money. Credit cards may actually save you money. Some people avoid making...

Cash advance credit cards have been developed to help individuals who find themselves in need of quick loans from time to time, but don't want to pay the exorbitant interest rates and fees that credit cards charge for cash withdrawals. In simple term...

The vast majority of credit card offers you receive are fair and ethical. But there are two things to look out for that some credit card companies have been known to pull on unwary customers. These tactics are perfectly legal, so your only recourse t...