PFA Blog

Whether you like it or not, a good credit score is essential. Your credit score factors into everything from insurance rates, to whether you get the job you applied for. A good credit score is also needed to buy a house, obtain cell phone service, rent an apartment, and buy a car.

Personal finance, like just about everything else, is mainly common sense. Advice like “don’t spend more than you make; start investing while you’re young; don’t loan money to friends with the expectation of getting it back,” have been around for generations, and most likely will survive the next few generations as well.

While owning a home is the quintessential American dream, not everyone is able to purchase a home when they desire. If you’re fresh out of school with a boat load of student debt, it’s probably best to wait until you’ve been working for at least a year before you start looking to buy.

Whether you like it or not, your credit score can determine how easy or how difficult it is to buy a car, buy a house, get cell phone service, or even get a job.  A bad credit score can negatively impact just about every area of your life. Sometimes, a bad credit score can result from events entirely out of your control such as illness, disability, or from the loss of a job.

Most consumers typically have both a credit card and a debit card. Of course, the biggest difference between the two is that a debit card will immediately take money out of your bank account when used, unlike a credit card, which will pay for the purchase and later add the amount of the transaction to your monthly statement.

But are there any other differences between the two?

We all have our own unique relationship with money. We certainly have our own unique way of both spending and saving money.

However, if you’re ready to start putting some money aside, or looking for tips on money management, or even the best way to pay your bills, the following tips may provide a little bit of help: 

Like health care, many of us continue with the same auto insurance policy for years, never bothering to find out whether another insurance carrier could provide better service or save us some money. But there are several reasons why shopping for another auto insurance policy can make sense. Here are just a few:

Personal finance, like just about everything else, is mainly common sense. Advice like “don’t spend more than you make; start investing while you’re young; don’t loan money to friends with the expectation of getting it back,” have been around for generations, and most likely will survive the next few generations as well.

Who hasn't heard some or all of the following?

Be sure to check your credit score periodically.

Apply for a credit card so you can establish credit.

Your credit score dropped.

Your credit score rose.

What exactly does any of this mean and what is considered a good credit score?