How to save big on auto insurance
Car insurance is required in North Carolina. That doesn’t mean you have to pay a lot for the best policy coverage. Here are a few tips to help you find savings.
Boost your credit score
Your credit score is the key to getting approved for a loan with a lower interest rate. The lower the interest rates on your loans, the more income you’ll have available for other uses, including saving for retirement.
Here are four simple ways to improve your score on the credit scoring system that most financial institutions and mortgage lenders use.
Tax credits you might be missing
Tax credits are great way to lower your tax bill, dollar for dollar, and save you money. So, don’t let them slip by you. Here are a few you might be overlooking.
Turn lunch money into retirement money
Eat lunch in for a week. If that saves you $25, use it to open a Roth IRA. It’s one small way you can get started saving for retirement. Then, let your money grow tax-free until you need it.
P2P payment apps are for personal use only
Most peer-to-peer payment services prohibit using them to buy and sell goods and services. If you violate the provider’s terms of use, you may lose the right to use the app.
5 Things That May Hurt Your Credit Scores
Reading time: 4 minutes
If you’ve tried to make a large purchase such as a home or a vehicle, or even open a credit card account, you likely know the important role your credit scores play in lending decisions. When you apply for credit, your credit scores and the information in your credit reports, along with other criteria, are used by lenders and creditors as part of their decision-making process when evaluating your application.
It might be easier than you think to negatively impact your credit scores. Here are five ways that could happen:
7 things that won't hurt your credit score
Reading time: 3 minutes
You may already know that certain behaviors – such as paying your bills on time, every time – can reflect positively on your credit scores. But it’s also important to know that not every action will directly impact your credit scores at all, either positively or negatively.
The following items may influence your finances, but they generally won’t have any effect on credit scores:
1. Paying with a debit card
Will checking your credit hurt credit scores?
Reading time: 2 minutes
Many people are afraid to request a copy of their credit reports — or check their credit scores — out of concern it may negatively impact their credit scores.
Good news: Credit scores aren't impacted by checking your own credit reports or credit scores. In fact, regularly checking your credit reports and credit scores is an important way to ensure your personal and account information is correct, and may help detect signs of potential identity theft.
How closing a credit card account may impact credit scores
Reading time: 2 minute
You’ve paid off your credit card, and you’re wondering if you should close the account — and whether that might impact your credit scores, for better or worse. The answer depends on your unique credit situation.
Before you close a credit card account, consider the following: