Marriage And Money

Saying “I Do” To Marriage & Saving Money

Does love win or does money?Getting engaged is an exciting time.

You have found a person you trust and who you want to spend the rest of your life with. You might think you know everything you can about the person you plan to marry, but there is one topic every couple should talk about openly and honestly before tying the knot:

Money.

Financial problems can cause a good deal of stress on an individual. This is even more true for the married couple. Many marital problems can be traced back to money issues.

Because of this, it’s important to get to know about your partner’s financial past and how he or she thinks about money. Continue reading…

Late Payments Will Affect Your Credit Score

Late Payments Can & Will Affect Your Credit

Late Payments On Your Credit CardWhen you have a lot of different expenses to arrange every month, it can be easy to let one slip.

It’s important to avoid this whenever possible, as you may think this has little to no repercussions.

Sticking to your payment plan is even more important when you have loans or a credit card. Late payments can negatively affect your credit history, making it harder to get loans or cards in the future. Plus, falling behind on payments can make budgeting harder going forward.

Your credit score is made up of several different components, each of which carry different weights. Each matter, but your payment history is arguably the most important because it carries some of the biggest weight. Continue reading…

Living Below Your Means

Living Below Your Means Is The Best Way to Save

Save By Living Below your MeansLiving below your means isn’t always easy.

Many Americans don’t want to, but those who do are beginning to see progress in their savings and spending goals when they do.

According to the latest America Saves Week survey, about 40%of respondents indicated they were making positive progress on their savings needs. Those who said they were spending less than their income – in other words, living below their means – grew from 68% in 2014 to 71% last year.

More than half said they were saving 5% or more of their income, a 5-point increase over 2014. Continue reading…

Fixing Your Low Credit Score

Fixing A Low Credit Score Is Easier Than You Think

Low Credit Score SolutionCredit is important in today’s world.

It can determine what kind of interest rates you get when you take out loans, or if you are eligible for a loan at all. It can also affect your employment, your housing situation and myriad other things.

Having good credit means all this will come easier than if your credit is low.

However, according to findings from the 2015 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard, the majority of Americans face the burden of poor credit. Subprime credit scores plague 56 percent of U.S. citizens.

A low credit score signals to lenders, landlords and others that your bill-paying and money managing habits might not be up to par. This is why it’s important to know what your credit score is and, if you find it’s low, to work to improve it.

Improving your low credit score will take time. Some discrepancies stay on your credit report for up to seven years. In the case of bankruptcies, it could take as long as a decade to see this credit-harming instance disappear, according to Equifax.

However, it’s best to start as soon as possible, even if you still have a few years before late payments, judgments or bankruptcies are cleared from your report. Continue reading…

First Time Car Buying Questions

First Time Car Buyer? Here are the Questions to Ask!

Purchasing Your First CarBuying a car isn’t always easy.

It’s difficult to know what you need and whether a vehicle meets those needs. However, it’s important to nail down exactly what you’re looking for in a car before purchasing it.

Questions To Ask Yourself

The first thing you need to determine before looking for the right vehicle is why you’re in the market for a car.

If you just got a new job across town, you’re probably looking for transportation solely for the commute. If you’re an athlete who needs to drive to practice, you’re probably looking because you need a vehicle to transport your gear. Continue reading…