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- 3. Tap TikTok’s ‘Creativity Program Beta’
- Allegation of use
- 7. Confirm they'll sign on the dotted line
- Methodology
- Copays, coinsurance and deductibles
- 11. Mortgage interest deduction
- 7. Make on-time payments to build credit
- Use designated accounts for spending and savings
- Low returns
- The cons
- National Association for the Self-Employed Growth Grant
- Rocket Money
- 4. Capital One Travel
- Elite status benefits and goals (or lack thereof)
- Best insurance company for affordability: NJM
- How renting from RVshare works
- Other ways to redeem your points
- Why it’s the best
- You need an SR-22 or FR-44 form
- Redemption value
- Money market mutual funds = lowest returns, lowest risk
- 9. Build a website
- 6. Enrichment activities for children
- Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in California for 20-year-olds
- 8. Kiddie Academy
- 1. Have a goal for your index funds
- Hollywood Studios
- 5. Gather your paperwork
- How to get the best deal for a Lufthansa economy award flight
- Pay bills on time
- Our pick for: Current users
- 8. $300 SoulCycle credit
- How much does Wag pay?
- How long will the rental be covered?
- Our pick for: Everyday spending
- 9. Salon or barbershop
- JetBlue credit cards with free baggage
- Perkins loans
- Common size balance sheet example
- Partner airlines
- Inverse performance
- 5. Pay off lenders and begin repayment on your personal loan
- Travelers
- Ages 55 to 64
- Bonus features
- Foundation inspection
- 5. Preferred dividends
- Debt management plan
- Our pick for: Beginner-friendly features
- Full details about Trust Wallet's ratings
- 14. IHop
- Book one to three months in advance
- Net worth of U.S. families by race or ethnicity
- Bank of America Charitable Foundation
- U.S. Bank
- Financial reviews
- Ex-dividend date
- Try different ways to avoid overspending
- 3. Decide how much stock you want to buy
- Co-signers or co-owners of debt
- Commit 20% of your income to savings and debt paydown
- Schedule 1: Additional income and adjustments to income
- 2. Sustainable stocks
- Referral program
- Step 2: Register your business
- 4. Virgin Atlantic flights to the U.K. from 60,000 HawaiianMiles round-trip
- Be consistent
- Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Community Grant
- Irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs)
- Etsy
- Consider a condo
- Make Money
- ❌ It may be more expensive
- Tap your home equity
- 8. Check if they would have your back
- Most coverage options: Allstate
- Loyalty program earnings
- 12. Gambling loss deduction
- Make a plan to pay off debt
- Acorns is best for:
- Acorns at a glance
- Cons
- Bizee’s Fresh Start Business Grant
- 4. Sell some merch
- In network
- MoCaFi
- 3. Learn the difference between investing in stocks and funds
- Fare flexibility/ticket changes
- 7. Suspend your benefit
- What do I need for my loan application?
- 5. Rent out a room
- You might be able to reserve a car now — and rebook the same one later at a discount
- Zero price transparency
- Keep credit utilization below 30%
- 9. Up to $240 in digital entertainment credit
- What if I don’t have personal auto insurance?
- You can use credit card benefits to travel in basic economy
- HEAL loans
- Airfare cost
- 5. Focus on the long term
- Aetna Medicare Part D
- DFW Terminal C
- 3. Understand your market
- USAA
- Account linking
- Step 5: Staff wisely
- 5. Earn an airline companion pass
- Average cost of renters insurance in California by city
- The premiums are expensive
- Ages 35-44
- 5. American Express Membership Rewards
- 6. Dividend funds
- Bankruptcy
- You want to maintain continuous coverage
- 15. Melting Pot
- Loan limits
- Net worth of U.S. families by education
- 9. Kumon Math and Reading Centers
- 2. Research index funds
- 1-year target estimate
- Cell phone insurance
- Statement credits
- Animal Kingdom
- Hold IHG Royal Ambassador status
- 5. Medical identity theft
- You'll come out ahead by investing the money
- Travelodge by Wyndham Las Vegas Center Strip
- 2023 tax rates by state
- Venmo Credit Card
- 10. Gas station
- 7. Gather your loan paperwork
- Compare award letters
- International trademark registration
- Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Mastercard®
- Gusto Impact Award
- The last resort: File a lawsuit
- Liability coverage
- 13. IRA contributions deduction
- Ages 65 to 74
- Plan G vs. Plan N
- 5. Make money from your blog with affiliate links
- 5. Money market funds
- Out of network
- The missing piece: Long-term care
- Example CD APYs at select institutions
- 10. Beat burnout
- 5. Upwork
- 7. Mobile apps and entertainment for children
- Baggage and boarding
- 4. Borrow from your 401(k)
- During booking
- Keep credit accounts open
- Schedule 2: Additional taxes
- 10. $189 Clear credit
- 3. Robo-advisors that offer sustainable investments
- How does coverage vary for international rentals?
