Nocita Carter's Blog

Is Your Wallet Hurting From The High Cost Of Gas?

I don’t know about you, but we are paying a lot of money for gas these days and any increase in the cost of gas that we pay at the gas pump hurts our wallet and overall finances!

You’re probably wondering how high will the price of gas continue to increase and when will we see the prices come back down if at all? Well, who really knows what the answer will be to this question.  In the meantime, we should prepare ourselves for either way the price goes.

We can work on preparing ourselves to be in the survival mode if the gas prices continue to increase.  We’ve seen gas prices that are steadily approaching the $5.00 mark and in some places this is already a reality. It appears that the future outlooks on gas prices are that the prices continue to be unstable and volatile.
 
We are very much aware that the price of gas is easily manipulated by whatever is going on in the marketplace.  The price of gas can easily go up and slowly come down and back up again in these uncertain economic times.

High gas prices impact almost everything we try to do in some form.  That’s right, most everything we do we are impacted by the high price we are paying for gas. The higher gas prices eventually trickle down to cost us more in food, clothing, airfare, utilities, entertainment and many other areas.

Just think, we are getting hit left and right with increased fees in these areas due to the high price that we are paying for gas and it appears that this trend will continue for a long period of time.  

What can we do to help ourselves in these hard times while we’re trying to deal with our anxiety and sometimes anger over the high prices we are paying for gas? Here are some tips that you may want to consider to help you cope. You may find that you have already started to make some of these adjustments already:

 

Tip One:
 

Consider using public transportation if this is something you realistically can do.  The modes of public transportation you may consider would be: bus, train and car pooling.

Tip Two:

If you have a bicycle, consider using this mode of transportation for local short trips if this would be realistic of course.

Tip Three: 

Go to places that are necessary and actually needed for you to drive your vehicle.  In other words, if it is something you want to do and it is not needed, don’t do it. Consider letting your needs supersede your wants to save in your wallet on gas.  For example, necessary trips would be: work, school, doctor appointments, etc.... I think you get the picture.

 

Tip Four: 

Reduce your leisure, entertainment and travel commuting distances.  Consider doing more of these activities at home or near your home.

Tip Five:

Consider purchasing a vehicle if this is within your budget to assist you in reducing the cost you are paying for your overall fuel costs.  Look for vehicles that provide higher mpg(miles per gallon) city and freeway driving.  

 

Tip Six:

Slow down! Reduce your speed on the roadways you travel on. This will also assist you in obtaining better fuel economy.  Put less petal to the metal!

Tip Seven:
 

Try to make your trips to the places you need to go count.  Make a list beforehand of the places you need to travel and consider consolidating your trips.  This means instead of making several multiple trips you combine trips by going to the places you need to go along the way and your list will assist you with this. 

For example, if you need to go to your local grocery store, cleaners and post office, just plan to make one trip instead of three separate trips back and forth from your home. 

You would take your list and stop at each place you need to along the way and strategically make sure that you plan your stops based on where these particular places are located.  This really can work well if you plan your list ahead of time. Just by doing this you can save money  on gas!

 

 Tip Eight:
 

Try to locate and compare prices of gas stations in your area to determine who has the lowest price on fuel and consider going there for gas.  A good way to do this is when you are driving to the places you need to go, just observe the gas station prices along the way and you will be able to determine which locations have the best prices for your money.  In addition, you may want to compare gas prices in your local area via the internet.

Tip Nine:

Talk to your relatives, friends, neighbors, coworkers and others on the gas stations they are getting their gas from.  You can compare with each other on which gas stations have the lowest prices to get your gas.  You would be helping each other by networking information on the price of gas.

Tip Ten: 

Make sure your tires are property inflated. This can also assist in providing you with better fuel economy.

 

So, in order for you to survive the high cost of gas to your wallet you may want to consider using these tips to assist you.  These tips may be able to help you through this major problem that is affecting our wallets.  So, do what you can to help yourself and your family to reduce the amount of  money  you may be spending on gas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thinking About Purchasing A Vehicle?

Tamara has been planning on purchasing a vehicle for a couple of years.  She has decided to purchase a mid size SUV, but, she hasn’t chosen the model she plans on buying.  Tamara does know that she needs an SUV that will fit within her budget, meets her daily transportation needs and the vehicle she wants to purchase must be dependable. 

She is looking forward to buying her vehicle, but, she is a little apprehensive about going to a vehicle dealership to make her purchase.  Tamara is unsure how she should prepare herself before she goes to a dealership to look for the vehicle she would like to purchase.

