YodZiaN

There are many ways to save money on a day to day basis, but to consistently save money over time there are some steps that you can take. At the end of the year, these steps can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars depending on your spending habits and your current debt situation.

Here are five steps to help you save money:

1. Create a budget

By creating a budget you designate where your money is going to be spent before you actually spend it. Your budget should include necessary items such as rent or mortgage, utilities, car payments and insurance, credit card bills, food expenses, amount to be put into a savings account or retirement fund, and a miscellaneous amount for entertainment, clothing expense and any unforeseen expense that might come up in the course of month. You should stick to your budget. As for the miscellaneous amount, if you don’t end up spending it, put it into your savings.

2. Limit Credit Card spending

Credit card spending puts you into more debt and actually has the opposite effect of saving money because of the amount of interest you pay in the long run. You should adopt the attitude that if you are unable to pay cash, then you cannot afford it. Only in real emergencies should credit cards be used. Additionally, you should limit the number of credit cards you have.

3. Keep Your Receipts

You should keep all of your receipts and look at what you are spending your money on. You might be surprised at all of the little unnecessary items you spend your money on. Just how much are you spending on those double tall lattes on a monthly basis? By identifying those items you spend your money without need and eliminating them, you can Read more…

There are many misconceptions about credit scores out there. There are people who believe that they don?t have a credit score and some who think that their credit scores don?t really matter. These sorts of misconceptions can hurt your chances at jobs, good interest rates, and even your chances of getting an apartment.

The truth is, if you have a bank account and bills, then you have a credit score – and your credit score matters more than you might think. Your credit score may be called many things, including a credit risk rating, a FICO score, a credit rating, a FICO rating, or a credit risk score. All these terms refer to the same thing: the three-digit number that lets lenders get an idea of how likely you are to repay your bills.

Every time you apply for credit, apply for a job that requires you to handle money, or even apply for some more exclusive types of apartments, your credit score is checked.

In fact, your credit score can be checked by anyone with a legitimate business need to do so. Your credit score is based on your past financial responsibilities and payments, and it provides potential lenders with a quick snapshot of your current financial state and past repayment habits.

In other words, your credit score lets lenders know quickly how much of a credit risk you are. Based on this credit score, lenders decide whether to trust you financially – and give you better or worse rates when you apply for a loan. Apartment managers can use your credit score to decide whether you can be trusted to pay your rent on time. Employers can use your credit score to decide whether you can be trusted in a high-responsibility job that requires you to handle money.

The problem with credit scores is that there is quite a bit of misinformation circulating around, especially from some unscrupulous companies who claim they can help Read more…

Whether you are Working at Home, a salaried Professional, are Older and Wiser, or at any stage of your life, your credit can be good, or bad.

No matter what you think it is, i.e. you pay your bills on time so you think it’s really good, you should know as much as you can about it and how it can affect you.

Seventy percent of Americans have never seen their own credit report or credit score.

Do you know that you have a credit score?

It’s usually referred to as a FICO score.

Being a Mortgage Consultant, Mortgage Broker, I’ve seen many credit reports and I am often surprised by the fact that my clients either don’t really know they have a credit score, or they don’t realize how much it can hurt them if they were inattentive to the numerous factors that make up a Credit Score.

The FICO score is a summary of your credit history. In other words, it’s a financial history of your life.

That score impacts a surprising cross-section of life, in fact it impacts many things you knew about. Such as;

? Lenders use it to evaluate your eligibility for mortgages.

? Landlords use it to gauge the likelihood you’ll pay the rent.

? Car dealers utilize it in arrange financing for you.

? Credit cards are, or aren’t, given to you because of it.

Now, for some things you may not have been aware of,

? Insurance companies may base your premium on it.

? Potential employers often use it to assess your character and they may base there hiring decisions on it.

The FICO score reflects hundreds of parameters in one’s financial history.

? Score 700-850 – smooth loan process; best interest rates

? Score 550-699 -medium risk; higher interest rates

? Score 300-549 -sorry, no loans or credit cards

These hundred of variables are included in the calculation of your credit score, but I only mentioned the bigger ones here.

Just paying your bills on time, as important as that is, may not rescue you from other credit pitfalls.

Bills, mortgages, your monthly rent, credit cards, long overdue or overlooked, can show up as a blotch on your credit.

? A cable, or credit card bill, that didn’t make it to your new address, or you Read more…

What do you worry about most when it comes to your finances and debt or your credit card repayments? It seems that men and women have different outlooks and think differently about their finances. A survey was carried out to see whether men and women thought differently or the same about their finances.

Women tend to look at their current levels of debt while men tend to look to the future and are more likely to plan ahead when it comes to their finances. Women worry more about how they are going to pay off all their current credit card bills, store cards and loans along with their mortgage, shopping and living expenses with three quarters of women doing so, meanwhile less than 50% of men worry about the same thing. Only 13% of men know what their current debt levels are.