- 2. Managing money
- What’s covered and what’s not
- Eureka
- Best business expense tracker for travel-related expenses
- 1. Think long term versus short term
- Treasury securities
- Money Manager
- Whether it might be better to earn points instead
- For crypto: Crypto.com
- Debt settlement
- 1. Restricting regulations
- 16. Moe’s Southwest Grill
- Check-in
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-olds with poor credit
- Resident status rules
- Wells Fargo
- Moving averages
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
- 6. Pick your investments
- Negative BBB reviews
- Recommended portfolios
- How to get paid on Wag
- 11. Grocery store
- Consider how much you’ll need to borrow
- Government bonds
- Amegy Bank Small Business Boost Program
- General partners
- Common size cash flow statement example
- TrueBlue value
- Swappa, Gazelle
- 4. Shop online with purpose
- Where Adyen stands out
- 14. 401(k) contributions deduction
- Develop good credit habits
- How to maximize your rewards
- Security
- Cheapest car insurance after a DUI
- Venmo Small Business Grant
- Resident status rules
- Ages 45-54
- 5. Offer memberships
- Card-to-card points transfers
- Fleet expense management tools
- Travel credits
- 10. Ace Hardware
- 1. Avoid filing your tax return on paper
- 8. Use a do-over
- Our pick for: Opt-in text redemptions
- Average annual car insurance costs from large companies
- 6. Account takeover
- Space out credit applications
- 11. Reimbursement of application fees for TSA Precheck or Global Entry
- United credit cards with free baggage
- 4. Use gifting
- Parent PLUS loans
- Responding to trademark office actions or oppositions
- Taxes
- Winner: Virgin Atlantic
- Number of stops
- 2. Look into tax-loss harvesting
- The cash value is slow to grow
- 6. Capital One Rewards
- Dave
- Member: 0 to 4,999 TQPs
- 17. P.F. Chang’s
- Property standards
- 8. Shared accessories and attire
- Security screening
- Set a price alert
- Carnegie Corporation
- Seat selection
- Open a business bank account and credit card
- Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park
- Schedule 3: Additional credits and payments
- Verizon Visa® Card
- What is the procedure for filing a claim?
- Perks await when you fly economy with elite status
- 8. Get a preapproval letter
- 1. Automate transfers
- Chubb: Best for high-value homes
- 6. Take advantage where you can
- InboxDollars Surveys
- Where Stripe stands out
- Low PE ratio
- Most tech-friendly: Geico
- Plan G vs. Plan F
- Step 6: Practice your elevator pitch
- 3. Sell your castoffs
- Got more questions about how to open an IRA? We have answers
- Dividend per share (DPS)
- Our pick for: Fixed monthly payments
- You typically borrow a car from someone in your household
- 3. Pick your index funds
- 2. Get direct deposit
- Square
- Monitor your credit reports
- 12. Up to $100 in statement credits annually at Saks Fifth Avenue
- 5. Hawaii to anywhere in Japan with a free stopover in Tokyo
- Have an estate plan in place
- Dayton Community Development Corporation grant programs
- Double-check your coverage
- Medical payments coverage
- 15. Saver’s credit
- Customer support
- 6. Sell your wares on Etsy
- Wildfires
- AndroMoney
- Ages 55-64
- Select: 5,000 to 9,999 TQPs
- 18. Pinkberry
- Rebook if you find a cheaper price
- 11. Snap-On Tools
- Support and resistance
- Earning rates
- Transfer partners
- How quickly could the IRS implement the child tax credit expansion?
