IDoSugar -- Meant to be.

Ask Savvy: Should I Apply For a Personal Loan?

SavvySugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:30:51 -0700

Dear Savvy,

I've been meaning to take a $5,000 personal loan. However, as you may know, my bank WaMu was bought by JP Morgan Chase. I'm not sure what kind of effects this would have on me or my bank. Should I hold off or go to different banks? Also, since we are in economic crisis, will it harm me in the future if I do consider going through with this?

See my answer when you

Reminder: Claim Your Free Credit Monitoring Services

SavvySugar — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:00:34 -0700

TransUnion's class action case was settled at the beginning of Summer, and now that the season has come and gone, your chance to get free credit monitoring services is almost up, too. The settlement's terms include most consumers — if you had any open lines of credit (including credit cards and loans) from Jan. 1, 1987, until May 28, 2008, you are eligible to receive free 24-hour credit monitoring from TransUnion for either six or nine months.

You have until Sept. 24 to register for TransUnion's Basic or Enhanced service. For more information or to file a claim, visit the settlement's website or call 866-416-3470.

Savvy ATM: Credit Scores Aren't Always Accurate

SavvySugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:30:30 -0700

Just as there are several companies and agencies capable of generating your credit report, there are many sources that offer credit scoring services. The September issue of Consumer Reports describes how The Consumer Reports Money Lab spent $130 to determine how the scores may vary, and the results proved the point that scores from different sources can seem like they belong to different people! See the details of their experiment and what it all means to you when you

Your Two Cents: Have You Ever Made a Late Payment?

SavvySugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 06:30:21 -0700

Making punctual payments on your debts has a huge impact in maintaining (or achieving) a high credit score, and tardy payments can leave a negative dent in your credit. Have you ever been late in making a payment? Source

Your Two Cents: Have You Ever Made a Late Payment?

Yes, I've been late in making a payment.

I've been late but it was an isolated event.

No, I've never made a late payment.

Hard Credit Inquiries vs. Soft Inquiries: How Money Are You?

SavvySugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:30:39 -0700

Checking your credit report is as easy as visiting a website and entering your personal information, and other parties can access your report when a loan or credit is involved. There are two types of credit checks: hard and soft. Do you know the difference? Take the quiz!

Source

What Forever 21 Has to Do With Your Credit Report

SavvySugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:00:54 -0700

Last week, in the biggest case of identity theft ever, 11 men in five countries were charged with stealing more than 40 million credit card numbers from US retailers. Unfortunately, 73 percent of you aren't strangers to having your credit card information compromised, but it seems that some of us might be in the dark about our card's safety.

According to The Wall Street Journal, most states require full disclosure to customers when credit-card data is stolen from a company's stores. Of the stores involved in the security breach affecting millions of people, TJX Cos., BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., DSW Inc., Dave and Buster's Inc. didn't let much time pass before they told their customers about the instance. Find out how Forever 21 fits into the equation when you

Four Situations When You're Entitled to a Free Credit Score

SavvySugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:30:34 -0700

Acquiring your free credit report is relatively simple: Just remember to visit AnnualCreditReport.com for up to three reports each year, not tricky FreeCreditReport.com.

Unfortunately, getting your free credit score isn't as direct. There are certain little loopholes that can get you a complimentary score, but there also a handful of legitimate circumstances that grant you a free credit score — no slick loopholes required. Find out four situations which entitle you to a free score when you

FreeCreditReport.com Getting Heat For Not Being Free

SavvySugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:30:00 -0700

This weekend's New York Times featured a look at "The High Cost of a ‘Free Credit Report.'" Kris Steele, a web developer in Wisconsin, was planning to buy a car and remembered FreeCreditReport's catchy TV commercials, so he went online to check his credit on the site. The commercial's lyrics include “F-R-E-E, that spells free creditreport.com, baby. Saw their ads on my TV, thought about going but was too lazy.” He filled out the information form, including his credit card number, which he thought the site needed to verify his identity, but months later he noticed the site had charged his card. Little did he know, he had actually enrolled in a credit-monitoring service that cost $14.95 a month. Kris isn't the only person upset with the confusing advertising that, while funny and effective (FreeCreditReport's site visitors and new member signups increased by 20 percent in 2007), is misleading.

After attention from consumer groups and the United States Public Interest Research Group, FreeCreditReport.com has placed a disclosure on its home page saying that it is not affiliated with the annual free credit report program. The Federal Trade Commission's website warns against using sites other than AnnualCreditReport.com to obtain a free report.

What Happens If My Husband Has Bad Credit, or No Credit at All?

SavvySugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:30:35 -0700

You know it's important to maintain your own credit identity when you're married, but here's what ehadams is curious about: "What happens to credit when you get married? For example, if he has bad (or no credit) and you have excellent credit, what happens?" The answer to this is less complicated than going through the process of changing your last name! Find out what it is when you

Holding on to Your Credit Identity Once You're Married

SavvySugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:04:34 -0700

You may assume your husband's last name when you get married and you might even merge bank accounts. Just as you maintain an individual identity outside of your husband and your new last name, you need to protect yourself by sustaining your own credit profile. This can be accomplished even if you combine checking and savings accounts. Find out how to keep your credit identity and why it's so important when you