Home / Credit¢ents Blog

Creditcents: Credit and Personal Finance Blog from Creditnet.com

Cash But No Credit? How to Build a Good Credit Score

Achieving a good credit score isn’t a mystery, but if you do not have an established credit history, you may not know where to start.  Your credit score is built over time.  Although it can take a number of years to build an excellent credit score, the sooner you get started, the better.

In this blog post, we explain why having a good credit score is beneficial and how you can start building your credit today.

How to Build Credit - An Infographic from Creditnet

While we get a lot of questions at Creditnet in regards to building credit quickly, the truth of the matter is that building your credit score is really a lifelong journey. Credit history is one of the most important things lenders consider when evaluating your credit worthiness, and without it your chances of getting approved for a mortgage to buy your dream home can fall flat.

What is an APR? How do APRs work?

If you have ever applied for a credit card or received a credit card offer in the mail, then you know that the lower the APR, or annual percentage rate, the better.

But do you know how APR is calculated for credit cards? And that it impacts the true cost of the things you pay for on a card? Keep reading for a short primer on everything you need to know about credit card APRs.

Different Credit Bureaus, Different FICO Scores

My first introduction to the fact that there are 3 different credit bureaus and they give different scores was a rude awakening: I was getting a loan, and the lender used the lowest of my three credit ratings to determine the interest rate they offered me. I was surprised to hear I had three different credit scores and to find out that most lenders have a preferred credit bureau when they are pulling scores. But the truth is stranger—you could have hundreds of credit scores!  Find out why each score is different and which are the most important ones.

Ask Creditnet: How Many Credit Cards Should I Have?

Colorful credit cards Dear Creditnet: What is a good number of credit cards to have in order to optimize my FICO credit scores? Is it possible to have too few or too many credit cards? - Jenny from UT

Barclaycard CashForward™ World Mastercard® - Rewards on top of rewards!

If you are like me and love credit cards with cash back rewards, the Barclaycard CashForwardTM World Mastercard® may be a great option for you. Not only do you get cash rewards on every purchase, but you also get $200 in cash rewards if you spend $1000 during the first 90 days, and extra rewards just for redeeming rewards!  Read my full blog post to see why this card is my current favorite.

Can My Student Loans Get Cheaper? Consolidating Student Loans

If you left college with a bunch of debt hanging over your head, you are not alone. Many students end up borrowing to put themselves through degrees they want. But with an uncertain job market and the standard 10-year repayment term of federal student loans, that debt can majorly impede your financial goals.

So what can be done?  One option you have is to consolidate your loans. Keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of student loan consolidation to see if this is the right financial decision for you.

Two JetBlue Credit Cards for a More Adventurous and Rewarding Year

Is travel on your list of things to do this year? It’s on mine. After a dreary winter, I’m dreaming of a week of sun in the Caribbean. If you are a fan of using credit card points for travel, read on for some reasons why you may want to consider the new JetBlue credit cards from Barclaycard.

World Travel On the Cheap Using Credit Card Rewards

Traveling using credit card points is a popular way to explore the world and go to places you never imagined you could afford.  If you think that travel is only for the rich or for those who earn a lot of frequent flyer miles, think again. When you know a few basic tricks, you can take cheap and exotic vacations without spending a lot.

Read on to learn how you can start using your credit cards to travel around the world on the cheap.

4 Things to Know About Debt Consolidation

People around the world are making resolutions for the new year, and if one of yours is to pay down debt, then consider consolidating your credit card debt and/or other unsecured debt, especially if they have high interest rates.

Debt consolidation, however, is not a one-size-fits-all option.  Keep reading for 4 good things to know about debt consolidation to help you decide whether or not it will be beneficial for you.

Pages

Home / Credit¢ents Blog