- How to have more taxes taken out of your paycheck
- 7. Criminal identity theft
- You'll need the cash for other things
- 12. Drugstore
- Rapid Rewards Shopping
- Safety ratings
- Pay with points and miles
- Cigna Medicare Part D
- 5. Stop solving problems with new products
- DFW Terminal D
- 3. Hold the shares inside an IRA, a 401(k) or other tax-advantaged account
- Invest in your financial future
- Municipal bonds
- The Amplifier Grant
- 5. Kiwi
- Our pick for: Cell phone and internet bill payments
- 6. High-yield savings accounts
- The cash value rate of return can be low
- Prudence's policy:
- Dividend yield
- The details
- Chase Dining
- Example money market account APYs at select institutions
- You regularly borrow the same car from someone you don’t live with
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket
- Part-year resident status rules
- 3. Stay on top of things
- Look for outside funding
- After booking
- Club Wyndham Grand Desert
- 13. Walmart+ Monthly Membership Credit
- Our pick for: Flat-rate travel rewards
- Google Opinion Rewards
- Cost
- 16. Health savings account contributions deduction
- Credit unions
- Crypto.com is best for:
- Crypto.com at a glance
- Part-year resident status rules
- Best insurance company for accident forgiveness: Geico
- 7. Citi ThankYou Points
- USAA vs. State Farm home insurance
- Resident status rules
- 2. Initial cost
- AKC
- 19. Pizza Hut
- 6. OfferUp
- Ford Foundation
- Upgradeability
- 4. International and emerging markets bonds
- Examples of other Synchrony co-branded cards:
- 2. Count your coins and bills
- San Antonio Economic Development Department grant programs
- Compare Medigap plan types
- User experience
- Step 7: Write client proposals
- 4. Earn badges through Live videos
- You can’t control your portfolio
- Scenario: Doctor visits and an MRI
- M1
- Select Plus: 10,000 to 19,999 TQPs
- You drive rarely or not at all
- Benefits
- 4. Set a budget for your stock market investment
- 12. Pillar to Post Home Inspectors
- 5. Enter a debt management plan
- Term life insurance
- How to have less taxes taken out of your paycheck
- Step 3: Price your services
- 4. Education accounts
- 13. Antique or thrift store
- 9. Choose a real estate agent carefully
- Reliability
- The risks and rewards of each
- Classes of service
- 17. Self-employment expenses deduction
- 4. Call in a pro
- Cheapest auto insurance for poor credit
- FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
- 1Money
- Embrace
- Chase Experiences
- 20. Red Robin
- 9. Shared home improvement equipment
- Be flexible with destination, airport and dates
- 4. Decide where to buy your index funds
- 4. One more thing to know about your tax refund
- Helcim
- Estimate loan payments
- 5. Sell with TikTok Shop
- Rapid Rewards Dining
- 6. Sanitize your social feeds
- Swagbucks
- AM Best Financial Strength Rating: A (Excellent) for most
- Travelers vs. Allstate home insurance
- Reviews
- Corporate bonds
- 7. Self-publish an e-book
- How does RVshare insurance work?
- 3. Ongoing investment
- Drawbacks
- Nonresident status rules
- Coca‑Cola Foundation
- Permanent life insurance
- Past years' state tax rates
- Our pick for: Varo users
- 14. Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection at airports
- 14. Fitness studio or gym
- 6. Intra-Japan flights for 12,000 HawaiianMiles each way
- Where is the best place to exchange currency?
- 3. Prep for grocery shopping
- Lubbock Economic Development Alliance grants
- File an appeal
- Compare business CD rates: 12-month term
- State Farm vs. Geico renters insurance
- 4. Register your clothing business
- 18. Home office deduction
- Online lenders
- Step 8: Set your pricing
- Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Program
- Earthquakes
- Nonresident status rules
- 7. CDs
- There can be tax implications if you withdraw cash from your policy
- 8. Bank of America® rewards
- Dividend payout ratio
- For overall similarity: Webull
- Select Executive: 20,000+ TQPs
- Figo
- Our pick for: An upgrade path
- 21. Starbucks
- Refinancing
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash
- 1. Live in the house for at least two years
- 13. Keller Williams
- How to use a W-4 to owe nothing on a tax return
- How much is auto insurance after an at-fault accident?
- Desert Rose Resort
- How do you get a perfect credit score?
- 10. Narrow down your ideal type of house and neighborhood
- Gap Good Rewards Mastercard® Credit Card
- Passenger amenities
- Stash
- USAA vs. Allstate home insurance
- Airport lounge access
- Golden crosses and death crosses
- Our pick for: A quicker welcome bonus
- 15. Centurion Lounge Complimentary Guest Access
- How do I find a currency exchange near me?
