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Essay On Managing Credit

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Here are some tips for managing your credit:
• Keep track of your spending: Keep track of the checks you've written, debit and credit card transactions, and ATM card usage. Review your monthly statements when they arrive, and report any possible discrepancies immediately.
• Don't exceed your credit limit on lines of credit and credit cards: Your available credit is how much credit you have left on a line of credit or credit card; it is your credit limit minus your outstanding balance. Be careful to keep your spending below this amount. Following the “20/10 Rule,” it is a good practice not to let your credit card debt exceed more than 20% of your total yearly income after taxes. And each month, don't have more than 10% of your monthly …show more content…

Be sure to schedule them according to your pay schedule to ensure you have sufficient funds for the payment when it is drafted.
• Keep your contact information current. If you're moving, remember to fill out the change of address form on your statement or update it online to ensure that your statement goes to your new address.
Stay in touch with your creditors
Contact your lenders immediately if you fall behind on your payments. Most creditors are willing to set up alternative payment options, especially if you inform them right away of your situation.
A credit score is a numeric expression that helps lenders estimate the risk of extending credit or loaning money to people. The most common credit score is the FICO score, a measurement based on five factors that affect the credit score:
Payment History - 35%
A history of on-time payments helps improve your credit score. Payment history includes information on various account types including credit cards, retail accounts and installment loans, as well as any adverse public records for events such as liens, foreclosures and bankruptcies. The time since the last negative event and the frequency of missed payments affect the credit score deduction. For example, someone who missed one credit card payment five years ago will be seen as less of a risk than a person who misses several payments each year.
How Much You Owe and How Much Credit You Use - 30%
FICO scores consider how much is owed on all accounts, how many account have

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