C.A.R.E.S. Credit Aware Resources & Educational Service | Articles

In addition to being eligible for BALANCE, a financial education and counseling service dedicated to helping you achieve your goals, we offer a new credit awareness resource.
Please refer back to USSFCU C.A.R.E.S. frequently for articles and instructions on issues affecting your credit rating, improving your credit score and what it all means to your financial fitness!

		Frieze Out Thieves Most lenders review applications for credit by obtaining a credit report from one of the three major credit reporting bureaus: Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion. Read Article>
		Consumer Credit Report Fee Limit up $ .50 in 2009 The highest that a national credit reporting agency can charge next year on a consumer credit report will be $11,.. Read Article>
		$5,000 in Debt--and Nothing to Show for It People who consider a credit card "free money" are headed for trouble. Read Article>
		Be Smart About Credit Cards The TV program guests told appalling stories. "I owe more than $26,000 on my credit cards,"... Read Article>
		Card Surprises to Look Out For Credit card issuers have to make a profit. No one objects to that. Read Article>
		Common Credit Report Mistakes Could Cost You If you haven't requested a copy of your credit report, there are many reasons why you should. Read Article>
		Credit Savvy Key to Avoiding Costly Missteps There's a lot of misinformation floating around about how to shop for, use, and benefit from credit. Read Article>
		Financial Literacy Quiz--What's Your Score? Test your financial literacy. Why? Because without a good handle on personal finances, we make poor spending decisions... Read Article>
		It Was Such a Bargain: Help for Compulsive Shoppers Like other addictive personalities, compulsive or obsessive shoppers indulge their passion even as it destroys... Read Article>
		Making Sense of Plastic Promos There's a battle raging. And we're not talking the Dark Side of the Force vs. the Jedi Knights. Read Article>
		Smart Holiday Shopping Takes Planning and Control You say it every year after the holidays: "Next year I'm going to spend less money." Read Article>
		The Nontraditional Route to a Positive Credit History For the estimated 35 to 50 million consumers who don't have full credit histories, the use of data such as information about daycare... Read Article>
		The Purchasing Power of a Strong Credit History Everyone, from college students to recent immigrants, is likely to need the purchasing power a solid credit record conveys. Read Article>
		Watching for Credit Card Tricks A spin-free guide to reading the fine print in credit card offers and agreements. Read Article>
		Credit Card Trick #1 What Happens When 0% APR Jumps to 19.99% Read Article>
		Credit Card Trick #2 Some of the "normal" practices of credit card companies will surprise you, others you'll find down right shocking. Read Article>
		Credit Reporting 101 Understanding Your Credit Report. Read Article>
		The Evil Tricks that Credit Card Companies Play Some of the "normal" practices of credit card companies will surprise you, others you'll find down right shocking.
		Diminished Reward of Charging Everything Charging everything can offer tremendous rewards, but it can damage your credit scores...overspend and it may cost you money in fees and interest.
		Building Great Credit Your credit history can make or break you when trying to convince lenders you're a good risk. Here are some simple ways to build the best record you can -- before you need it.
		What Bad Credit Really Cost You It's not just a number. Failing to take steps to improve your credit score could cost you hundreds or thousands of extra dollars on a home loan, a car payment or a credit card or insurance bill.
		The Expansion Score An estimated 50 million American adults have no real credit history. Pretty hard to believe, huh? So says Fair Isaac, the company that developed the classic FICO score used by most lenders, and they've launched a new scoring system that may soon allow lenders to make loans to more recent immigrants, young people and others who currently have a tough time getting credit. But with this development, called the FICO Expansion score, also comes new ways for people to mess up their financial lives.
		Potential Hits to Your Credit and What You Can do About it Cards that don't report credit limits are just one of the hidden threats to your credit score. Here are some of the potential hits you might be taking, and how you can fight back.

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