Well, these certainly are not typical times.  This week, American Express announced that it was offering a $300 prepaid gift card to some customers to close and pay off their accounts by the end of April.  They said it is a move to help reduce the risk of future defaults for the company and [...]

   Protecting your credit from fraudulent use is important for a successful credit building plan to achieve better credit scores.  With the continued rise in identity theft, many consumers are utilizing the Security Freeze as a way to limit access to their credit files.
WHAT IS A SECURITY FREEZE
A Security Freeze placed with all three credit [...]

   While many of us are in the thick of tax season, it seems like a good idea to revisit an article we posted in December.  The big news on TV and in print is the huge economic stimulus package that was signed into law last week.  However, many people can still qualify for LAST [...]

   While driving in Tucson last week, I passed a cash advance/pay day loan store with a big sign out front that said “FIRST LOAN FREE”.  My initial thought was that they know most people will be coming back for the second, third and fourth loans, so they’ll make their money through repeat business.  My next [...]

   In an attempt to save, or at least stall the foreclosure process on, their home some people are using a “Produce the Note” strategy.  Featured on MSNBC this week, the goal of this strategy is to assure that the financial institution suing the homeowner actually owns the note and has the right to proceed legally.
When mortgages [...]

   Many people believe they should close their credit cards when they are paid off.  While some people may need to close them to stop themselves from using them and increasing their debt, this will almost always have a negative impact on credit scores. 

Part of a good Financial Fitness Plan includes getting better credit scores.  Part of [...]