Category: All blog posts
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Top 5 Credit Mistakes That Hurt Your Score
Credit can be tricky. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the “rules,” especially when small mistakes can have lasting effects on your score. But here’s the thing: understanding what can hurt your credit score isn’t as complicated as it seems. I’ve learned that avoiding just a few common missteps can make a big difference.…
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How Good Credit Can Save You Money
We’ve been following a fascinating study from LendingTree that shows how boosting your credit score can significantly impact your financial life. The research found that improving your credit score from fair (580 to 669) to very good (740 to 799) could save you upwards of $22,000 over a lifetime! Yes, you read that right — $22,000!…
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How Good Credit Can Steer You Toward Your Dream Car
So, you’ve been eyeing that sweet ride, and now you’re ready to make it yours. But before you hit the dealership, there’s one thing you need to know: your credit score is about to become your new best friend (or your biggest obstacle). Let’s break down why credit plays a crucial role in buying or…
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Tips for Building and Managing Your Credit Score
Your credit score might just be a number, but it holds a lot of power over your financial future. Whether you’re buying a home, getting a new car, or simply securing better interest rates on loans, your credit score can make or break those plans. Even though I didn’t learn about credit until adulthood, understanding…
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Hispanic Heritage Month: Closing the Wealth Gap
As a fellow Hispanic on this journey, I know how deeply our culture values hard work, resilience, and family. But many of us, myself included, didn’t grow up talking about credit scores, savings, or investing. Hispanic Heritage Month is the perfect time to reflect on more than just our culture. It’s also a time to…
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Understanding Soft vs Hard Credit Checks
Before I started routinely checking my credit, I believed the myth that checking it would hurt my credit score. This is because I didn’t know the difference between a soft and hard credit check. (We discuss what actually affects your score here). Soft Credit Check A soft credit check, also known as a “soft pull” or…
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Why Building & Managing Credit is Important
When I first started learning about personal finance, one of the most confusing and intimidating topics was credit. What exactly is it, and why does it seem to affect so many areas of our lives? I knew having a high score was a good thing, but I didn’t understand how it worked, let alone how…
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Recipe: How to Blend the Perfect Credit Score
In this post, we’ll break down what influences your credit score using a fun and simple analogy — making a refreshing guava and strawberry agua fresca. Just like every ingredient adds to the flavor, different factors impact your credit score. Let’s deconstruct the recipe and see how each element of credit works together to build…
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The Challenge of Compound Interest When Borrowing
Historically, we tend to talk about “compound interest” as a positive concept when saving money. This post focuses on the other side – the negative power of compound interest. We will speak to the crippling impact of compound interest when taking on debt, using credit cards as an example. How Credit Card Debt Works Imagine…
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What is Annual Percentage Rate (APR)?
What does annual percentage rate (APR) mean? It represents the yearly rate charged for a loan, like a credit card. When you apply for a credit card, you’ll see a section called the Schumer Box, which outlines key terms and details about the card. The box, named after a congressman, was created to ensure transparency…