Dear Liz: My Discover card started including a complimentary credit score with my statement. My first report was 840. Each month since has been lower. Two months ago it was 812 and the last one was 800. I have not applied for any new loans, cards or other credit. My limit on this card is […]
Recent Blog Posts
Friday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: How to build credit without a credit card. Also in the news: Financial steps to take if you’re getting divorced, apps to help with moving, and how your financial behavior is manipulated. 7 Ways to Build Credit Without a Credit Card Non-credit card options for building credit. 7 Financial Steps to Take […]
The recession has helped nudge women into science jobs
Encouraging more women to pursue careers in science, technology, education and math – the so-called STEM fields – is a worthy goal, given the potential payoff for our economy and for women who get jobs in these higher-paying fields. One surprising way to make it happen: Suffer through a recession. My column for Reuters explores […]
Thursday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: The most dangerous threat to your identity. Also in the news: How to stop living paycheck-to-paycheck, how to improve your credit score by separating business from pleasure, and the Social Security fix that could hurt your retirement. The Most Dangerous Identity Theft Threat What you need to watch out for. How to […]
Your credit score may matter more than your driving record
The vast majority of auto insurers use credit information to help determine your premiums, except in the three states where it’s not allowed (California, Massachusetts and Hawaii). Credit scores don’t just matter–a new special investigation by Consumer Reports has found that sometimes your credit scores matter more than your driving record. The researchers hired a […]
Dealing with collectors? Here’s a free ebook to help
Getting calls from collection agencies, or spotting collection accounts on your credit reports, can be scary. You can deal with this, but not alone. Check out “Debt Collection Answers: How to Use Debt Collection Laws to Protect Your Rights,” which is now a free ebook on Smashwords. You can get it here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/520261. Written by […]