When it comes to retail store credit cards, the advantages are often outweighed by the disadvantages. However, the best store credit cards offer some exceptions to the status quo. Some come with rewards and benefits worth pursuing, if you shop a lot at their stores.

The Strategy –to lower credit utilization, make an extra credit card payment mid-month, either estimating what you owe or checking your current balance online.

If you have friends who work at banks, especially if they are in lending, you might be tempted to ask them to check your credit score for free.

Divorce is all about division – the separation of two people from each other, dividing up property, dividing kids’ time between parents but does divorce have to mean a separation from a good credit score?

Having a bad credit score will cost you a lot more than a higher interest rate for a few loans. It extends into many parts of your financial life. So many people fail to understand how important their credit is until they try to buy a home or take out a loan. People with bad credit usually know that they will have to pay higher interest rates. But they often don’t realize how deeply they will really be affected.