5 Tips for Building a Great Credit Score

Building an excellent credit score is a hard task. Even if you miss one payment, it can take a drastic toll on your FICO. Here are five tips that can help you to ensure your credit score is in the prime category, and you can buy whatever you need.

Don’t Pull Too Many Inquiries

When shopping for a loan, it may seem reasonable to look around. However, be careful about pulling too many “hard-hits” on your credit. You can pull your own score and know where you stand before you head to the dealership or a lender. 

When you make an inquiry on your report it’s not as damaging as when a company does it. Both types of hits will stay on your credit for 12 months. So make sure to allow people to pull your credit wisely.

Keep Your Credit Utilization Percentage Low

When you have credit cards and equity lines of credit, it’s easy to overspend. Some people feel that when they have plastic to spend that they can be freer than they can with cash. 

However, if you have more than 30 percent of your credit spent, then you will get a knock on your credit report. If you have a credit card with a $1,000 limit, then you need to spend no more than $300 of that credit. The less you spend, the better.

Don’t Go Over Your Debt to Ratio

Your income is a guideline that is used to see how much credit you can be awarded. However, a bank will only allow you a certain percentage of borrowing power based on that income. If you are beyond the 33 percent threshold, then you will be denied for loans. Additionally, your credit score will take a hit.

Diversify Your Credit

Never put all your “eggs” in one basket? You want to make sure that you have a nice mix on your report. You don’t want 12 credit cards and no auto loans as it looks odd to lenders. They see these credit cards as a potential for you to get into trouble. So it’s best to diversify your spending power to enhance your report.

Never Miss a Payment

Life happens, and there may be times when you are unable to pay a bill. Always call the lender or credit card services and make arrangements so that the late payment doesn’t show up on your credit report. 

Most companies will work with you. If you get a ding for a late payment, it sends a big red flag to potential lenders that there is an issue making payments on time. Your payment history will make or break your credit score.

Finally, building a great credit score isn’t going to happen overnight. It takes time and patience to get your FICO where it needs to be. Be careful when you spend money where your credit is concerned, and always pay your bills on time.

5 Reasons to Get Your HVAC System Checked This Spring

As soon as the weather starts to warm up, you should think about having your HVAC system inspected and serviced. A little bit of preventative maintenance could save you quite a bit of money and help you avoid time-consuming problems down the road.

Avoid Expensive Breakdowns

Even though most of the HVAC systems made in the past few years are durable, they must stand up to an incredible amount of use and abuse. During your HVAC System Maintenance, the technician can catch and fix smaller issues well before they lead to expensive breakdowns.

Lower Your Energy Bills

In the average home, climate control is one of the largest expenses. To keep your energy bills at a reasonable level, you must have the system regularly serviced by an experienced technician. That tech can ensure that your heating and cooling system remains as efficient as possible during the hottest and coldest months.

Reduce Your Risk of Mold

It is unfortunate that mold outbreaks can occur inside your HVAC system, and those spores will make their way into your home. Over time, the airborne contaminants will increase your risk of a wide variety of serious health issues. 

Luckily, treating a mold outbreak is relatively easy if you catch it before it spreads to the rest of your home.

Remove Invasive Pests

During the coldest months of the year, many pests are going to look for shelter, and various areas of the HVAC system will be perfect for their nests. 

While you can visually inspect the ducts and vents throughout the winter, you should think about having a technician thoroughly inspect the system before turning on the air conditioner for the first time.

Longer System Lifespan

Without proper maintenance, some HVAC systems will completely break down in a very short period, and replacing those units can be costly. The easiest and most effective way to extend the system's lifespan is to have it inspected and serviced by a certified technician at least once or twice a year. Regular HVAC services can extend the lifespan of your unit by years.

Spring maintenance is a great start, but your heating and cooling system should be serviced once the weather starts to cool off as well. Those biannual service calls will keep your HVAC system running smoothly and efficiently for many years.

