Skip to main content

Not Necessarily Utterly and Totally Irrelevant

Have you ever had to write a blog post on something that you didn’t necessarily agree with or get behind 100%? Probably not. I wrote a blog post about a year ago on this same subject, and I’m afraid I haven’t yet learned to care (shame on me). I mean, I know it’s important in this day and age, but if you totally adhered to the principal of using cash for everything, the subject of a credit score would be moot.

But because everybody seems to worship their credit score (insert eye roll and sarcastic tone here), I suppose it might be important to do what one can to protect it. So, let’s talk about that. I hope you don’t mind if I quote myself–my advice is still quite relevant.

“Check out annualcreditreport.com for reports from each of the three credit reporting companies. Make sure they are accurate. Reach out to them if they are not. Close old yet still open accounts with zero balances. Even consider freezing your credit since you are no longer relying on debt and, like me, don’t intend to borrow any more money. This will also help protect you from identity theft.

While I may not agree with the need for this rating system, I do understand that if you have one you want it to remain in good shape. So, take care of it.”

Ok, now my rant is really over, at least for 2022.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

One More–Christmas Experiences Part II

Christmas is just a week away. Hopefully you’ve checked everything off your to-do list and can spend some quality time “experiencing” Christmas gifts with your family. Because, after all, your loved ones will be far more touched by how you made them feel than they will be with what you gave them. This week, I want to share with you my sister, Carey’s, family Christmas experience. “One Christmas, when my boys, now 18, 23 and 28, were little, we gave them an experience that is still talked about now. And it’s something so easily replicated that any family can do it, and it’s not too late to do it for Christmas (even ON Christmas) this year. We drove around our neighborhood and looked at all the homes decorated for the holiday. We took note of the addresses as we numbered them. We talked about what made each ornamented yards stand out. And at the end of the night, we voted for our favorite. I had my sons help me make some of our favorite holiday desserts and, in addition to taking p...
Post a Comment
Read more

Books Equal Bucks

 In November PBS always hosts their  Annual Reading Marathon . “Wow. That’s the  second  time this month that our financial blogger has gone off the rails regarding blog topics. What does reading have to do with finances?” My answer? Everything. Establishing good reading habits in children–reading 20 minutes a day–can literally change their financial future. Good readers do better in school. Good readers are more likely to graduate from high school. Good readers will probably make more money as adults. Reading changes EVERYTHING          . That being said, books  can  be expensive, but they don’t have to be. Libraries are some of the best resources for book access–they play SUCH an important role in our community. You can also share/trade books with your neighbors, friends, and family members (just make sure you have a good system for tracking book ownership). Second-hand stores or garage sales are awesome places to s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bon Voyage

Many of you are aware that I like to travel. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting a few foreign countries and taking a handful of cruises, and I intend to do more in the not-to-distant future. Because you know me, you know I don’t finance these trips–I plan ahead and save for them. And if you’ve followed my blog for a while, you are also aware that I do use one credit card for which I earn flight miles, and I use this card on the trips where I see the world. There is one thing about my credit card for which I am especially grateful–whenever there is suspicious activity on my account, I get a text notification. The credit card company recognizes that charges abroad MIGHT NOT BE LEGIT, and they send me a message. All I have to do is confirm that it is, in fact, me that made the peculiar purchase, and I’m good to go. If I did not make the purchase, I respond in kind, and my card is deactivated. Note to self and others: one could avoid these potential interruptions if one calls credit car...
Post a Comment
Read more