bad credit

bad credit

Is Bad Credit Keeping You From Your Dream Job?

May 28th, 2013 by Jason Bushey

We all know carrying a bad credit score can limit your chances of loan and credit card approval while jacking up your interest rates. But did you know having bad credit could also be keeping you from getting hired for your dream job?

Infographic: How Can a Bad Credit Credit Card Boost Your Score?

January 28th, 2013 by Jason Bushey

Ever wonder why bad credit credit cards are advertised so often as credit-builders for people with poor credit? Seriously, how can adding a new card help you improve your credit score?

Well, there are two types of credit cards for bad credit - secured and unsecured. Both of these cards have their advantages and disadvantages and while we generally recommend taking the secured credit card path (see below), we understand that they're not for everyone.

What's a Bad Credit Score?

August 13th, 2012 by Joshua Heckathorn

A few weeks ago I wrote about what "fair credit" means in the credit-scoring world, so I thought it would be a good idea to follow up on that post with a brief explanation of what "bad credit" means as well. After all, there's often a very fine line these days which separates the two categories. If you have bad credit, you're probably aware of the fact that your credit isn't stellar. But just how bad is it? Is it bad, poor, fair, or just below average? Well, to answer these questions you first need to take a close look at your real FICO scores.  I'm not talking about all the so-called "free" credit scores you can get your hands on by signing up for some random credit monitoring product or paying a few extra bucks to the credit bureaus after pulling your free credit reports.  Those scores are practically worthless and should only be used if you can get the scores for free too.

What's the Difference between Secured and Unsecured Credit Cards?

May 28th, 2012 by Joshua Heckathorn

If you have poor credit or no credit history at all, secured credit cards are still one of the best ways to get actually get your hands on some credit and start building positive payment history again. Chances are high you will get approved, and most reputable card issuers will even report your payments to all three of the major credit bureaus. If a credit issuer doesn't report your payment history to all 3 major credit bureaus, take a pass on the card. There are plenty of other good options that do, and a secured credit card really loses its value to you if payment history isn't reported. So, what's the key difference between secured and unsecured credit cards?

The Side Effects of Bad Credit

September 13th, 2011 by Logan Abbott

It’s a question we hear all the time from credit card users, especially in the younger demographic: “So what if I have bad credit?  I don’t have anything I need to go into debt for anyway.” This is a very risky line of thinking.  While young consumers (particularly students) may not be thinking about their credit at this stage in their life, they’re just around the corner from having it be an all-encompassing aspect of their adult lives.

Which Cities Suffer Most from Credit Card Debt

April 26th, 2011 by Logan Abbott

Still paying off your holiday debt? You're not alone. According to a recent national study, Americans across the county are still fighting the burden from their mounting credit card debt. Equifax, one of the three largest consumer credit reporting agencies in the United States, analyzed the 50 largest metropolitan statistical areas and metropolitan divisions to find out how areas cope with their credit card payments. With the average consumer credit card debt hovering around $4,000 dollars, there are many cities where residents' total debt accounts for over 17% of their total income. Even worse, there are tons of cities with debt well beyond the national average. Here are five cities that desperately need help for bad credit card debt.

Why Bad Credit Happens to Good People

November 26th, 2010 by Elisabeth Chan

When people envision a person with bad credit, they may imagine a worn down casino dweller who has visited the wrong loan shark one or two many times.  But in reality, most people with bad credit are much more like the guy or girl next door. Bad credit can happen to normal, everyday Americans who have never made any life-destroying decisions or been careless with their money.

How to Destroy Your Credit Score in 3 Easy Steps

November 12th, 2010 by Elisabeth Chan

Credit Cards Credit cards can be a major pain in the neck. With annoyances like payment dates, interest charges, and annual fees, it's easy to become fed up. So after years of headaches, you’ve decided to do away with credit cards once and for all by destroying your credit.  While we here at Creditnet would strongly advise against this decision, this is America, so who are we to stop you from doing what you want?  In all honesty, you’ll be happy to know that despite spending all those years garnering an excellent credit score, demolishing it can be easy as pie.