Credit Archives - Women’s Money

30Aug 2022 by Tammy Camp

How to Redeem Citi Premier Card ThankYou Points for Cash or Statement Credit

Credit

To my regular readers, this post is a little off topic today; but I feel it’s an important Public Service Announcement. Background of Citi Rewards Card I’m a huge proponent of mindful use of credit cards to earn and maximize credit card rewards. As part of my sabbatical and having more time and space in my life, I recently did a credit card review and inventory. I signed up for the Citi Premier card as they were offering 80,000 bonus points if you spent $4,000 within 4 months of signing up. Given that our health insurance premium is over $800/month, I knew we would easily meet this. Even with a $95 annual fee, that’s still $700 bonus dollars (tax free!) I downloaded and activated the Citi Mobile App. I found…

02Jun 2017 by Women's Money

The Facts Behind your Credit Score

Credit, Miscellaneous, Money in Your 20s/30s/40s/50s/Retirement

By Julie Macc, Certified Credit and Identity Theft SpecialistWhat is Fico?FICO is an acronym for the Fair Isaac Corporation the creators of the FICO score.The FICO scoring system is used in the United States for extending or offering credit, employment credit checks, landlords, and in States that legally allow it, insurance rates.How is a score made? The FICO score is computer generated using mathematical models. The score takes into account various factors in five different areas to determine credit risk: payment history, current level of indebtness, types of credit used, lenght of credit history, and new credit.People that have a FICO score will range between 300-850.Not everyone has a Credit Score. In order to have a credit score, your credit file has to meet certain minimum standards. Failure to meet…

26May 2017 by Women's Money

Credit that Cares for You

Credit, Miscellaneous, Money in Your 20s/30s/40s/50s/Retirement

Real talk: Paying for medical care is stressful and expensive. Even if you are fortunate enough to have insurance through your employer, coming up with co-pays on top of the premiums can make your budget, or your savings, cry. When you pay for an individual insurance plan, the situation often becomes more stressful. This is a thorny issue. The cost of healthcare is prohibitive, yet sometimes you genuinely need to see a doctor. So what can you do to ease the financial burden? Unfortunately I have no solutions for the cost of insurance or healthcare. However, the CareCredit card can help make getting the medical care you need a viable possibility.CareCredit is a credit account specifically designed to assist with medical bills that insurance does not cover. Like a regular…

11May 2017 by Women's Money

Simple Ways to Establish Good Credit

Credit, Miscellaneous, Money in Your 20s/30s/40s/50s/Retirement

So, you are interested in building your credit history, but not sure where to start. Here are a few simple ways to begin building your credit. Always make sure that any credit you decide to use fits within your budget, especially if you choose to take out a loan.1. Start with a Credit Card The first option to build your credit is to apply for a credit card. There are some things to keep in mind if you choose this route. Credit cards can quickly become dangerous to your financial health if you spend more than you can afford to repay every month and become trapped by the interest rates attached to your card.To avoid this, limit your credit card spending to purchases you already make. A common strategy is…

26Apr 2017 by Women's Money

Credit 101

Credit, Miscellaneous

Credit often feels like a mysterious and treacherous aspect of personal finance when you are young and/or just beginning your money management journey. Despite its reputation, credit is a tool that with responsible use will improve your financial standing. Before you embark on the journey of seeking credit, it is important to know how credit and credit scores work so you don’t accidentally end up in hot financial water.So what is credit? Credit is money you borrow to use for goods and service and that you will repay at an agreed-upon time with any applicable fees and charges (usually interest). There are four types of credit.RevolvingChargeServiceInstallment.Revolving credit is typically associated with credit cards. When you use this type of credit, the lending institution approves you for a maximum amount of…

