Looking to buy a home in the next year or more? You’ll want to clean up your credit, pay down debt and build up your savings. Here are six ways to get ready to apply for a mortgage. Review your credit reports. Buying a home is the biggest purchase you are likely to make and […]
Debt Bytes Blog
Discover a Higher FICO Score: Secured Credit Cards
I wrote a previous post on how to rebuild your credit score, mentioning the fact that I had signed up for a Discover secured card to get the ball rolling. In this post, I will walk you through what a secured credit card is, the pros and cons of getting one, and how to best […]
How to Choose a Health Care Plan
Choosing the best health plan for you and your family takes time and a little bit of work. But before getting lost in the details of each plan, sit down and take a close look at your family’s medical needs and expenses. What medical services will you and your family need in the next year? […]
What to Do if You’re a Victim of Identity Theft
Has an identity theft struck one of your accounts? Try not to panic! But it is important to act fast to minimize the damage. Here’s what you need to do to get your credit and your finances back on track. Place a fraud alert on each of your credit reports. Phone one of the three, […]
Debt Collection: Something Different This Way Comes
By some estimates, more than a third of the adult population in the US is going to come in contact with a debt collector at some point. If you have never had to deal with debt collector before, your only exposure to the industry could be from the media, and perhaps by way of this […]
Rebuild Credit in 5 Important Steps
I need to rebuild credit for myself, and am doing so right now, so I thought I would walk you through some of the steps I’m taking to meet my new credit goals. Please understand that there is no “quick fix” for your credit. Your credit report is created based on your use of borrowed […]
How to File a Credit Dispute Online: DIY Credit Repair
When you file a dispute for inaccurate tradelines on a credit report, for removal, it is affectionately known as “credit repair”, and although I’m no expert, I still feel more qualified to do it than most credit repair companies, who tend to be underhanded in their approach and charge a pretty penny. DIY credit repair? […]
First Progress Secured Credit Card from Synovus
Earlier in the week I engaged in a string of comment replies with a reader who had paid some old collection accounts and is working on rebuilding his credit and improving his FICO score. We exchanged some comments about getting approved for a First Progress secured credit card as a tool to start rebuilding his […]
Is your spouse an obstacle to saving money?
I only ask because my mine is, and really always has been one of our many obstacles to saving money. He is my little spendthrift. Not that I’m blaming anyone for our lack of savings, but it does make saving a bit more difficult. How can it not? Honestly, though, I think it comes down […]
My 5 Most Disastrous Financial Mistakes
Mistakes. Nobody wants to make them, but we do, and by the time we realize it was a mistake, it’s probably too late to do anything about it. And, financial mistakes are some of the worst, because they don’t just affect you. It involves your family, your current income, and your future savings. I’m a […]