Personal Finance Buzz

As the economy continues to be stagnant and the unemployment rate continues to be high, a recent poll by BankRate.com found that still far too few people are preparing for the possibility of a job loss or a long term financial emergency.

Protecting a good credit score is important to make sure you have it when you need it. A good credit score can save you tens of thousands of dollars on a big purchase.

Not too long ago, a reader on my blog asked me “Is 700 a good credit score?” I explained to her that it is a decent score, but in today’s economy I would no longer consider it good. Creditors are now pickier than ever when it comes to granting credit and although a 700 credit score would have gotten you far in the past, it won’t today. Now more than ever, a high credit score is important.

But whether you currently have a 605 or a 755, what are ways of improving your credit score? Besides paying off credit card debt, here are 3 tips you should keep in mind:

So you’ve taken advantage of a free credit score offer. With your score in hand, you may have even done some research on what is a good credit score. But the question still remains, what exactly does your credit score mean. How does your score compare to others?

Having adequate emergency money is the foundation of a solid fanancial plan. Here is one way to build an emergency savings fund.