Jump-Start Your Credit: Develop 2 Essential Habits
Your current credit score is the starting point for your journey toward building credit or restoring it after a setback. The next step is understanding how the way you handle…
Bev O'Shea
Bev O’Shea writes about consumer credit for NerdWallet. She has been a speaker at FinCon, a national personal finance conference. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, MarketWatch, USA Today and MSN Money, and on the Associated Press wire. Her credit score was briefly a perfect 850, she won’t co-sign, even for her children, and she is a serial mortgage refinancer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: BeverlyOShea
Posts by Bev O'Shea:
Jump-Start Your Credit: Begin With a Free Credit Score
Like many people who set money goals for 2021, you may have your eye on a better credit score. But it can feel like such a big job that it’s hard…
Take These Cards Out of Your Wallet Right Now
Decluttering your wallet can give you a quick sense of accomplishment in the new year. You can check a task off your list and feel more organized and safer. A…
Scam Alert: Second Relief Bill, Vaccine Rollout Attract Fraudsters
One side effect of the coronavirus pandemic is an abundance of criminals trying to take advantage of people. The arrival of vaccines and a second round of relief payments bring…
How to Save the Holidays: More Joy, Less Cash
The holiday season is getting closer — and wallets lighter. Still, there are unpurchased gifts left on your list. Here’s how to come up with presents that will delight recipients without…
How to Protect Your Credit When Shopping for the Holidays
The rules for protecting credit during the holidays usually don’t vary much from year to year, but in 2020, COVID-19 has changed where and how we shop. And money’s tight…
13 Ways to Leave Scammers Empty-Handed This Holiday Season
We’re primed to get suckered this holiday season. Tight budgets, wishful thinking that we can get a screaming deal if we hurry, and plain old impulsive spending are a dangerous…
5 Credit Mistakes That Can Haunt You
Some credit mistakes are a lot worse than others. Little ones, like paying a credit card bill a day late, may cost you a penalty fee, but that’s a relatively…
Why You Might Not Want to Zero Out Every Credit Card
In general, using as little of your credit card limits as possible is better for your score. So logic would suggest that paying off your credit cards early so that…
Is That ‘Contact Tracer’ Really a Scammer? How to Tell
If you’re contacted about possible exposure to the coronavirus, make sure it’s legit. Scammers are masquerading as contact tracers, and it’s smart to verify calls or texts before giving out…