- Customer satisfaction
- 19. Educator expenses deduction
- 5. Build a community
- Scenario: Trip to the ER
- Part-year resident status rules
- 4. Potential for conflict
- MetLife
- 22. Wingstop
- 7. Poshmark
- 2. See whether you qualify for an exception
- Wells Fargo's reputation
- 15. Tutoring business
- 7. Intra-Australia flights on Virgin Australia from 20,000 HawaiianMiles round-trip
- The Alamo Small Business Grant Program
- Ask for another at-home visit
- Country Financial: Best for using an agent
- DFW Terminal E
- J.D. Power Ranking
- Travelers vs. Geico home insurance
- Save
- High-yield bonds
- Floods
- Property-based passive income ideas
- 10. Vacation rentals
- Home Depot Foundation Veteran Housing Grants Program
- 14. FastSigns
- 5. Buy index funds
- 1. Freeze your credit
- 5. ABLE Accounts
- 6. Monetize using the Series feature
- Where can you exchange currency for free?
- Winner: Virgin Atlantic
- Extra features
- 20. Solar tax credit
- 8. Get advertising revenue from your blog or YouTube channel
- 6. BookWithMatrix
- Why we love RVshare
- Other details you should know about Trust Wallet
- 23. Red Lobster
- 3. Keep the receipts for your home improvements
- 5. Focus on investing for the long-term
- 16. Upgrade to Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- 16. Ice cream shop
- State Farm vs. Lemonade renters insurance
- 7. Make a budget
- Step 9: Stay organized and deliver results
- Bond funds
- Acorns
- USAA vs. Geico home insurance
- 5. Lack of financial privacy
- Nationwide
- Hotel status
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-old drivers after a DUI
- U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
- 2. Safeguard your Social Security number
- Everything else
- Our pick for: Customizable bonus categories
- 3. Building a budget
- 4. Minimize restaurant spending
- Complain to the state insurance department
- Cryptocurrency pros
- Expand your coverage with endorsements
- NCQA Score Range: 2.5 to 4.0 out of 5
- 21. Energy efficient home improvement tax credit
- Payday lenders
- Webull is best for
- Webull at a glance
- 8. Buy a rental property
- Best insurance company for having few customer complaints: American Family
- Thunderstorms
- Nonresident status rules
- 1. Decide what type of investor you are.
- 11. Electronics repair
- Gifting large sums of money to family
- 15. Merry Maids
- 17. Upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status
- Step 4: Obtain business permits, licenses, and insurance
- More from NerdWallet
- 17. Dry cleaner
- Self-funding
- Hurricanes
- Invest
- Pets Best
- Our pick for: No security deposit, low annual fee
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Is Trust Wallet right for you?
- Clif Family Foundation
- 6. Keep an eye on your index funds
- 3. Be alert to phishing and spoofing
- 11. Stick to your budget
- Get an appraisal
- 5. Design and source the clothes for your line
- 22. Electric vehicle tax credit
- Where you live
- The details
- Transfer partners
- 24. American Eagle
- California earned income tax credit (CalEITC)
- Testing a resistance level
- 18. Money-saving perks for stays booked through The Hotel Collection
- 18. Bookstore
- 7. Collect tips from viewers
- America’s Seed Fund
- Cryptocurrency cons
- Loyalty program earnings
- High-interest installment lenders
- Cheapest car insurance for young drivers
- California earned income tax credit (CalEITC)
- 9. Rent out your own house
- Albert
- 1. Access to capital
- Spot
- Conventional loans
- 6. Manage your stock portfolio
- Paying for vacations, cars or other stuff
- Our pick for: Discounts at checkout
- 4. Use strong passwords and add an authentication step
- 5. Get discounts on entertainment
- Geico vs. Progressive
- 9. Become an Instagram influencer
- Your coverage limits
- Our pick for: Maximized value
- How we review crypto wallets
- 25. Anthropologie
- California young child tax credit (YCTC)
- 19. Complimentary benefits through Fine Hotels & Resorts
- 19. Bed and breakfast
- Financial assistance
- State Farm vs. Allstate renters insurance
- 8. Find your 'why'
- Skylink and Terminal Link
- Pay off debt
- Accounting
- California young child tax credit (YCTC)
- Hurricanes
- Trupanion
- Giving a laid-back loan
- 1. Has the W-4 form changed?