Tamara wants to get the best deal for her money and she does not want to pay more than she has to.  In other words, Tamara wants to get the best deal possible and stay within her budget.  Well Tamara, you may want to consider these tips before you make your trip to a vehicle dealership to look for the SUV you want to purchase.

Tip One:

Consider researching on the internet for the vehicle you want to purchase before you go to the dealership.  After deciding on the type of vehicle you want to purchase, check the actual invoice price for the vehicle.  The actual invoice price would be the price the dealership paid for the vehicle from the vehicle manufacturer. You should be able to compare the actual invoice price of the vehicle against the manufacturer suggested retail price(MSRP).  This gives you the opportunity to negotiate the price of the vehicle you want to purchase.

Tip Two:

Skip purchasing extra unneeded features or accessories you don’t need or will not use in the vehicle you want to purchase.  Why would you want to pay extra for vehicle accessories or features if you really don’t want or need these items? Good question, so really think about this before you consider taking that leap.  Keep in mind by reducing or eliminating the extra features or accessories for your vehicle you will probably save more money on your vehicle purchase in the long run.

Tip Three:

Make sure that you test drive the vehicle you want to purchase before you consider buying the vehicle to determine whether or not this vehicle is the right choice for you.  Wouldn’t you want to know if you’re going to like the vehicle you’re thinking about buying before you spend your money?  Your answer to this question should be a definite yes.

By test driving a vehicle before you consider making a purchase, you will have the opportunity to decide whether or not this vehicle is really for you. If you decide the vehicle you have test driven is not for you, then no harm no fowl and you have not spent your  money  on something you do not want.    

Tip Four:

Consider getting your vehicle financing before you arrive at the dealership to purchase your vehicle.  You may be able to get a lower interest rate by going to your credit union or bank based on your credit rating.  By getting preapproved for your vehicle loan you may find that you are in a better position to negotiate the price of your vehicle with the dealership where you want to make your purchase.

Tip Five:

You may want to consider doing your vehicle purchase in stages by separating your vehicle selection, vehicle price negotiation, financing, and prospective trade-in.  Each component of your vehicle purchase stage is separate and should be handled as a separate unit in order for you to get the best overall vehicle purchase experience.

Tamara is now feeling more confident, equipped and better prepared with these tips to assist her.  She is very excited that she came across this  information  to assist her in her quest to purchase her vehicle and she is looking forward to purchasing her SUV in the near future.
 

 

How Do I Manage My Money As A College Student?

 

Many college students face this question on a daily basis.  There are many college students that are on a tight budget and are unsure of how they will be able to make their money spread to cover their expenses while their attending school. 

 

So, you’re probably wondering how can I manage my money as a college student? Well, you can consider using some of these tips to help you manage your money while you’re attending college:

 

Tip One:

Consider setting up a budget that includes all of your income such as:  college scholarships, grants, student loans, monies received from parents, relatives, friends; earnings you may receive from a job, etc…. 

You will also want to add all of your expenses to your budget which may include the following:  tuition, housing fees, college book expenses, utility bills, internet and phone expenses, food, laundry, etc… Try to break down your budget based on how you attend college on either a semester or quarterly basis.

 

Tip Two:

Track your spending.  It’s important to stay abreast of how you’re spending your money to make any adjustments you may need to make along the way.  Remember those lattes, pizzas, extra snacks and miscellaneous expenses could really add up over time.

 

Tip Three:

Monitor and watch the spending on your credit cards if you have any.  Use credit cards and credit sparingly.  Keep in mind you don’t need to max out your credit lines just because you can.  It’s probably a good idea when you use your credit card to be prepared to pay it off as soon as possible after incurring the expense to your credit.

 

Tip Four:

Consider purchasing your college books online instead of your college bookstore.  That’s right, compare prices.  You may find that it is much cheaper purchasing your text books online.  Check to see if your college textbooks are available at Amazon, Ebay’s Half.com or other college textbook online store websites.  Just make sure you have secured the title of your college  textbook, author name and edition you will be using for your college classes.

 

You may want to consider looking at purchasing used college textbooks to save you money as well while you’re going to school.  In many cases you can find college textbooks that are used and in great condition that may save you lots of money in the long run instead of purchasing a brand new book. There may also be an option for you to rent your college textbooks as well.  This is becoming a new avenue for college students these days, so consider checking into this online or via your school.  Just be sure to determine whether or not it will be cheaper for you to rent your book or just purchase a used college textbook that you can either keep or sale back via your school or the online textbook store you purchased your book from or elsewhere.

