Tips for Improving Your Credit Score Some More

Yesterday, I started my post on 5 Tips for Improving Your Credit ScoreScore. Since I was including a lot of great information, the post got a little long and unwieldy. So I’ve split it into two days’ of reading.

Here are the last of the five tips on “Ways to Improve Your Credit Score”. Starting with number 3…

3. Understand how your credit score is determined.

Your credit score is usually based on the answers to these questions:

** Do you pay your bills on time? It’s very important how you answer this question. For instance, if you have paid bills late, have had an account referred to a collection agency, or have ever declared bankruptcy, this history will show up in your credit report.

** What is your outstanding debt? Many scoring models compare the amount of debt you have and your credit limits. If the amount you owe is close to your credit limit, it is likely to have a negative effect on your score.

** How long is your credit history? A short credit history may have a negative effect on your score, but a short history can be offset by other factors, such as timely payments and low balances.

** Have you recently applied for new credit? If you have applied for too many new accounts recently, that may negatively affect your score. But if you request a copy of your own credit report, or creditors are monitoring your account or looking at credit reports to make pre-screened credit offers, these inquiries about your credit history are not counted as applications for credit.

** How many and what types of credit accounts do you have? Many credit-scoring models consider the number and type of credit accounts you have. A mix of installment loans and credit cards may improve your score. However, too many finance company accounts or credit cards might hurt your score.

Visit the Federal Trade Commission’s publication on credit scoring at their Web site.

4. Learn the legal steps you must take to improve your credit report.

The Federal Trade Commission’s “Building a Better Credit Report” has information on correcting errors in your report, tips on dealing with debt and avoiding scams—and more.

5. Beware of credit-repair scams.

Sometimes doing it yourself is the best way to repair your credit. The Federal Trade Commission’s “Credit Repair: Self-Help May Be Best” explains how you can improve your creditworthiness and lists legitimate resources for low-cost or no-cost help.

Now, if by some chance you missed yesterday’s post with the beginning two tips, all you need to do is to scroll down below this post and read away! Or, you may just want to click to here and here for more interesting and helpful reading right here at this site.

Yours In Improving Your Credit Score”

5 Tips For Improving Your Credit Score

I’ve been a little missing this last almost week because I’ve had to send my computer to the “Infirmary” and then get my files “restored” from my online backup and onto my new computer.

That takes a really long time y’all!

So, I’m back now…almost up to par computer-wise, and ready to again begin posting here regularly.

Rummaging through my “dump” files, I found the following information about Credit Scores and figuring it all out, that might interest you, So, here goes…:5 tips to help improve your credit score.

With all 5 tips included, it’s a pretty long missive so I’m going to do you all a favor and break this up into two days of reading.

Is your credit score in the low 600’s? Do you even know what your credit score is?

1. Get copies of your credit report —then make sure the information is correct.

You can do this by going to the Annual Credit Report Web site. This is the only authorized online source for a free credit report. Under federal law, you can get a free report from each of the three national credit reporting companies every 12 months.

You can also call 877-322-8228 or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) web site and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

2. Pay your bills on time.

One of the most important things you can do to improve your credit score is to pay your bills by the due date. If you want, you can set up automatic payments from your bank account to help you pay on time, BUT be sure you have enough money in your account to avoid overdraft fees.

And there you go; you’ve got two really great tips under your belt.

So stop back here tomorrow about this time to finish reading about improving your credit score.

Yours In Improving Your Credit Score,

3 More Healthy Eating Weight Loss Tips

Were you here yesterday?

If you were, you’ve already read our 2 tips for healthy eating connecting your weight loss. If you missed them, I’ll wait until you get caught up.

Here are the three tips that accompany the two from yesterday:

Tip # 3 ~ Walk or take the stairs instead of an elevator. This is a terrific weight loss exercise you don’t even notice the extra effort. Something as simple as a few extra steps every day can go a long way where weight loss is concerned.

Such as, the next time you go to the store, park in the middle of the parking lot and walk to the store. Avoid parking in the closest spot to the door, which is tempting, but opt to walk instead.

Tip # 4 ~ You don’t necessarily have to cut out all of your favorite foods, but you should eat them in moderation. There is no single food that will completely hinder your weight loss attempt but, if consumed excessively, it may.

For instance, simply limit your intake to one candy bar or, if you are being really careful, a miniature candy. There is no reason to cut out your favorite food when a conservative amount of the things you love can still have a place in your life, including during the times that you are focusing on weight loss.

Tip # 5 ~ Whatever your exercise routine, set aside a certain time each day to do it. Individuals who set a routine are much more likely to stay with it and find success than those who simply exercise whenever they have time.

The goal to successful weight loss is to make time.

Or, you may simply go online here —->>>> to pick from one of the many FITNESS selections to help speed along your healthy eating weight loss.

Yours in fitness,

Note: These tips are intended to be used for informational purposes only. They are not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or a doctor’s recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

Healthy Tips To Weight Loss

Are you like a lot of us… caught up in the fascination with weight loss; some for health reasons and others for cosmetic?

