Site Search
Social

Advertisement

Credit FAQ

Video SRQ: How to Handle Getting Denied for Having Too Many Credit Inquiries

May 5, 2013

TPG reader Evan would like to know what he should do when his credit card application is affected by too many inquiries: “When churning and playing the credit card points game, how do you respond to banks that decline for massive inquiries?” This has happened to me many times before and usually can be cleared [...]

22 comments Read the full article →

Video SRQ: Can I Earn Points on Prepaid Cards?

April 14, 2013

TPG reader Ruth asked what options there are for earning points and miles if you have poor credit: “For those who have bad credit who want to get a prepaid credit card, is there one where points can be earned as well ? If so, which one?” Unfortunately there are no prepaid cards that give [...]

7 comments Read the full article →

When to Cancel a Credit Card: My Personal Card Inventory and Decision Process

March 20, 2013

This is the second post in a series on my most recent round of credit card applications and will focus on how to conduct a personal credit card inventory and decide which cards to keep and those to cancel. The first post covered the basics of credit and how to perform a personal check to [...]

79 comments Read the full article →

How To Check Your Credit for Free: Step One in My Credit Card Application Preparation

March 19, 2013

This is post one of four on my most recent round of credit card applications and will focus on the basics of credit and how to perform a personal check to make sure everything healthy before a round of applications. Post 2 will be how to conduct a personal card inventory and decide which cards [...]

9 comments Read the full article →

Sunday Reader Question: Disputing Negative Information on Credit Reports

September 9, 2012

TPG reader David asks: “My wife recently had trouble getting approved for cards. I got a copy of her credit report and found out that there have been a number of late payments on her student loan, which her parents are responsible for. Have you had any history or know if that is something that [...]

10 comments Read the full article →

Sunday Reader Question: How to Keep Credit Card Accounts Active

September 2, 2012

TPG reader Richard asks: “After combing through the interwebs, I haven’t found a definitive answer on whether banks will close credit accounts that aren’t being used. Is this just due to activity? I charge 1 dollar on each card I have every month via Amazon gift card to myself but I don’t know if this [...]

3 comments Read the full article →

Sunday Reader Question: How College Students Can Build Credit

June 24, 2012

TPG reader Dianna had a great question that sums up one of the challenges facing many young people looking for ways to build their credit without much income: “I am currently a college student and a world traveler but I do not have all the things necessary to build a credit report. Most articles seem [...]

12 comments Read the full article →

Credit FAQ: Does Closing an Old Credit Card Hurt Your Credit Score?

January 31, 2012

Having a strong credit score is like having the keys to the kingdom, since credit card bonuses are the quickest way to rack up tons of miles and points quickly (and without having to step foot on a plane). However you need to maintain a good credit score and the first part of doing that [...]

17 comments Read the full article →