While men are laid back about their current debt levels they are better prepared for the future. Men are better at investing their money with half of all men investing in an ISA while only 35% of women are doing the same. Only five out of ten of women have a savings account with men in the lead with six out of every ten. Three quarters of men are paying into a pension for when they retire while only half of women are preparing for their retirement.

The only things that were found to be very little difference in when it came to our finances was the fact that both men and women have little knowledge of credit reports and how they work, although we think we do. Three quarters of men and women said they new what Read more…

There’s a lot of confusing information about credit scores out there. There are people out there who believe that they don?t have a credit score and many who think that their credit score doesn?t count for much. Your credit score can spoil your chances of getting some jobs, of good interest rates and even your chances of getting some apartments.

The fact is if you have bills and a bank account then you have a credit score and your credit score matters more than you might realise. Your credit score is may be refered to by a number of other terms, including a credit risk rating, a credit rating, a FICO rating, a FICO score or a credit risk score. All these terms refer to the same thing the three-digit number that allows lenders get an idea of how likely you are to repay your bills.

Each time you apply for credit, apply for a job that requires you to handle money, or even apply for some more exclusive types of apartment living your credit score is checked.

In fact, your credit score can be checked by anyone with a legitimate business and reason to do so. Your credit score is based on your past financial responsibilities and past payment records and credit and it provides potential lenders with an easy snapshot of your current financial state and past repayment habits.

Your credit score lets lenders know fast how much of a credit risk you will be. Based on your credit score lenders decide whether to trust you financially and give you better rates when you apply for a loan. Apartment managers will decide whether you can be trusted to pay your rent on time. Employers will decide whether you can be trusted in a high Read more…

Establishing credit is very important. Whether you have previously had a good credit standing and lost it, or you are just beginning to accumulate credit and establish a credit rating, a few standard concepts will help you establish a good credit rating.

The principle way that a lending agency obtains information about your credit history is through one of the credit bureaus. There are three nationwide credit reporting agencies in the United States that handle this, and they are Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. These agencies collect your financial information from anywhere that you have developed a payment history. When purchasing anything on payments, these three credit reporting agencies keep a permanent record.

When borrowing money and establishing credit, you must be able to prove to the lender these four things:

1) Stability – You must prove that you can hold a steady job with a dependable income and that you have lived in the same place for a certain length of time.

2) Ability to repay – You must be able to demonstrate that your income exceeds your expenses.

3) Assets – Lenders will look more favorably on your application for credit if you have assets such as a home, car or savings account that can serve as collateral.

4) Credit references – Lenders will look to see that you have credit references and a good credit standing!

These four principles will help you establish good credit history, and from this, a credit score, to evaluate your availability to repay.

To maintain a good credit standing all purchases bought on time must continue to be handled in a timely fashion. To be responsible in your payments, you will need to prepare a budget from year to year to keep your finances on track; there is no way around it! Obviously you cannot spend what you do not make, so the easiest way to prepare your budget is to list exactly what is coming into your household and where that money is going.

Make two columns on a piece of paper. Title one side “Inflow” and the other side, “Outgo”. Under the heading Read more…

Bad credit can happen to good people. Often all it takes is a financial misstep here or medical emergency there and the average American could easily make a late payment, miss a payment, or fall behind all together on their bills. While there is usually a unique personal story, and often a very good reason, rarely are individual circumstances a factor when your credit score is calculated.

Now more than ever it’s important for individuals to know their credit scores; but apparently private citizens aren’t the only ones who need to know the three digit score that’s become the “grade” you’re given based on your on-going financial behavior.

Recently a very gutsy newspaper in Toledo, Ohio challenged both Republican and Democrat City Counsel candidates to “show their cards,” by giving access to their credit reports and credit scores for the voting public to see.

This raises a very interesting question; would an elected official’s credit score affect your vote?

I began to think about the potential precedent that this challenge would set if all political candidates were asked to “come clean” with this information. Sure we?re used to seeing their tax returns and knowing how much they make, but somehow this seems different, bigger, and more profound.

Credit scores are used by several groups to determine financial patterns, habits and in some cases even your character. They?re also used to predict the likelihood of your repeating these patterns in the future.

In general credit scores range from 300 (low) to 850 (very high) and everywhere in between. There is still some mystery around how a score is calculated and what factors are involved. One thing is for sure, this is a number you need to know and watch. Everyone from your current creditors to your car insurance company are checking it periodically to see where you “rank,” a low score could result in rate increases.

It’s obvious that as individuals we’re “deemed worthy” (creditworthy that is) by our credit score on a regular bases. Should the same standards be applied to those we choose to run our cities, states and even this country?