No matter the reason, many people try harsh diets that never work, extreme exercise regimens that result in injuries or other weight loss programs that end without success. The reason that none of these weight loss methods seems to work is because in order to stay with a program, you have to enjoy it. Not only that, but it has to be safe as well.

Below are 2 genuine tips to weight loss, which almost anyone can do without tossing out their favorite food or spending every spare minute in the gym.

Realistically, any weight loss program will take time. If anyone promises you different, they are either not being completely honest or are simply uninformed.

Follow one single weight loss program for 30 days, whatever it may be, and see if you have results. If not, move on to something else. In the meantime, check out several tips to getting started today.

Tip # 1 ~ Walking. If you can set aside 30 minutes every day to enjoy a leisurely stroll, you will be strengthening your legs and your heart while burning some calories in the process.

Tip # 2 ~ Use a mini-cycle. These portable little exercise units offer the look of bicycle pedals set up on a metal bar, but without the high price or weight of a standard exercise bike. With a mini-cycle, you can pedal at your desk, on the couch or anywhere else that you can sit comfortably and reach the pedals.

You can also simply go online here —->>>> to pick from one of the many FITNESS selections.

I have a few more healthy weight loss tips that I’ll share with you tomorrow.

Yours in fitness,

Note: These tips are intended to be used for informational purposes only. They are not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or a doctor’s recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

2 Tips How to Be Debt Free

I hope yesterday’s tips on learning to be debt free provided you with some suggestions on how to reach your goal.

Consolidate your debts as much as possible.

You can accomplish this a number of ways. One possibility is to simply transfer balances from one credit card to another with a lower rate, but be aware of transfer fees before choosing this option.

Or, if you own your own home, take out a home-equity loan or line of credit, which should have a lower interest rate than most credit cards can offer as well as offering tax deductions. You can also consider a secured loan offering the value in another form of property, your vehicle for example.

Don’t sacrifice your retirement savings.

Obviously paying off your debt should be a high financial priority but cutting what you save for retirement to do so may not be the wisest course, especially if that becomes a long term habit or if you are losing out on your employer’s matching funds as a result.

Perhaps you may be able to borrow against (or from) your retirement funds at a lower interest rate which will allow you to continue to save for retirement while also getting out from under your debt.

While owing money may well be the American way it can also be a tremendous burden to bear. You can shed the weight of your load or at least trim it down to a more manageable level by taking these four steps.

And there’s more good news!

If you missed yesterday’s tips and don’t have time to look back through the pages, here’s a link to another resource for you on debt negotiation.

Yours in freeing debt

Keys To Freeing Yourself From Debt

Debt is a way of life for many Americans.

In fact, it seems like more and more we owe money on our homes, our cars, our possessions (from furniture to clothes), and our education. As a result, many Americans are so mired in debt they aren’t even sure just how much they owe or to whom; even worse, they sometimes don’t even remember just what caused their debt.

While it may be hard to believe, some debt is good for you.

For example, what you owe on your home can provide a nice way to balance out your income tax. A little debt is not a bad thing either as making regular payments to various creditors helps build your credit rating, which makes it easier for you to obtain loans at good rates.

However, the truth is that most Americans have more than a little debt — and many owe far too much money and are already, or soon will be, in financial trouble as a result.

Finding yourself owing a lot of money is not the end of the road and you can stop your cycle of debt by taking four positive steps to break the cycle.

For starters, attack your high-cost debts. This likely includes credit cards where you may be paying So, pay off the balances on credit cards carrying the highest interest rates first. Continue making your minimum payments for lower-interest cards but concentrate on paying off the highest interest. When the high-cost cards are paid off, then work to eliminate the balances on your other cards.

Then, reach out to your creditors.

If you are going to be late or have difficulty paying your minimum payments, then contact the credit card company.

Even if you can make all your payments in a timely fashion, there are two benefits you can reap from contacting the card issuer.

*You may be able to negotiate lower rates or more favorable terms.
*They might be able to recommend alternatives that can minimize damage to your credit rating.

While owing money may well be the American way it can also be a tremendous burden to bear. You can shed the weight of your load or at least trim it down to a more manageable level by taking these steps.

Stop back here tomorrow to read two more tips to help you get out from under your debt.

In the meantime, while you wait, take a peek here to read some tips on negotiating the debt you already have.

Debt freely yours,

How Necessary Is That Credit Card?

If you’re like most Americans, offers for credit cards arrive in your mail on a daily basis.

If you’re like most Americans, or me, you may also have a husband who is a credit card company’s dream man because he thinks that just because he gets the notices in the mail he can get the credit card and charge, charge, charge!

Can you say “free money?” Or, so he wants me to think! NOT!

Credit card companies are so eager for your business for many reasons:

Credit cards, for one thing, are not free cash. Funny enough, many customers think of them this way, and that—aha!—is how credit card companies make their money.

