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Can Holiday Spending Hurt Your Credit Score?

January 6, 2022 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert   The holidays are not a time to pinch pennies. There’s nothing wrong with loosening the purse strings, giving generously, and using this time to focus on friends and family instead of money. But you at least want to make it through to the end of the year with your finances intact, …

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What Consumers Don’t Know about Free Credit Score Companies

November 2, 2021 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert If you’re trying to actively monitor your credit, paying for a copy of your credit score can be a frustrating expense. In this situation, companies offering a free copy of your credit score probably seem like a godsend. But while these services can show you a free credit score, it might not …

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Credit Report Mistakes

September 2, 2021 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert Most people think of a credit score as a concrete, unchangeable piece of data. The reality, however, is a bit more open to interpretation.While your score is determined with a reliable algorithm, the incidents on your credit report that are used to calculate that score are often open to dispute – and …

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FICO vs Vantage – Which score will my lender use?

June 10, 2021 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert You’re probably aware that a high credit score is the single most important factor in securing a loan. But did you know that you have more than one credit score? FICO and VantageScore are the two main credit scoring models used by lenders. They each take a similar, but slightly different approach …

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Credit and Couples

February 9, 2021Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert With Valentine’s Day approaching, it’s natural to start thinking about all the factors that go into a successful relationship – trust, commitment, passion and a compatible approach to managing your credit.OK, that last one might be a stretch.But while talking about your credit score might seem decidedly unromantic, financial compatibility is a very real factor …

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How Holiday Shopping Can Affect Your Credit

December 23, 2020Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert As the 2020 Christmas shopping season begins in earnest, consumers are likely concerned about how holiday spending will affect their finances. This year has seen more economic turmoil than any year since the Great Recession of 2008 – particularly affecting those in lower income brackets – so it’s understandable if the average shopper has …

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Do you need good credit in retirement?

September 15, 2020Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert When most people think about financial planning, retirement is the logical finish line. You work hard, live within your means and save enough money to live out your days in peace and comfort.But you don’t stop managing your finances after you retire – and that includes your credit. While your days of applying for …

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What is Debt Consolidation?

July 9, 2020Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert Dealing with multiple sources of debt is like juggling chainsaws. If you’re really good at it, you might be able to avoid getting hurt. If you’re really bad at it, you probably won’t get very far without incident. Either way, you’re one mistake away from disaster.So why not combine your debts into one, easily-manageable …

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Best Alternative to Payday Loans

June 11, 2020Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert Payday loans get a lot of flack – and rightfully so. They have outrageous interest rates and often use predatory practices to lure in financially vulnerable borrowers.  But if you think avoiding payday loans is easy, you’ve probably never been in a situation where you need money immediately. When you live paycheck to paycheck, …