 

Tip Five: 

Keep an emergency fund by saving your change.  Yes by saving your change this can assist you with having an emergency fund if something important comes up and you need extra money.  The easiest way to have an emergency fund on a tight college budget is by saving your change. 

 

Tip Six:

Pay your bills timely and consider setting up a payment calendar to notate when your bills are due.  By paying your bills timely this will assist you in building and maintaining your credit while you’re attending college.  You will probably find that by having a payment calendar this may provide you with visual reinforcement of when your bills are due.  Consider using either a paper or electronic calendar.

 

Tip Seven:

Be sure to use your student id to get all the discounts you’re entitled to as a college student.  You will be surprised at the amount of money you can save as a student.  By the way, don’t be afraid to ask if a student discount is offered at the places you go.

 

Tip Eight:

If you’re having difficulty meeting your college expenses don’t be afraid to ask for help from your parents, relatives, friends or your college financial aid department.  It’s better to ask for help then not to ask.  You will never know what help may be available to you if you don’t ask for it. 

 

Tip Nine:

Make sure to add into your budget a little room for some fun money.  That’s right, everyone needs to have a little fun and enjoy themselves sometime by taking in a movie, dinner, concert, etc… I think you get the picture, just have some fun.

 

These are some of the ways you can consider managing your money as a college student. So, go ahead and get started today with managing your college money, you will probably be glad you did in the long run.

Are There Any Alternatives To Using A Payday Loan?

Jenny is driving home from work and begins thinking about what awaits her when she arrives home.  She’s worried about the major task that lies ahead of her which is to find enough money to pay her bills.  Jenny knows that her paycheck will not cover all her bills and she is not sure what she is going to do to solve her dilemma.  She thought about taking out a payday loan, but, she fears that the amount of interest and fees she would be paying for this type of loan would make her situation worse and put her further into debt.

She began to wonder if there were any alternatives she should consider instead of getting a payday loan she could not afford.  Well Jenny, there are some alternatives available to you instead of using a payday loan.  You may want to consider using some of these tips:

Tip One: 

Check with your employer to see if you are able to do some overtime or if you can secure a payday advance.

Tip Two:

Contact your bank or credit union to see if you are able to obtain a personal loan.  In most instances the interest rates and fees you pay on a personal loan via your bank or credit union may be lower than what you may pay with a payday loan.

Tip Three:

Find out if your family members or friends are able to provide you with a personal loan.  If you are able to secure a personal loan via this method, ensure that you repay your loan  in a timely manner to avoid any potential conflicts with family members or friends.

Tip Four:

Contact your creditors to see if they will work out a revised payment plan with you which may be able to reduce your payments over a longer period of time.

Tip Five:

Consider looking at taking out a cash advance via your credit card if the interest rate is reasonable.  You may find that the interest rate charged for a cash advance on your credit card is less than what you’ll pay on a payday loan.

Tip Six:

Check with local organizations to determine if there is an emergency hardship loan program available to you.  It is possible you may be able to secure an emergency loan through a local organization for a short term period of time with a reasonable interest rate.

Tip Seven:

Consider contacting a non profit consumer credit counseling service to discuss your bill payment expenses and debt problems.

Jenny was glad she ran across these tips.  She decided that she would use this information to assist her with resolving her problem of determining how she would pay her bills  as an alternative method to using a payday  loan

What Can I Do To Fix My Bad Credit?

Roger was facing this same dilemma of not knowing what to do to fix his bad credit.  He had been laid off from his job for nine months and had not been able to pay all of his bills.  He recently found employment and was trying to get back on track with paying his bills.  His credit had suffered substantially during the time he was unemployed.  Unfortunately, Roger’s credit  situation is a problem that many people are currently facing due to the state of our economy. Roger wanted to start working on fixing his bad credit but he was unsure how he should proceed.  Well Roger, a good way for you to start is to take action by using some of the following tips:

Tip One: 

Order copies of your credit reports from the three credit reporting bureaus:  Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.  You are entitled to a free copy of your credit reports from each of these bureaus every twelve months if you make a request.  The centralized website to order your free annual credit report from each of the three credit bureaus is: annualcreditreport.com or you can call 1-877-322-8228. You can also obtain free copies of your credit reports from the three credit bureaus if you have been denied credit, insurance or employment. Just keep in mind that you will need to make a request to the three credit bureaus within sixty days of receiving the notice you have been denied credit,  employment or insurance.