You’ll notice when you read through the fine print about credit cards there are varying APRs, or annual percentage rates. This refers to the amount of interest you’ll pay on credit card charges if you don’t pay your monthly balance in full.

Think about the last time you went shopping.

Did you look at the tags and make sure everything you bought could be paid with your monthly paycheck? If not, you are a credit card company’s dream come true.

You see, these companies bank on the chance that consumers will use their credit cards to buy more than they can actually afford at the time of purchase. Then when the bill comes and it can’t be paid in full, the customer pays interest on this borrowed amount, and that interest accrues daily.

This money goes right into the credit card company’s bank account.

With thousands of customers falling into this predicament on a monthly basis, you can see where the companies get rich quick.

But how can you avoid falling into the credit card trap?

A little forethought and budget planning can help you prevent paying interest and still allow you to benefit from credit card perks.

Take mileage credit cards, for example. Most airlines offer credit cards that earn you Frequent Flier miles based on the number of dollars you spend. Enticing, right? Sure.

Just be careful to know how much you are able to spend in a month, and don’t let yourself go over the top.

**It’s easy to check your credit card balance online or by telephone. **Know when the closing date is for your monthly statement, and **Make sure you stay below your limit.

That way you can take advantage of the bonus without digging yourself into a rut.

Speaking of the credit card rut, let’s go back to that interest thing. Did you know that interest, if left unpaid, also accrues interest?

Take a look at this example: You have racked up $10 in interest on your credit cards in one month, based on a balance of $100. (This assumes a 10% monthly interest rate.) **Because you leave that unpaid, the next month’s interest accrues on the new balance of $110. That means the next month you owe an additional $11! That’s a $21 total fee for your $100 in purchases.

So, did you really find a bargain when you bought that jacket at 20% off? Probably not.

If you buy responsibly and keep track of your purchases, you can avoid credit card traps.

When you’re a smart consumer, credit cards can work in your favor.

Yours in credit,

To Salt or Not to Salt

My friend and colleague, Angie Newton, blog owner of Losing It and Loving It and I partnered for a day as I was her guest blogger today.

My topic was whether or not to add salt to foods. And Angie included a brief commentary, with food suggestions, at the end.

You can read our joint feature here

Or, you can simply go online here —->>>> to pick from one of the many FITNESS selections.

Yours in eating and moving right,

3 Simple Ways To Avoid Bankruptcy

I’ve been experiencing some really strange computer and keyboard issues these last couple of weeks so I’ve been a bit remiss in keeping up with sharing a few helpful words on some of the current issues toward change.

So, here’s what I have to say:

In this debt-ridden times, many people have severe financial difficulties. While bankruptcy is the last step in a long road of financial pressures for many, others opt for this solution too early, sometimes without considering suitable bankruptcy alternatives.

There are several options available for you if you are in debt and do not wish to declare bankruptcy. The most sought-after option is obtaining a debt-consolidation loan and closing all existing credit lines. Debt consolidation is where you take a new unsecured loan and use the funds to pay off your outstanding debts.

An unsecured debt consolidation loan will help you consolidate all your unsecured debt and avoid bankruptcy. This new money can save you hundreds of dollars per month if you choose to use your loan to pay off existing debt – especially high rate credit cards. Even if you don’t own a home, you could qualify for their debt consolidation loan.

Debt consolidation loans are repayable over a longer term at a relatively low interest rate. This means that the monthly repayments are lower. If the loan is secured on your property then the interest rate and payments may be even lower.

But you must compare the pros and cons of debt consolidation loans before taking the plunge. There are two options for consolidating debts – either you borrow money to pay off all your debts or seek assistance from a debt consolidation service.

The decision on which option will best meet your needs has a lot to do with whether you can qualify for low mortgage rates on debt consolidation loans, and the total amount of debt you need to consolidate.

Borrowing for debt consolidation immediately eliminates multiple debt payments. All debt collection actions are eliminated. Most importantly, it won’t impact your credit rating; in fact it may help improve your credit rating. Seeking debt consolidation services immediately decreases your monthly payments. It also brings to a stop, and in some cases, eliminates some interest and fees.

By getting this loan and using it to pay off credit cards, you’ll pay much less interest. Once you’ve paid off your credit cards or other debt, you’ll have a fresh start with your finances and can set up a budget within which you can live comfortably without ever having to run up credit card debt again.

Debt consolidation is an excellent tool that can help you manage and decrease your debt when you just can’t seem to do it on your own. There is no way that you can completely fix bad credit without the ability to reduce debt and pay your bills on time. However, once your debt has reached a certain level, this can seem almost impossible to accomplish.

A credit counselor can provide you with the option of enrolling in a debt management plan, which provides immediate relief and allows repayment of debts without the high fees and negative ramifications of bankruptcy.

So in the end, your choice has to be based upon your financial situation, and how well your choice fits in with your own belief system and lifestyle.

Yours in Staying Bankruptcy Free