To get a broader perspective on this Pandora’s boxlike question I did a bit of research on the overall impact of credit reports and credit scores on an individuals life and came to learn that, according to a Federal Trade Commission Consumer Alert, “Employers often use a credit report when they hire and evaluate employees for promotion, reassignment or retention.”

While to some it might seem unfair or like “big brother” is watching just a little to close, often this practice is widely justified, especially in the wake of Enron, corporate scandals and 9-11. Employers Read more…

Because of the way credit scores are calculated, some actions you take will affect your credit score better than others. In general, paying your bills on time and meeting your financial responsibilities will boost your score the most. Owing a reasonable amount of money and being able to repay it will show lenders that you take your finances seriously and pose little threat of lost money. There are a few tips that, more than any other, will boost your credit score the most:

Tip # 1: Pay your bills on time.

One of the best ways to improve your credit score is simply to pay your bills on time. This is absurdly simple but it works very well, because nothing shows lenders that you take debts seriously as much as a history of paying promptly. Every lender wants to be paid in full and on time.

If you pay all your bills on time then the odds are good that you will make the payments on a new debt on time, too, and that is certainly something every lender wants to see. Experts think that up to 35% of your credit score is based on your paying of bills on time, so this simple step is one of the easiest ways to boost your credit score.

Paying your bills on time also ensures that you don?t get hit with late fees and other financial penalties that make paying your bills off harder. Paying your bills in a timely way makes it easier to keep making payments on time.

Of course, if you have had problems making your payments on time in the past, your current credit score will reflect this. It will take a number of months of repaying your bills on time to improve your credit score again, but the effort will be well worth it when your credit risk rating rebounds!

Tip #2: Avoid excessive credit.

If you have many lines of credit or several huge debts, you make a worse credit risk because you are close to ?overextending your credit.? This simply means that you may be taking on more credit than you can comfortably pay off. Even if you are making payments regularly now on existing bills, lenders know that you will have a harder time paying off your bills if your debt load grows too much.

The higher your debts the greater your monthly debt payments and so the higher the risk that you will eventually be able to repay your debts. Plus, statistical studies have shown that those with high debt loads have the hardest time financially when faced with a crisis such as a divorce, unemployment, or sudden illness.

Lenders (and credit bureaus who calculate your credit score) know that the more debt you have the greater problems you will have in case you do run into a life crisis.

In order to have a great credit score, avoid taking out excessive credit. You should stick to one or two credit cards and one or two other major debts (car loan, mortgage) in order to have the best credit rating. Do not apply for every new credit line or credit card ?just in case.? Borrow only when you need it and make sure to make payments Read more…

If you don?t know what your credit score is, it is high time that you learn! This lone number is the biggest determination for lenders to decide whether you are or are not credit worthy. Not only do credit card companies use your credit score to determine whether they should issue you a card or not, but so do car dealerships, banks, and even mortgage lenders. You need to know what your credit score is.

But, where can you learn just what it is? Once a year you can pull a credit report on yourself from one of the credit reporting agencies. This information will provide you with what your credit score is as well as what led to it being that number. On the report you will find your creditors, all of those that have issued you credit within the last several years. How well you pay them and what you owe on them will determine your credit score.

Of course, you will want your credit score to be high. But, many people go about this the wrong way. They often think that the more credit they have, the better. Or, others think that they shouldn?t use any credit. Both of these things are wrong. You should have some credit so that Read more…

A person’s credit rating is a very important part of their life? having bad credit can affect your ability to get a loan, credit card, auto financing, some bank accounts, and even some jobs. While many people are aware of how important their credit rating is, they might not know exactly how it is that their credit rating is determined.

Below you’ll find some information on exactly how your credit rating is determined, including the sort of things that can cause it to go down, as well as things that you can do to make sure that everything is correct and how you can improve it if it’s worse than you’d like.

How a Credit Rating is Determined

Your credit rating and your credit score are determined by a compilation of reports from the various creditors that you’ve had in the past, both positive and negative. Each report either adds to or subtracts from your credit score, depending upon whether the report is positive or negative.

The higher your score is, the better your credit rating is and the less of a risk you are considered by lenders. If your score is low, then you have a bad credit rating and are considered to be more of a credit risk.

Reports from as far back as seven years can still affect your credit rating and score, causing past credit problems to stick with you for several years before they finally expire and are removed from your credit record completely.

Negative Reports and Their Effects

Obviously, negative credit reports can have a negative effect on your credit rating and your credit score. The more negative reports you receive due to non-payment or consistent late payments, the lower your score and credit rating will drop? and since the negative reports will stay with you for years, you may have to deal with them dragging down your credit score for some time.

Additionally, having negative reports from certain lenders or businesses can cause you to be denied loans or services from some other businesses? since there are so many businesses and banks that have multiple branches, having payment problems with one branch can sometimes cause you to be denied by other branches, even when you don’t realize that they are part of the same company.

Checking Your Read more…