- Average car insurance costs after a speeding ticket
- 5. Use alerts
- 4. Saving money
- MyLowe’s Rewards Credit Card
- Amber Grants
- Your deductible
- 10. Get a roommate
- 2. Efficient growth
- 26. Banana Republic
- FHA loans
- 12. Academics courses
- Cheapest full coverage car insurance in California for 30-year-olds
- California child and dependent care tax credit
- Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
- 20. Floral shop
- 12. Make the most of walk-throughs and open houses
- 6. Map out major purchases
- Hail
- Branding
- California child and dependent care tax credit
- Reasons to take pause before renting from RVshare
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Card ecosystem
- Setting up joint bank accounts
- Kubota Hometown Proud Grant Program
- 6. Watch your mailbox
- Step 5: Secure startup funding
- Try mediation
- State Farm vs. Allstate
- Alternative investment passive income ideas
- Monzo
- Tornadoes
- Our pick for: No security deposit, low annual fee, potentially high credit limit
- 2. Choose how much you want to invest.
- 27. DSW
- California adoption cost tax credit
- 2. What does it mean to be exempt from taxes?
- 20. Free shipping with ShopRunner
- 21. Gardening and landscaping
- Find your niche
- How much are car insurance quotes?
- NASE Growth Grant
- NJM: Best small regional insurer
- Airport parking at DFW
- Repeat
- Web design
- 10. Monetize your Twitch channel
- Your claims history
- California adoption cost tax credit
- 3. Minimal employee supervision
- 7. Shred, shred, shred
- Our pick for: Bank of America® customers
- Winner: Virgin Atlantic
- Cheapest auto insurance for senior drivers
- Best insurance company for financial strength: Auto-Owners
- Georgia FAIR Plan
- NYC tax rate schedule
- 28. J. Crew Factory
- 13. Language courses
- California nonrefundable renters tax credit
- Our pick for: Subscriptions
- 21. Concierge service
- 7. Restrict online shopping
- Turn to litigation
- S&P 500 PE ratio
- Above-the-line deductions
- Tornadoes
- Human resources
- The features of your home
- California nonrefundable renters tax credit
- 11. Peer-to-peer lending
- 3. Gather your paperwork.
- Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in California for 30-year-olds
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) Imagine Grant
- Average car insurance costs after a DUI
- 8. Use a digital wallet
- 22. Nail salon and spa
- 13. Don’t skip the home inspections
- Geico vs. State Farm
- 4. Increased brand awareness
- 29. Journeys
- Our pick for: Existing cardholders
- 22. Low fares through the International Airline Program
- Understand your eligibility
- DFW rental car center
- Green living
- Other policies
- Greenlight
- Chase Freedom Flex℠
- 3. When should I review my W-4?
- 9. Protect your mobile devices
- 23. Photography
- Below-the-line deductions
- Wildfires
- 5. Reduced risk
- 30. Madewell
- 23. Savings with the Cruise Privileges Program
- Step 6: Market your window-washing business
- Be authentic
- Which factors determine car insurance quotes?
- 8. Delay purchases with the 30-day rule
- Dividends and preferred stock
- 6. Partner with a manufacturer
- Shiller PE ratio
- Pros
- Organization
- 11. Sell your photography
- Your dog
- 12. Private equity
- Our pick for: Average credit and rewards
- The details
- 4. Pick your investments.
- Credit required
- 14. Business or marketing courses
- 10. Check your credit reports regularly
- 24. Clothing boutique
- 14. Negotiate with the seller
- Note application deadlines and awards dates
- 6. Evaluate the price of the business with the earnings, assets or market approach
- How renting from Cruise America works
- 31. Old Navy
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 30-year-olds with poor credit
- 4. Can I adjust my W-4 multiple times throughout the year?
