Borrowing Basics

Your credit score carries a lot of weight in your ability to get credit. Not only that, it affects the interest rate you’re approved for, the cost of your insurance premiums—even your ability to be employed in certain occupations.    Many people don’t realize small actions cause ripple effects that can lower your credit score. If you monitor your credit score routinely, you may find these changes perplexing. These are four reasons why your credit score may have changed.  You made a large purchase on your credit card. If you make a big credit card purchase, it increases your Credit Utilization Ratio (CUR). The credit utilization ratio is the amount of credit you have available compared to the amount of credit you use. Ideally,…

Your old credit card. It has plagued your thoughts and haunted your monthly bottom line for years—even decades. That exhilarating moment you FINALLY pay it off gives you such relief that you want to cut the card up and bid the credit card company good riddance forever.   But is this really the best move for your credit score? Starting off with a clean slate might feel good, but sometimes holding on to an “old friend” is better. Let’s dig a little deeper.  Anatomy of a Credit Score  Before we get too deep, it’s wise to explore the anatomy of a credit score and how closing a credit card may affect it.  Your credit score consists of five factors:  Payment history  Amount owed  Length of credit history (how long accounts…

Your credit score is a number you need to know. Lenders, insurance companies, and even some employers use this score to decide how reliable you are. It pays to do your best to make sure it’s as high as can be.   There are many ways to find out your credit score. As a PEFCU member, you can access your score with the FICO feature in our mobile banking app. Your FICO score, the most widely used credit scoring tool, specifically details what affects your score. If you need more details, you can order a free copy of your credit report through www.AnnualCreditReport.com. From there, you can check to see if the information on your report is correct and file a complaint if necessary.   If you’re ready to boost your score, take these three steps to…