Are you tired of teaser offers that don’t last, sky-high rates and credit card balances that continue to grow thanks to compound interest? If so, it’s time to take a closer look at Affirm.
RewardExpert spoke with Elizabeth Dixon Allin, Vice President of Communications, about the inspiration behind the innovative micro-lender and how any consumer can take advantage of the company’s alternative to traditional credit card purchases.
The best credit cards for young adults are those that reward you most for how you spend your money. If you like to
Additionally, you want to avoid paying big fees for benefits that you aren’t going to use. Some high-end credit cards offer amazing perks, but if you’re not in a position to use them, you’re just wasting your money. A credit card with
While many people struggle to improve their credit scores, there are some super prime consumers who have earned a perfect credit score of 850. The higher your credit score, the better terms you’ll get on loans and perks on your credit cards. But do you really need the highest credit score possible to get the best loan interest rates and credit card benefits? And what steps can you take to improve your credit score?
To increase your credit score, you want to focus on what you can change the quickest. Credit utilization is the second largest factor in your credit score. And it is the one you have the most control over on a monthly basis. Simply put, the lower your balances versus the amount of credit you have, the better your score will be. We’re going to discuss everything you need to know to increase your credit score by controlling your credit utilization rate.
I don’t know about you, but I’m very protective of my credit. When I learned that allowing credit card issuers and businesses to simply look at my credit could ding my score, I became a lot more protective of who gets access.
This whole idea of a soft credit check vs. a hard inquiry was something that I felt like I needed to know all about. Once I really understood the difference, I was more protective of my score in some ways but not as worried in others.
Your credit score is the key to so many important decisions in your life. Landing a job. Renting an apartment or buying a home. Getting insurance. And, for those of us who love to travel, being approved for the
Has past money mismanagement or just plain bad luck tarnished your credit history? Have retailers, banks and other lenders denied you leases, loans and credit cards as a result? If so, you’re not alone. According to Kelly Davies, Chief Communications Officer at Amigo Loans, a UK company offering guarantor loans for people with poor or no credit, 12 million consumers are unable to borrow from banks because of their credit score.
For the first time in history, the average national credit score reached 700 last year according to FICO. On the upper end of FICO’s 300 to 850 credit score range, consumers with a score of 700 are rated as ‘very good’ credit risks. However, according to Experian, which looked at VantageScore credit score data, 21 percent of U.S. consumers had deep-subprime scores below 600. Poor and subprime credit ratings cost the consumers who carry them thousands of dollars in higher interest rates on loans and revolving credit, as well as higher premiums on auto and other insurance products.
The average American consumer carried $6,354 in credit card debt in 2017, a nearly 3 percent increase over the previous year according to Experian’s State of Credit survey. Though consumers are only utilizing an average of 30 percent of their available revolving credit, 43 percent are carrying a balance every month—a practice which can easily add up to thousands of dollars in high-interest charges each year.
Your credit score matters for a lot of things, but it can be difficult to even figure out what a good credit score range is. Not only are there many different kinds of credit scores, but credit score ranges differ, too. What’s considered a good score can vary depending the type of score, the credit bureau and even the lending institution.
Credit cards provide great convenience and plenty of solid loyalty point perks, especially when you first sign up for one. But, there are some pitfalls that are important to take note of when your wallet is full of cards. Consider each of these the next time you are looking through your wallet, and don’t make these big mistakes.
In the wild world of finances, it can be tough to get access to credit. For students who are starting out and having a hard time getting their first credit card, it’s hard to know where to turn. A company called Deserve helps make credit access possible.Â
Closing down a credit card will usually hurt your credit score, especially if you’ve had the credit card open for many years. If you no longer want to use a particular credit card, you don’t have to close it down. There are other options out there to prevent you from using the card and accumulating high balances.
Let’s explore why it’s a bad idea to close down your credit card.
It’s that time of year where everyone is talking about the goals they plan to set for the new year. There’s a lot of talk about getting to the gym more and eating less junk food
While all this is well and good there is a three-digit number that may be getting sadly ignored. Not your weight. Your credit score. While you are going to want to keep that number on the scale low you are going to want to get that credit score to gain as much as possible.
Credit cards should not be viewed as a way to access cold hard cash like an ATM. The goal of a credit card is as follows: a bank issues you a line of credit (also known as the card’s credit limit) and you are allowed to use the card to finance various expenditures up to the credit limit. You must pay back all of your expenditures in full on a due date set by the credit card issuer.
It’s a scary feeling when your credit card is stolen. Think about how much could go wrong. A thief now has the opportunity to charge whatever they want on your card and leave you responsible for footing the bill. It’s a thief’s dream, but a consumer’s worst nightmare.
As soon as you realize your credit card is missing, there are a few actions you should take immediately to limit your liability from any unauthorized purchases that may result from your card falling into the hands of the wrong person.
Applying for a credit card isn’t a difficult process. The major credit card issuers have online applications that can sometimes inform you within minutes if you’ve been approved for the card. But there are some factors to keep in mind when applying to ensure that your credit score doesn’t suffer unnecessarily.
Far too many consumers have credit card balances. This isn’t something to be proud of as a credit card balance is another term for having debt. Remember, when charging items on a credit card, those expenditures must be paid back in full.
Let’s explore some of the ins and outs of credit card balances, including what they are and how they can snowball into a major financial problem that affects your life for years to come.
There are several key considerations when it comes to choosing whether to use a debit or credit card to pay. Credit cards provide many perks and benefits that debit cards do not. These benefits may be especially useful when shopping or traveling. For the most part, as long as you are a responsible spender, using a credit card is usually a better option than using your debit card.
Missing a credit card payment is not something to take lightly. Whether you truly can’t afford to make the payment or you simply forgot about it, the financial consequences can be pretty hefty.