- 24. Car Rental Privileges
- Public transportation options
- Allstate vs. Geico
- 11. Monitor financial and medical statements
- 25. Daycare
- TJX Rewards® Platinum Mastercard®
- 9. Get creative with gifts
- Selling bonds
- Our pick for: Prime gaming
- Step
- 32. Target Circle
- 25. Deals through the Amex Auto Purchasing Program
- Our pick for: Paying rent
- Serve your audience and set small goals
- Consider financing alternatives
- USAA: Best for military and veterans
- Cons
- 1. Loss of complete brand control
- Overseas acceptance
- 15. Personal wellness
- 26. Brewery or winery
- 15. Buy adequate home insurance
- Taxis and rideshare at DFW
- Most popular: HO-3 insurance
- 13. Crypto staking
- Best insurance company for discounts: Amica
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship Company Grants
- 26. An extra point when booking Platinum Destinations Vacations
- Progressive vs. Allstate
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 30-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket
- 27. Hardware store
- Use multiple strategies
- 10. Lower your car costs
- Apple Cash: digital card
- 2. Increased potential for legal disputes
- Our pick for: Average credit and no annual fee
- 33. Aveda
- 27. Additional value through the InCircle rewards program
- Step 7: Prepare yourself for the day-to-day operations
- 12. Become a dog walker with Rover or Wag
- How does Cruise America insurance work?
- Majority
- 5. Maximizing your credit cards
- 28. Catering company
- 7. Price your products
- Broadest coverage: HO-5 insurance
- 34. BareMinerals
- 16. Courses in hobbies or interests
- Google Ad Grants
- 1. Lost wallet
- 28. AmEx Carbon Emissions Tracker
- 11. Reduce your gas usage
- Progressive vs. State Farm
- 3. Initial investment
- Average annual car insurance costs for drivers with good vs. poor credit
- 29. Real estate agency
- Cash App debit card
- Product creation passive income ideas
- Why we love Cruise America
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- 35. Clinique
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 30-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash
- Our pick for: Those who are unbanked
- Comun
- 2. Mailbox theft
- 30. Event venue and planner
- 8. Decide where to sell your clothing line
- Limited coverage: HO-1 and HO-2 insurance
- 13. Sell unused gift cards
- 4. Federal and state regulation
- 36. CVS
- 17. Bookkeeping and accounting
- 29. The Global Dining Access by Resy
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
- 12. Bundle cable and internet
- 14. Write content
- Our pick for: Limited credit
- The Unless Project
- 31. Tattoo and piercing shop
- Individual stocks
- Who are the top five insurance companies?
- Reasons to take pause before renting from Cruise America
- Roth IRA withdrawal rules
- 37. e.l.f. Cosmetics
- 3. Using public Wi-Fi
- 30. Exclusive events
- Erie: Most generous coverage
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 30-year-old drivers after a DUI
- 32. Veterinary office
- 13. Switch your cell phone plan
- Which insurance company is best at paying claims?
- 7. Secure capital to make the purchase
- Our pick for: Target gaming purchases
- Best insurance company for customer satisfaction: State Farm
- Bunq
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
- Roth IRA withdrawal penalty
- 38. Lancome
- 18. Consulting
- 31. An open invitation to events with Membership Experiences
- 6. Borrowing money
- 14. List your spare bedroom on Airbnb
- 4. Data breaches
- 33. Food truck
- Is State Farm cheaper than Geico?
- 39. Sephora
- 32. A better view with American Express Preferred Access
- Dividend stocks
- Replacement cost vs. actual cash value
- Aldi Cares Community Grants
- 34. Health clinic
- 14. Reduce your electric bill
- 9. Market your clothing line
- Is Geico a good insurance company?
- 15. Publish a digital course
- Totem
- Our pick for: Good credit
- 40. SmashBox
- How much is auto insurance for young drivers?
- 5. SIM card swap
- 35. Bakery
- How renting from Outdoorsy works
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
- 41. The Body Shop
- 19. IT support
- Cheapest full coverage car insurance in California for 40-year-olds
- 15. Lower your student loan payments
- Car-related passive income ideas
- Zendesk Tech for Good Impact Awards
- 6. Phishing or spoofing
- 33. No foreign transaction fees
- Verizon Visa® Card
- 42. Ulta
- Nationwide: Best online experience
- 15. Sell your gently used clothes
- Best insurance company for military members: USAA
- Our pick for: Spending guardrails
- 34. Upgrade with points
- 16. Cancel unnecessary subscriptions
- What is a prepaid debit card?
- 16. Wrap your car with ads
- 20. Graphic design
- 7. Skimming
- Meet a local demand
- Our pick for: Travel
- Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in California for 40-year-olds
- The Audacious Project
- 35. No preset spending limit
- Homeowners insurance deductibles
- 43. AMC Theatres
- 17. Refinance your mortgage
- 10. Work with an expert
- What is a prepaid credit card?