06Jan 2017 by Women's Money

Everything You Need to Know About Your Credit Score #WMWeek17 @JulieMaccCredit

#WMWeek17, Credit, Women's Money Week

hat is Fico?FICO is an acronym for the Fair Isaac Corporation the creators of the FICO score.The FICO scoring system is used in the United States for extending or offering credit, employment credit checks, landlords, and in States that legally allow it Insurance rates.How is a score made?The FICO score is computer generated using mathematical models the score takes into account various factors in five different areas to determine credit risk: payment history, current level of indebtness, types of credit used, lenght of credit history, and new credit.People that have a FICO score will range between 300-850.Not everyone has a Credit Score. In order to have a credit score your credit file has to meet certain minimum standards to be score able. Failure to meet the below guidelines with any…

26Nov 2016 by Women's Money

First Step to Overcoming Financial Stress

#WMWeek17, Credit, Debt, Goals / Taking Action, Miscellaneous, Money in Your 20s/30s/40s/50s/Retirement, Relationships & Money, Take Action

It’s easy to despair over your finances, whether it’s your debt load, learning poor spending habits left you broke, or simply realizing you don’t know squat about doing your taxes. And it’s okay to have a cry once in a while. Crying is a normal reaction to stress. But when tears and despair become the norm when you think about your finances, you’ve got a problem. The more you despair, the more you lose hope and feel powerless to make any meaningful changes. News flash: this is your life, and you’re the only one who can improve it. And the first step to creating change and hope is gratitude. Feel free to roll your eyes at me. I know this answer sounds somewhere between “too good to be true” and…

11Nov 2016 by Women's Money

Women Veterans – How to Overcome Financial Uncertainty

#WMWeek17, Credit, Debt, Goals / Taking Action, Miscellaneous, Take Action, Veteran's Day

55% of veterans believe they are not well prepared for a financial emergency. 77% of service members have financial worries, and 57% worry especially about losing income and job security due to defense cuts. These statistics present a grim reality for America Veterans, regardless of gender. Approximately 11% of our veteran population is female, many of whom are mothers. If you are a female veteran feeling financial strapped and worried about your family, we at Women’s Money® salute and honor your service to our country and want to help you achieve financial security. Two-thirds of veterans report facing a health challenge resulting from their service. In recent disability claims of young veterans, 1/5 report Military Sexual Trauma (MST). If MST is something you struggle with and is impacting your life,…

09Sep 2016 by Women's Money

Teaching Kids About Money and Business with Pokemon Go!

Budgeting, Credit, Entrepreneurship / Making Money, Saving & Investing

I began playing Pokemon Go out of curiosity. There were a lot of headlines surrounding the new phenomenon, and I wanted to experience first-hand what it was about. As I played, I became enthusiast and began writing about the game’s obvious health benefits and how it encompasses the future of mobile applications. Since I’ve been playing for a while now, I’ve observed some other subtle rewards that reinforce my appreciation for the game: most notably, Pokemon Go teaches players (hopefully young players) about money. The game is both a model for how to how to manage money and promote business.Pokestops Introduce the Concept Of Work For PayPokestops are where you go to get more supplies. When you reach a Pokestop, you spin the wheel and it releases a few assets…

23Mar 2016 by Women's Money

It’s time to give your finances a spring cleaning. Start with a #FinancialSelfie #WomensMoney

Budgeting, Credit, Debt, Entrepreneurship / Making Money, Goals / Taking Action, Miscellaneous, Money in Your 20s/30s/40s/50s/Retirement, Popular, Relationships & Money, Saving & Investing, Take Action

It's been almost three months since New Year's Eve. The first day of spring has passed, and holidays celebrating reflection and renewal are coming up. It's the time of "spring cleaning". It's also time to get an honest picture of your personal financial condition. Here are some quick, cool, and fairly painless ways to get your financial status reviewed:The Quickie Selfie - Takes like two minutes tops, and you instantly get a general pulse of your financial health.The Full Financial Selfie - Takes maybe five minutes, and again gives you a general (more in-depth than the quickie) pulse of where you're at financially.Financial Freedom Evaluators - If you want the real deal, in-depth experience then you want to try out the Women's Money Financial Freedom Evaluators. This gives you a more in-depth…

Category: Credit