Building Credit for Students

When holidays take over, some people try to take advantage of others by coming up with scams and tactics to victimize unsuspecting consumers. Students and many young people are prone to these scams and the best thing you can do to protect yourself is to be aware of their tactics and always be on the alert.

In this article, let’s take a look at some of the most common tricks that scammers may try to pull off during this coming holiday – the Valentine’s Day.

Electronic Greeting Card Scams. Valentine’s Day greetings are expected during this day and although e-cards or greetings cards sent via internet is the trend, you want to watch out against e-card scams. Your inbox might be flodded with V-day e-cards on February 14^th, but before you click on each mail, check to see where the email is from. (more…)

For merchants, Valentine’s Day is considered to be one of the most profitable seasons of the year. With couples, young and old, searching for that perfect gift item for their special one. For restaurant owners, Valentine’s Day is also a celebrated day, as many couples and even groups of friends choose to celebrate by dining out.

How do you plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day this coming year? How do you imagine spending the day with your boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse or partner in life? If you’re a student with limited cash, how do you plan to stretch that budget for V-day?

In this article, we present practical, money saving tips for students on V-day: (more…)

Holiday months can be full of fun and celebrations. The month of December has been filled with a lot of holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year. As 2012 enters in, many people are gearing up for another celebration, especially young people and students. Yes, Valentine’s Day can be an exciting day for many youngsters but it can also be a debt magnet for some.

On this post, we present tips on how you can get through Valentine’s Day without falling into the debt trap:

Don’t be compelled to spend. Do you feel like the day will be lonely if you don’t have money to spend? If you do, it’s about time that you change your outlook and think about the things you can enjoy without spending a fortune. (more…)

Keeping your personal credit score in good shape should not just be a part of the New Year’s Resolution. It should be a regular regimen that everyone must follow. On this post, let’s take a closer look at the specific steps that you can do to build and maintain good credit.

Monitor your personal credit report. Consumers have the right to receive one free report from each major credit bureau (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) once each year. You can request your free report at www.annualcreditreport.com, the only resource authorized by the government to distribute free credit reports. You can request all your three reports at once or order one copy from each bureau at different times throughout the year. (more…)

Having bad credit can be a huge disadvantage not only when applying for a new credit card or a new loan, but also when it comes to applying for a job or employment. What bad habits should you avoid to keep your credit score in great shape? Consider these tips:

1. Not following a monthly spending plan. Do you have a written budget plan that you follow each month? Without a budget plan, you will not be able to keep track of your spending. Creating a plan that suits your situation will enable you to manage your finances more and stretch your budget more effectively. (more…)

Are you ready to face the year 2012? It’s always good to start the year right, particularly when it comes to financing. Consider the following tips:

Shop around and compare. If you plan to buy anything, spend a little more time shopping. Compare prices online and don’t forget to check the merchant’s reputation. The same rule applies for consumers who plan to apply for a credit card or a loan. Never sign up for the first offer you see, no matter how attractive the deal seems to be. Use the internet to compare credit cards and loan deals from various lenders.

Start building an emergency fund. It’s the year 2012 and if you have not yet started building your personal fund for emergencies, then it’s about time that you do. An emergency fund is easily accessible when unexpected expenses arise. This way, you don’t have to rely on short term loans or payday loans with high interest rates when in need of immediate cash. (more…)