- 17. Rent out a parking space
- How does Outdoorsy insurance work?
- Standard (nonbank) neobanks
- Average annual car insurance costs for young drivers by company
- 8. Phone scams
- 36. A lower annual fee on additional cards
- Our pick for: Walmart gaming purchases
- 44. Barnes & Noble
- Scout locations
- Where can you get a prepaid card?
- 16. Trade in old phones, electronics for cash
- 21. Social media management
- Wells Fargo nonprofit grants
- 37. CreditSecure
- 18. Set savings goals
- 45. Redbox
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 40-year-olds with poor credit
- 9. Looking over your shoulder
- How do you add money to a prepaid card?
- Reasons to love Outdoorsy
- Neobanks that are online banks
- Calculate the costs of starting a business
- Openly: Fewest consumer complaints
- Our pick for: Instant gratification
- Which prepaid card is best?
- 10. Malware
- Chase Freedom Flex℠
- 11. Figure out how to manage your finances
- 17. Get a babysitting gig
- Reasons to take pause before renting from Outdoorsy
- 22. Marketing copywriter
- 38. Cell phone protection
- 19. Track spending
- Digital wallets with banking services
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Your credit utilization is simply the portion of your available credit you use, expressed as a percentage. It is the total of balances on all your credit cards divided by the total of all your credit limits. (It's also figured on a per-card basis.) This number is a big factor in your credit score — the less available credit you use, the better it is for your score.
Here’s how to keep your utilization low.
Why is having a low credit utilization important?
Paying your balances on time and in full every month is the best way to keep your score intact or build it. On the other hand, using a larger portion of your credit limit could do damage. Credit utilization accounts for around 20% to 30% of your credit scores.
But if a financial crisis means you have to lean on credit cards, take heart: Credit scores can rebound quickly once you're able to lower your utilization.
How to lower your credit utilization
1. Keep your charges on each card to a minimum
The simplest way to avoid losing credit score points for using too much of your limits is to watch how much you charge to each card. Make a habit of patrolling your online accounts to keep tabs on spending. If you are close to using 30% of your credit limit on one card, try to make a payment or switch to using another card.
Simply getting into the habit of paying twice per month instead of once could help you decrease your credit usage. Lower balances can save you interest if you carry a balance — and are good for your credit score regardless.
You can also monitor your per-card and overall credit utilization by viewing your credit score profile from NerdWallet.
2. Ask for higher credit limits
If it’s tough for you to avoid utilizing more than 30% of your available credit, another solution might be to request a credit line increase on your card or cards. Getting a credit limit increase might require you to call your card issuer or make the request online. Sometimes increases are offered automatically if you’ve had your card for a while and have a positive payment history, so be on the lookout for those offers when you log in to your account.
Another option to get a higher overall credit limit is to ask a friend or relative to add you as an authorized user on an established account. The primary user doesn't even have to give you a card or tell you the account number for your credit score to benefit. Do choose carefully: Being on the account of someone who is having problems with credit could affect your score, too. You want to be on an account showing good payment history, preferably with a high credit limit and consistently low credit utilization.
A higher overall credit limit could help you keep your credit utilization lower than it would be otherwise. This could make a big difference in your credit score. You can check your own credit to see the effect (and it won't hurt your score).
3. Set up balance alerts to stay on top of spending
If you find yourself consistently overspending, setting up balance alerts can help keep your spending in check.
Sign up with your credit card issuer to receive alerts via text message or email. You can choose to be alerted when the balance reaches a certain amount or percentage of your credit limit. Your goal is to keep the balance below 30%.
4. Pay your bill before your issuer reports to the credit bureaus
Most credit card issuers report your balance and payment activity to the credit bureaus once every 30 days. However, this doesn’t necessarily coincide nicely with when your bill is due. If your issuer reports a few days before the end of your billing cycle, you’ll consistently look like you’re carrying a high balance — even if you pay it off in full just a few days later.
Place a call to your card issuer’s customer service line to find out when it reports to the credit bureaus. Simply pay off as much of your balance as you can in advance of that date every month, and you might see a jump in your score.
5. Monitor your total credit utilization
If you have multiple credit cards, it might be hard to view the bigger picture of your credit utilization. Using the calculator below, input your credit card balances and limits to check whether you're under the recommended 30% utilization threshold.
If you’re creeping up to that limit, do your best to pay down your balances and explore ways to stop spending money.