All Featured Articles
Below you will find all the featured articles we have written to help you understand, manage, and build good credit. Whether you're a college student just starting out, a consumer with years of credit history, or an unfortunate victim of identity theft, our collection of featured articles will be helpful to you.
Start at the top and work your way down, or use the categories to the right to specify the type of articles to read.
- How to Build Credit from Scratch
January 2, 2012
It really is a classic Catch-22. You've got to have credit to get credit. So if you have no credit history at all, how should you go about building... - Online Holiday Shopping: 5 Tips for Bargain Hunters
November 14, 2011
Black Friday ignites a sense of unbridled excitement in many holiday shopaholics. For the rest of us, it's cause for nothing more than another good reason to stay close... - How to Deal with New Annual Fees
October 11, 2011
You're a responsible credit card user. You live within your means and pay your balances in full each month. It's likely you even have several credit cards in your... - Five Credit Card Tips for College-Bound Millennials
September 9, 2011
It's that time of year again. A summer full of partying, baking in the sun, and maybe even a job (heaven forbid) is coming to a close for hundreds... - 5 Credit Tips for Teens
July 19, 2011
Who do you think is more likely to get into trouble using credit cards? A college freshman who was never exposed to credit his entire life, or a teenager... - Common Credit Card Fees
June 15, 2011
All credit cards have fees. In fact, the key to becoming a savvy credit card user lies in understanding what they are and how to avoid them. To... - Top 5 Credit Tips for Recent College Grads
April 27, 2011
You took your last exam, donned the cap and gown and have finally embarked on a new and exciting phase in your adult life. What will you need to... - Don't Become a Foreclosure Statistic
March 1, 2011
There were more than 1 million foreclosures in 2010, according to RealtyTrac, a leading online real estate marketplace and publisher of the country's largest and most comprehensive... - How to Pay Off Debt: Determining Your Best Course of Action
January 21, 2011
Personal finance gurus love to argue about which debt you should pay off first. Browse the Internet for just a few minutes, and you'll find volumes of painfully long... - How to Choose and Use a Balance Transfer Credit Card
December 2, 2010
Advertisements promoting zero-percent balance transfer offers can look quite appealing when high-interest credit card debt is keeping you up at night. What could be better than transferring your debt... - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Will it Help?
November 18, 2010
The recent economic crisis highlighted serious problems within financial sectors of nations across the globe. In the US, these problems have hit home particularly hard, leaving American families with lost... - How to Cancel Credit Cards the Right Way
November 4, 2010
If your goal is to improve your credit score, closing all your credit cards isn't going to help. However, there are various legitimate reasons for closing credit... - Top 10 Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Credit
October 7, 2010
The most difficult part about beginning a new exercise routine is getting your butt off the couch to go to the gym. Yes, those endless reruns of "America's... - Credit Scores That Matter
March 31, 2010
Credit scores can be confusing enough without having to worry about whether the score you just purchased is a "real" credit score. Major Credit Reporting Agencies (CRAs) unfortunately add... - 5 Ways to Protect Your Credit Score in 2010
January 13, 2010
The financial crisis of 2007-2009 changed the world of consumer credit forever. So what will 2010 bring to the credit industry? To sum it up it one word—reform.... - Under 21? 3 Reasons to Get a Credit Card Today
October 22, 2009
I got my first credit card when I was a 19-year-old student, but I wasn't new to credit. In fact, I had already established a solid credit... - Credit CARD Act of 2009: 5 Must-Know Nuggets
September 30, 2009
Signed into law by President Obama on May 22nd, the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009 marks a significant turning point for America's credit card industry.... - Credit for Paying the Bills
September 7, 2009
I find it hard to believe there are still millions of Americans that don't exist within our nation's credit-scoring system. Since credit has played an integral role in my... - Online Savings Accounts: Top 3 Questions to Ask When Weighing Your Options
July 17, 2009
A soaring personal savings rate among American consumers confirms that the era of conspicuous consumption is out and frugality is in. So, where's the best place to stash your... - Why Credit Still Counts
June 5, 2009
It's easy to despise the credit issuers. Who else should we blame for the ugly state in which our credit card industry exists today? Should we blame consumers for... - How Does Identity Theft Protection Work?