How to Manage Finances for Gaming and Activities

Managing your finances is often a balancing act. You need to have enough money set aside to pay your bills, but you still want to be able to have some fun. Here are some of the techniques that you can use in order to handle your finances for the things that you want to do.

Write it In

A part of developing a budget is adding in forms of entertainment. This is what will make your budget easier to follow. If you only account for the essentials in your life, you’re more likely to blow your budget each month. 

Make sure that you set aside a reasonable amount of money for your entertainment. Too much or too little can each be a problem for different reasons. Too much can lead you to getting carried away and too little can lead you to overcompensating in other ways.

Establish a Limit

Having a limit is an important part of managing your financial health. The best strategy to employ is getting a handle on how much it costs to do the activities that you want. Set a reasonable goal for how often you want to participate in these games or activities. 



You may need to look into free options of fun so that you can stick to the limit that you’ve set for yourself in order to alleviate some of your budgetary concerns.

Determine Your Game

As with anything, determining the game that you want to play with your money is important. Online poker is a good one because you can play and earn more money to put towards your entertainment costs. 

Some companies, like Z4 Poker, LLC, know that it’s also something that you can do with other people so that you aren’t feeling isolated. This will help you to better establish time limits in order to avoid getting sucked into something that isn’t fun anymore.

Utilize Savings Goal

Establish a savings goal for the same amount that you plan on putting towards your entertainment. This will give you a buffer for the future. It will also serve to help you to do more with less money. 

It may take a little bit of time, but employing this strategy helps you to keep tighter controls on your financial situation. Another perk is that it’s always nice to be able to save towards something really special.

The art of managing your finances is a skill that you can develop with practice. Use these strategies to help you get a handle on the process.

5 Factors to Consider When You Start Looking for a Home to Retire In

If you are ready to start looking for a home to retire in, it is important to keep some key factors in mind. No longer are you looking just for an attractive house or one that can house a large family. Consider the following before making a purchasing decision.

Location

The location of your current home meets your present needs, you’re the home you plan to retire in needs to be able to serve your needs for many years to come—potentially the rest of your life. 

Give some thought to where you would like to live ten or twenty years from now when you retire. For example, if you live in a rural area now, you might prefer a home closer to other families for increased socialization or enhanced security. 

Alternately, if you currently reside in a busy urban area or near a bustling airport, maybe you would like a quieter retirement community.

A real estate agent should know the area and can help you make housing decisions based on preferred locations for the future. They will also know if there is a large community of seniors in the area you’re looking at, which can be good for socializing and finding senior services in the community.

Safety Features

Depending on your health, you might be interested in a home with safety features, such as a wheelchair ramp or a handrail along the walls of the main living area. Step-in showers and lower-level sinks might be other features to look for. 

If homes you browse do not have these features, and you don’t need them yet, determine whether properties of interest can be readily amended if needed.


You should also think of what health needs you might have in the future. You might feel fine now, but if there is a history of heart problems, strokes, dementia, or other health problems in your family, it may be wise to take these into account.

Family Accessibility

To maintain regular visits with adult children and grandkids, you may want to move closer to one or all of them, as some retirees do. Of course, travel is not usually a problem for families separated by distance, but if travel is a concern, shop for homes within commuting distance of loved ones. 

If you plan for your home to be a gathering place for your family members during the holidays or family reunions, you may want a large home with some spare guest rooms available.

Proximity to Amenities

Even if you plan to stay in the same area, you may want to consider nearby convenience services, such as car fuel, groceries, and prescriptions. Delivery services can handle many errands for you, but you may want to do some of your own pickups and tasks in the future. Make sure that those services are in an easily commutable distance, especially if delivery services aren’t available.

Budget Changes

People’s budgets and income often change when they retire, for better or worse. Plan your lifestyle budget before buying a home to ensure you can still afford house payments when retirement rolls around. Factor in utilities, insurance, and taxes along with the home’s maintenance and repairs.

Preparing for retirement is an exciting time. With careful planning, you can find just the right home to meet your needs for the golden years of life.