16 Jan 10 Improving Your Credit Without Using Credit

Having a better credit score is something that practically everybody wants. But if you have bad credit, improving your score can be very difficult. Especially considering most of the tactics to improve credit, require using your credit. That can be impossible if you have a very low score. But there are plenty of ways you can increase your credit rating, without actually using your credit.

One of the most popular ways to increase your credit quickly, is a secured credit card. A secured credit card has no bearing on your credit rating, and works from a security deposit that you put down upon signing up for the card. Through these cards you can effectively use credit, and maintain the card in good standing, increasing your score with every payment you make. A secured credit card can make a huge difference fairly quickly.

In the same spirit you can also take out a secured loan from a credit union. These work off of money that you deposit into a credit union bank account, so that if you miss loan payments, the bank can cover by deducting from your account. By maintaining your loan, paying it off quickly, and never having a late payment, you can take more steps to increasing your credit score.

Also, you can try co-signing if you have a friend or relative that you mutually trust. As long as they have good credit, you can ride their score for a credit card, or loan, by having them co-sign with you. That makes them also responsible for any payments that you miss, so be extra careful to handle everything perfectly. This can help improve your credit, but it could also ruin your relationship to the person if you are irresponsible with the co-signed item.

Tags: Bad Credit, Bearing, Cards, Credit Rating, Improve Credit, Improving Your Credit, Increasing Your Credit Score, Loan Payments, Money, Relationship, Score Card, Secured Card, Secured Credit Card, Secured Loan, Security Deposit, Spirit, Union Bank

Filed in Credit Counseling, Debt Counseling with 0 Comments

30 Dec 09 Send A Solider Some Holiday Spirit

Well the holiday season is pretty much over, but that doesn’t mean your giving spirit needs to end with the time of year. Think of those less fortunate than us this holiday season. Namely those men and women stationed overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan, who could desperately use a little help to make their lives easier. I think it’s only right that we try and make the lives of those committing themselves to government service, a little brighter. All it takes is a little effort, and knowledge of the right place to turn.

Websites like Anysoldier.com provide you with a fantastic resource to help those in need. The website is set up to help you find soldiers and the items that they desperately need, and gives you directions for donating those items to them. It’s a great and inexpensive way to do what you can for the troops.

Consider making a money donation through a company like the USO. There your money will be used towards any number of good causes, like providing soldiers with the necessary resources to call their families back home. You don’t have to make a big donation, any little bit will help, and it’s infinitely better than giving nothing.

If you got a new cell phone for Christmas, instead of throwing out the old one, consider donating your phone to the troops. You can get a free package postage paid package at your local post office that you can use to donate your old phone to the troops. That means giving a soldier a chance to call home and talk to their loved ones again. Isn’t that worth the effort?

Finally, when you’re shopping any of the after Christmas sales, try to be mindful of the stores around you. Many offer opportunities to donate to troops, whether through in store purchases, or actually taking direct donations. Take advantage of those opportunities, and try and shop at the stores that donate more to the troops, especially if those donations are influenced by sales numbers.

Tags: Afghanistan, cell phone, Christmas, Christmas Sales, Donations, Government Service, Holiday Season, Holiday Spirit, Iraq, Little Bit, Local Post Office, Men And Women, Money, Necessary Resources, Sales Numbers, Soldier, Solider, Store Purchases, Time Of Year

Filed in United States with 0 Comments

18 Dec 09 Choosing An Online Bank

When choosing an online bank there are a few aspects that you need to consider. Online banking has become a very, very common practice, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the appropriate precautions. Doing your transactions online is perfectly safe, as long as you take make the proper arrangements, and choose a banking institution that will appropriately protect your information.

So when searching for an online banking service to use, go through the FDIC website. The FDIC will list all banks that are FDIC insured, and any bank that isn’t, is not worth your time or effort. A bank that doesn’t have FDIC insurance is one that isn’t safe enough for you to trust your money, or financial transactions with.

Now from that list look up to see what the interest rates are for each bank. You want to find an agreeable rate, one that you’ll be happy with in the long term. It’s better for your credit to have long term bank accounts, so find one you’ll be comfortable with for a prolonged period of time.

Make sure that the bank you like doesn’t have any account fees or minimum balance requirements, as both of these can cause problems you’d want to avoid. Many banks require a minimum account balance, mostly as an excuse to earn profit by penalizing you. So do your research so you can avoid any of that mess, and keep your money in your account, where it belongs.

Finally, assess the customer service options available to you. Make sure that you’ll be able to make contact with a bank representative quickly should there ever be a problem. That’s extremely important, as you want a bank that’s as easy as possible to deal with. Also look at what sort of sign up bonuses a bank is offering. If you find more than one that you like, may as well go with the bank that gives you the best bonus!

Tags: Bank Accounts, Bank Representative, Banking Institution, Banking Service, Banks, Bonus, Contact, Customer Service Options, Excuse, Fdic Insurance, Financial Transactions, Insurance, Interest Rates, Minimum Account Balance, Minimum Balance Requirements, Money, Online Banking, Period Of Time, Prolonged Period

Filed in Business, Credit Counseling, Home & Family with 0 Comments

16 Jan 10 Improving Your Credit Without Using Credit

30 Dec 09 Send A Solider Some Holiday Spirit

18 Dec 09 Choosing An Online Bank

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