Tip Two:

Consider paying off your higher interest rate credit  accounts first by making larger payments to decrease and eliminate your balances quicker.

Tip Three:

If your debt is totally out of control, consider utilizing a non profit credit counseling organization to assist you with consolidating your debt.  In many instances by using this type of service you may be able to reduce your finance charges and your monthly payments to your creditors.

Tip Four:

Consider not using the credit cards  and other retail credit accounts you already have.  You may want to put these credit  cards away in a safe place and only consider using them in case of a dire emergency.

Tip Five: 

Stay on track with paying your existing bills on time to assist you in rebuilding your credit.

Tip Six:

After repaying the majority of your outstanding debt you may want to consider applying for a new credit card to rebuild your credit history to a good standing.  Make sure that when you use this new credit card you pay off the balance timely every month. If you’re unable to qualify for a regular unsecured credit card then consider applying for a secured credit card to assist you with rebuilding your credit.

Tip Seven:

Secure a copy of your three credit reports and FICO score on an annual basis so you can keep track of what’s on your credit report.  Remember you’re working hard to rebuild your credit back to good standing and you don’t want any surprises on your credit reports.

Roger is now armed with information to get him started with his quest to fix his bad credit   by using these tips.  He now feels that he will be able to accomplish the task of rebuilding his credit to good standing and getting back on track for his future goal of becoming a homeowner.

How Do I Go About Lowering The Cost Of My Utility Bills?

Lowering the cost of your utility bills is really not a difficult task once you get started.  It seems that each and every day there are extra costs added to our living expenses that are simply out of our control.  Unfortunately we have to make up for these added expenditures out of our income.  Therefore, it is important that we reduce expenses any way we can.  A good place to start is by working on lowering the cost of your utility bills.  You’re probably wondering how do I go about doing this?  Well, you can start learning how to reduce your utility costs  by using some or all of the following tips:

Tip One:

Change your light bulbs to energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs if you have not already done this.  You will be glad you decided to use energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs because they use less electricity than your old light bulbs and last much longer. So, the sooner you replace your old light bulbs to energy saving bulbs the sooner you can start to see a savings in your electricity bill.

Tip Two:

How about during the day when it is cooler let the natural sunlight shine into your home. If it’s nice outside you may want to even open your windows if you can. You can adjust the amount of natural sunlight coming into your home with your window coverings and drapes.  If you’re looking to keep cool in your home keep your drapes and blinds closed.  However, if you want some warmth from the outside let the natural sunlight shine inside your windows.

Tip Three:

Consider replacing your regular thermostat to a programmable thermostat if you don’t have one already.  The programmable thermostat  can be set to automatically adjust the temperature in your home while you’re away from your home and while you’re sleeping.

Tip Four:

Turn off the lights in your home that are not being used.  You may want to also consider unplugging your appliances and cell phone chargers that are also not being used.

Tip Five: 

Check, clean or replace the air filter in your heating and air conditioning system on a regular basis.  You may want to consider checking your air filter every six months. 

Tip Six:   

Open or close your air vents when you want to maintain the coolness or heat in your home.

Tip Seven:

Maintain your refrigerator by adjusting the temperature based on the manufacturer’s recommendation.  If you have an older refrigerator that is not energy efficient you may want to consider replacing it if this fits into your budget. Keep in mind that refrigerators use lots of energy and the more energy efficient your refrigerator is the less money you will spend on your electric bill.  You may be able to get a rebate for purchasing your energy efficient refrigerator from the manufacturer or via your electric company.

Tip Eight:

Consider using fans as much as possible throughout your home to reduce your utility costs.

By using some or all of these tips you should have a good idea of what you can do to start working on reducing your utility bills. So go ahead, get started today on lowering the cost  of your utility bills you’ll be glad you did. 

Should I Consolidate My Credit Cards Into One Payment?

 

Consolidating my credit cards, what does this really mean? Credit card consolidation is merging together multiple credit card bills to make one single monthly payment.  The idea behind consolidating your credit cards into one payment is to obtain a lower interest rate that is more affordable and comfortable for you to pay towards your credit card balances monthly as a single payment.

 

You may want to consider consolidating your credit cards  into one payment if you’re having difficulty with the following:  keeping up with the payments on your credit cards; the interest rates on some or all of your credit cards are too high; and, you’re unable to save money.

