This is a guest post from Becky House, who offers some practical advice on how you can improve your credit score.
With lending restrictions and employment options tight, now is the perfect time to work on improving or maintaining your credit score. Below are some quick tips that can help you manage your credit effectively so you have the credit you need when looking for employment, purchasing a home or simply want to make sure you qualify for the best rates for any loan.

Open a checking and savings account at a bank or …read more

One of the videos making the rounds on the Internet is a call for a “Debtors Revolt”. This video (with two swears, neither of them the F-bomb), highlights the plight of a woman whose credit card interest rate is being raised. She claims she has been responsible, and that there is no rationale for the hike. (Although she later admits she did miss one payment.) At any rate, she does make some good points about credit card practices and their inherent fairness.
But it is also important to realize that credit cards never claimed to be fair. And, while the new …read more

Liquidity is an essential part of corporate finance.

Get your credit report card.

One of the most common things you probably hear when you shop at a department store is this “Would you like to save 10% today?” And, of course, if you sign up for a store credit card , you get that promised discount. When you are spending a great deal of money, it is understandable that saving 10% might be desirable. However, in many cases, getting a department store credit card is asking for trouble. Here are some of downsides to getting a department store credit card:

High interest rate : You will probably have to pay a higher rate of …read more

I enjoy the commercials done by freecreditreport.com, even though I would never consider actually using the service. To get your “free” credit report, you have to sign up for a monthly service. Instead, I recommend annualcreditreport.com for a truly free report once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus. You should check your credit report regularly, and I don’t mind paying $34.95 a couple times a year for a three-in-one credit report after I’ve used up my free reports.
Anyway, enjoy your Sunday, the remainder of this three-day weekend, and getting ready for a shortened week!

Nothing so cements and holds together all the parts of a society as faith or credit, which can never be kept up unless men are under some force or necessity of honestly paying what they owe to one another. – Cicero
Small business owners need to remember the basics in these difficult times:
1.  Don’t borrow more than you need.
2.  And pay back what you borrow.
3. Don’t spend all the money.
4. Save some for a rainy day.
5. Give some to others.
6. And remember money isn’t everything.  You have never seen a Brinks truck following a hearse.

Business credit has become a very important part of how business owners manage their business finances in the current state of the economy. As business owners look for creative ways to fund their business, many have turned to the option of using credit.
One thing that a business owner need to keep in mind is that business credit must be treated just like personal credit. It should be guarded and used wisely when managing finances. According to Dun and Brandstreet the following are ways that establishing your business credit can help your business:

Obtaining better interest rates and credit terms from banks …read more

Credit card companies are notorious for raising limits, which can be dangerous for consumers trying to pay down debts. These days, though, the poor economy is scaring some credit card companies into cutting limits, according to a report by Smart Money.
That wouldn’t be such a big deal, but companies aren’t legally required to immediately notify cardholders of the change. Worse yet, some companies are cutting limits below the amount of debt people have on the card, which is not currently against the law. A new law that states that cardholders must be given 45 days before penalties are triggered won’t …read more

Proof that bankers ought not be musicians too.
Wasn’t this a Schoolhouse Rock episode?

Kidding aside, I agree that using a debit card is one of the best ways to keep your spending in check. Or, if you have a sprinkling of self-discipline, it’s even better to use a credit card that offers rewards, but keep track of your charges as if you’re using a debit card.
Subtract each purchase from your running balance throughout the month and when the bill comes, pay it in full. It’s the best of both worlds.