Self-Help Articles

When it comes to your overall financial health, your credit score is very important – which is why we devote a lot of attention to this benchmark. Your credit score is a solid indicator of your financial habits. It’s an unbiased, data-driven number that reflects your so-called “creditworthiness” – or how likely you are to […]

Phony online shopping sites. “Spoofed” phone numbers. Legit-sounding tech support calls. It seems like scammers are always coming up with new ways to trick people into sharing personal information. The good news is that most of these scams are easy to spot – if you know what to look for.  In this guide, we’ll take

Self-care is one of the many buzzwords to gain traction on the blogosphere in the last year or so. Google “self-care,” and you’ll find images of people blissfully doing yoga with goats, eating healthy food, or kicking back with a good book. You might also find articles and suggested “self-care to-do lists” packed full of

Perhaps it starts with a phone call from a debt collector, demanding payment for purchases you don’t remember making on a credit card you don’t even have. Maybe you suddenly stop receiving your bank statements and credit card bills in the mail. Or possibly you notice that your checking account is suddenly short a few

Do a quick Google search for “debt repayment method,” and you’ll find plenty of suggestions, from the gimmicky (Snowballs! Avalanches!) to the no-nonsense (balance transfers). How do they stack up? Which one is right for you? In this blog, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular debt repayment strategies out there, along

So, you’re an easy mark: The additional discounts offered by becoming a cardholder and all those bonus points if you “sign up now” are too good to pass up. But if you’re feeling that pull from a “cash-back” or “mileage points” credit card, pause for a moment before taking the plunge. These types of cards

Here at American Credit Foundation, we’re big proponents of “the emergency fund.” Hopefully, if you’re reading this, you already have (or have started, at the very least) a stash of cash in case of some unforeseen catastrophe. Be it a broken water heater, a hole in the roof, an ambulance ride to the ER, or

We talk a lot about your credit cards (those pesky pieces of plastic that are equal parts good and bad, depending on how you use them) and your credit score (that three-digit number predicting the likelihood that you’ll pay your credit obligations on time). But let’s take a moment to discuss your credit utilization. It’s

It’s no secret: College ain’t cheap – and it’s only getting more expensive. Over the past 30 years, the cost of an American university education has tripled. The College Board reports that the average tuition for a four-year school is $10,230 – compared to $3,360 in 1988.[1] If you’ve gone to college in those intervening

It can be awkward to mix family and money issues, whether it’s loaning money to a struggling relative or dealing with competitive or irresponsible spending. Feeling frustrated by family-related financial kerfuffles? We created this helpful guide for dealing with financially irresponsible family members who seem chronically unable to get their financial act together – without

Maybe you finally got a “real” job – one that pays for more than your (very) basic living expenses. Or it could be that your boss decided to reward your decade-plus of hard work with a well-deserved and long overdue raise. Perhaps you just got a healthy chunk of cash in the form of a

Budgets are great… for some people. Creating a spending plan by looking at all bills and regular payments can give you a complete picture of your spending and saving habits. And sticking to that plan can really help you keep your finances in check. But let’s face it: Traditional budgets aren’t for everyone. For some,

Debt default: What is it? How can you prevent it? Your car note fell behind the refrigerator. You got busy with work and didn’t remember to schedule your online student loan payment. You were down with the flu for a week and totally forgot to pay your credit card bill. We get it. These things

For whatever reason, you’ve missed your credit card payment… for the past four months. At first, maybe you just forgot to send in your monthly payment. Then you misplaced your next statement. You couldn’t afford the minimum amount on your third bill. And by month four, you were just overwhelmed. Forget about how it happened.

It’s March, and you’ve already given up on your New Year’s resolution to get in shape. Well, maybe you’ve sidestepped your goal of losing five pounds or making it to the gym three days a week or biking to work instead of driving… But that doesn’t mean you can’t start today with a new target:

The Federal Reserve is the central bank of the United States. Those folks know a little something about financial stability. They talk about it in terms of an economic system that can absorb all the ups and downs in nation’s economy at any moment: “It isn’t about preventing failure or stopping people or businesses from

You’re fed up with XYZ bank, for whatever reason, so you’re planning to close your account and get rid of that credit card. Maybe you just don’t use ABC credit card anymore, now that you have a different card with better incentives. Or maybe you’ve succeeded in paying down your balance and think shedding that

When you see your doctors during checkups, they normally ask a series of general questions that help them make assessments about your physical health and mental well-being. It’s important information to have and analyze to get a total and complete picture of your health. The same goes for your financial health. Questions about how you

Diving into the world of credit cards can be daunting for those new to the game, such as young people trying to establish a solid credit history or older folks who’ve shied away from using plastic to pay for everyday purchases. You might wonder how much credit you actually need, how disciplined you’ll be in

We work with credit for a living, and we’ve heard just about every credit card-related question out there. In this post, we’ll answer some of today’s most common credit card questions. So, does checking your credit score actually hurt your credit? Why are some credit cards made of metal? And can credit card companies really

Concerned about a recent data breach? Worried about identity theft? Looking for a little extra peace of mind? A credit freeze might be exactly what you’re looking for. This free (that’s right, free!) service makes it harder for scammers to ruin your good name – and your good credit. Of course, a credit freeze isn’t

As any parent can tell you, kids are expensive. It can be tough balancing the needs and wants of a growing family with things like savings, retirement, and budgeting. And, unlike other aspects of parenting, it can be tough to get good advice about the financial aspects of raising a family. For most parents, family

Your credit score can determine everything from your ability to buy a home to your chances of landing your dream job. But what separates a good credit score from a bad one? And how can you bump your credit score up from good to great? Use this credit score guide to see where you fall

You’ve no doubt heard about the benefits of having an emergency fund. In fact, just about every financial advisor, personal finance blog, and budgeting guru will tell you that a stash of emergency cash – ideally three to six months’ worth of living expenses – is a must. There’s a good reason that this advice

Feeling overwhelmed by credit card debt? Having trouble making your monthly payments? A debt management plan offers a realistic way to pay down your debt and get your finances back on track. Debt management plans are offered by nonprofit credit counseling organizations, and they typically work like this: Your credit counselor negotiates with your lenders

It’s not always easy to save money – especially if you’re trying to pay down credit card debt, live on a budget, and handle day-to-day expenses. But even when funds are tight, it’s definitely possible to stash away some extra cash. And you can even make it fun by challenging yourself to meet a specific

From squabbles over spending to disagreements over budgeting, financial woes can be a source of serious strife for couples. In fact, in one recent study, 35 percent of couples reported that they argue about money more than anything else. Want to cut down on money-related arguments with your spouse or significant other? It’s time to

When you don’t make a lot of money, credit card spending can quickly turn into a never-ending — and costly — cycle: You don’t have money, so you have to use your credit card to cover gaps between paychecks or unexpected expenses. As a result, your balance goes up, with interest. Of course, because you

How to plan for large, unpredictable expenses: Large expenses can be difficult to manage, and it’s all too easy to simply rely on credit cards to get you through tough times. But with a little planning, you can ensure that you don’t throw your finances (and your credit score) for a complete loop if you

Your bank can be a valuable tool to help you track your budget, pay your bills on time, and save money. But if you’re making any of these common banking mistakes, your bank can also be a source of frustration. We’ve rounded up a list of the most common missteps people make with their bank