 

If consolidating your credit cards is the route you believe you should take then you may want to consider these tips to assist you along the way:

 

Tip One:

Consider moving your high interest rate credit card balances to a lower interest credit card.  If you currently have a credit card with a low interest rate then you may want to transfer your high interest rate credit card balances to your lower interest credit card.  However, if you do not have a lower interest rate credit card you may want to apply for a credit card with a lower interest rate that you can transfer your high interest rate credit card balances to this new credit card.

 

Tip Two:

Make sure you read the fine print when deciding to make a balance transfer to a low interest rate credit card.  That’s right, this is real important for you to do. You will want to make sure you understand all of the fees you may be paying if you decide to transfer your credit card balance to a lower interest rate credit card. It’s important that you really understand what you’re getting yourself into before you decide to make that leap.

 

Tip Three:

Utilizing a home equity line of credit otherwise known as HELOC may be an option for you to consolidate your credit cards.  By using a HELOC a homeowner takes advantage of the equity they have built up over the years in their home.  In most cases by taking out a HELOC you are able to secure a low interest rate to pay off your credit cards and end up with a single payment that you will be making on your home equity line of credit. However, just keep in mind that if you decide to go the route of using a HELOC, it is tied to your home and if you stop making your payments on this line of credit you could be at risk of loosing your home.

 

Tip Four:

You can also consider obtaining a low interest personal loan from a bank, relative or friend to pay off your credit card debt.  If you are able to secure a personal loan to pay off your credit cards, this would enable you to make a single loan payment on your personal loan.

 

Tip Five:

If your credit is poor and you’re having problems meeting your credit card payments or perhaps other bills you may want to consider contacting a consumer credit counseling service to assist you in negotiating lower interest rates and payments with your credit card companies.

 

Overall consolidating your  credit cards  can be a very effective way to lower your interest rate, reduce and eventually eliminate your credit card debt.  Credit card consolidation can give you a peace of mind and empower you to regain control over your spending habits.

Should I Get A Diagnosis Of My Personal Finances?

You’re probably reading this question and wondering are you kidding me, I don’t think that my finances are sick, maybe a few problems here and there but what does a diagnosis have to do with my personal finances? Well, if you’re having a problem with your personal finances and you cannot determine what the problem is then wouldn’t it be great if you were able to identify the problem you may be having with your finances?  That’s right, you would be diagnosing your own problem with your finances up close and personal.

If you’re able to diagnose a current problem with your own personal finances this may help you to alleviate further damage to your finances.  You’re thinking to yourself, yes maybe diagnosing my personal finances may help me but, I’m really not sure about this.  Well, let’s take a further look to determine if diagnosing your personal finances  is something you should consider doing.  Interestingly, Janet and Joseph were also a little apprehensive about diagnosing a problem they had with their personal finances too, but, they decided that they would take a stab at investigating the problems they were having with their finances.

Joseph and Janet were having problems meeting their mortgage payment each month along with some of their other household expenses.  They just could not understand where all of their money kept going each month.  They both had very good jobs, no children and not many bills to pay.  Their combined net income is approximately eight thousand dollars a month.  It seemed when the first of each month rolled around they struggled to make their monthly mortgage payment of $3,500.  They just could not understand why they were living pay check to pay check with the amount of income they were bringing into their household each month. 

Joseph and Janet decided they would sit down and diagnose their personal finances.  They just could not continue to go on being frustrated and stressed out each and every month about their bills.  They decided to use the following tips to diagnose the problems they were having with their personal finances:

Tip One:

Write down all of your monthly expenses including the following:  mortgage or rental payment, vehicle loan, credit card bills, utility bills, etc… Try to ensure that you include all of the monthly expenses you have to pay. Accuracy is the key here.

Tip Two: 

Calculate other expenses that you may pay on an annual, bimonthly, semi annual, or quarterly basis which may include bills such as; home or renters insurance, property tax, vehicle insurance, health insurance, etc…

 

Tip Three: 

Secure all of your credit card, debit card and store receipts.  Calculate these receipts as part of your bills for each month as these particular expenses were incurred.

Tip Four: 

Look at your bank statement and balance your checkbook.  This will be an important factor in helping you to diagnose your personal finance problem.  Go over your statement and checkbook register as close as possible.

 

Tip Five: 

Tally up all of your income received monthly. This means any money you have received coming into your household each month.

Tip Six: 

Take a first, second, and maybe a third look at your expenses and income to determine where your financial problem may be.  It’s somewhere there, all you have to do is locate it.  You can do it, just look, seek and you will find.  Just keep looking and you should be able to diagnose your personal finance  problem. Keep in mind persistence, consistency and perseverance and determination is key here. Just stay focused and you should do just fine in diagnosing your personal finance problem.