May 20, 2009
As identity theft numbers reach record levels, more people are turning to identity protection services to help safeguard their financial reputation. You've heard the commercials on the airways,... - ABCs of Credit: What is Credit?
May 4, 2009
Nothing down, 24 monthly payments! Low, low 2.9% APR! We may not hear those words as much as we did in the past; however, we still live in world... - Top 5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Credit
April 9, 2009
Spring is meant to be a time of renewal and rejuvenation. For many people, this might include cleaning out the old attic or scrubbing the entire house from floor... - Identity Thieves Prey on Job Seekers
March 18, 2009
Are you out of work and looking for a job? Unfortunately, there may be some people out there who wish to prey on your bad fortune. Identity thieves in particular... - Top 5 Ways to Manage Student Loans
February 25, 2009
College graduation should be one of the most exciting times in your life. You've worked hard to get your degree and prepare yourself for a successful and fulfilling career.... - Freeze Your Credit Reports to Prevent Identity Theft
February 6, 2009
While millions of consumers continue to fall victim to identity theft each year, many are starting to fight back with new tools— credit alerts and credit freezes. Sounds effective, right?... - What Makes Up Your FICO Score?
January 19, 2009
Perhaps the most common question about credit is, "What makes up my FICO Score?" That may not surprise you since you're reading this article to answer that very question.... - 2009 - The Year to Get Rid of Debt
January 5, 2009
Consumers have truly witnessed an ironic turn of events in the credit card world. For decades credit issuers have ferociously competed to be the first card in... - Credit Card Fraud: How It Happens and What to Do About It
December 15, 2008
It may start off practically unnoticeable, with a few charges here and there. Over time, though, your credit card statements begin to reflect purchases in places you're quite sure you've... - Checking Your Credit Report for Signs of Identity Theft
November 14, 2008
Most of us have seen the clever Citibank commercials that portray identity theft victims boasting about illegal purchases with dubbed voices that are clearly not their own.... - Your Credit GPA: 3 Must-Know Credit Concepts for Students
October 17, 2008
Isn't it about time you gained some Credit¢ents? Perhaps you've never had to worry about credit before, but now you're off on your own and it seems like you're... - What To Do When Someone Steals Your Identity
October 9, 2008
Think you're having a bad day? Stuck in traffic, late for work, your kid is flunking math, the kitchen is a mess after dropping an egg? Well, you can relax... - Beware of High-Tech Identity Theft Tactics
September 21, 2008
For the eighth year in a row, identity theft led the way in 2007 as "the number one consumer complaint category". The Federal Trade Commission's list... - The Payment Allocation Provision - A Credit Card Company's Best Friend
August 19, 2008
It makes logical sense that consumers should have the power to choose how their payments apply to credit card debt. Of course, some must go towards paying interest charges... - Reduced Credit Card Limits Hurt Consumer Credit Scores
July 6, 2008
We spend a great deal of time in the credit industry educating consumers about credit utilization and explaining why it's important to understand the term. As banks and... - Experian Implements New Credit Scoring Model: Authorized User Accounts Dropped
June 27, 2008
The Fair Isaac Corporation announced a major change in 2007 to their credit scoring formula, which ignited quite a bit of controversy and anticipation throughout the industry over... - Beware of Credit Card Currency Conversion Fees!
June 2, 2008
As credit card issuers continue to look for additional ways to boost fee revenue in the midst of the credit crisis, consumers traveling overseas should pay special attention to foreign... - The Fed Cracks Down on Credit Card Companies - Too Little Too Late?
May 19, 2008
In early May the Fed issued several new proposals designed to protect consumers by restricting various credit card billing practices and requiring more clarity in disclosure of costs. The...
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