After spending several hours going over their expenses and income, Joseph and Janet were elated that they were able to diagnose their  personal finance  problem.  They discovered that Joseph had an awful habit of using his debit visa card on expensive daily lunches while at work and also weekly visits to play golf at his favorite golf course.  In addition, Janet also had a fetish with going to her local mall to buy clothes three times a week after she left work.  These extra added expenses incurred by Janet and Joseph really added up each month and neither one of them had any idea what they had been doing to themselves financially. 

This information discovered by Janet and Joseph enabled them to make the necessary changes in their spending behavior to regain control of their personal finances. This also allowed them to meet their obligations of paying their monthly expenses each month on a timely basis.  Joseph and Janet also found they had additional money left over after they paid their monthly bills so they were able to set aside money for their savings account.

Joseph and Janet found this was good time well spent diagnosing their personal finance problem.  They are so happy they took action to take control of their personal finances rather sooner than later.  So, if you think you may need to diagnose a personal finance problem you may have, go ahead, get started and take action to get back into the driver’s seat and control your own  personal finances  today, you’ll be glad that you did.

Should I Purchase A Vehicle For My Teenager?

Well, that depends if you’re ready for your teenager to become more independent and responsible. It also depends of course on your purse or wallet.  Buying a vehicle  for your teen is a big leap and presents lots of responsibility for your teen who is either at or approaching the age he or she can drive. You may want to consider some or all of these tips to help you in your decision on whether or not you should purchase a vehicle for your teenager:

 

Tip One:   

Consider having your teenager work towards paying the down payment or entire purchase price for their vehicle. By doing this, your teen is able to learn responsibility and the value of money.  Your teen will probably take good care of their vehicle if they are contributing or paying for the purchase of the vehicle.

 

Tip Two: 

You may want to purchase your teenager an older used vehicle, probably a sedan that will be reliable for their needs. Your teen will probably be able to save money on insurance and fuel costs by purchasing an older vehicle. A sports car or 6-12 cylinder vehicle would not be an appropriate vehicle for your teen to have. They don’t need it. Remember, their just getting started. Usually the insurance costs for older vehicles are cheaper than newer and sport car type vehicles for your teenager. So keep this in mind before you and your teen consider purchasing a vehicle.

 

Tip Three:   

If you decide to purchase or allow your teen to buy a vehicle, consider having your teen pay either a portion or all of the vehicle maintenance costs and insurance. This will assist your teenager in continuing to learn responsibility and how to manage their finances. They’ve got to learn sometime, so why not now.

 

Tip Four:   

If you and your teen have come to a decision to purchase a vehicle for them to use, do your research on the vehicle that would be appropriate for your teen. If you have access to the internet, that’s a good place to start. If not, then review the newspaper vehicle classified section, vehicle trader magazines and any other resource you can find prior to  purchasing the vehicle. You’ll want to find the best quality, price and reliability for the vehicle that is being purchased for your teen.

 

Maybe you’re not ready for your teenager to have a vehicle yet. That’s okay too. However, you may want to have them work towards saving for the purchase of their vehicle for the future. You know they will eventually start driving, so why not start saving now.  You will be able to have your teenager learn the importance of saving and budgeting for items they would like to purchase in the future. So, after you and your teenager have discussed the prospective purchase of a vehicle for them, hopefully you’ll be armed with enough information to assist you in making a decision that will work for you and your teenager.      

How Often Should I Check My Credit Report?

 

You may want to consider checking what’s on your credit report at least once a year.  That’s right at least once a year get a copy of all three of your credit reports to check your credit.  In addition, you may want to know what is being reported on you by your creditors via the three credit reporting bureaus which are the following:  TransUnion, Equifax and Experian.  So, as a general rule it’s a good idea to get copies of all of your credit reports to determine the accuracy of the information being reported. 

 

You are able to secure copies of your three credit reports on an annual basis for free at www.annualcreditreport.com.  In addition, if you decide you want your credit reports more often than on a yearly basis, you can order your credit reports directly from following three credit bureaus: 

 

www.experian.com

www.equifax.com

 www.transunion.com

 

Ordering copies of your credit reports is a very good idea.  The sooner you start this annual practice of getting your credit reports the more informed you may be about the status of your credit.  This will give you a better peace of mind and will hopefully eliminate surprises when you go to apply for future credit and new employment.