Just Start Investing

We Make Investing Easy

Credit Card Blog

How to Choose a Credit Card – 5 Easy Steps

By

Learning how to choose a credit card is a lot like learning how to invest in index funds – there are 5 steps and it’s easy to do once you know what you’re doing.

Like riding a bike, it’s something everyone should learn at some point in life.

Learning how to choose a credit card fixes two big problems that people face with credit cards today:

  1. Not using a credit card at all.
  2. Using a credit card, but not using the best one possible (like the new Apple Card).

Simply put, credit cards pay you to shop! It’s like getting everything on sale. As long as you use them responsibly and pay them off on time, they are a great tool to both get a discount on everything you buy and build your credit to help with other financial goals.

[Read more…] about How to Choose a Credit Card – 5 Easy Steps

How to Increase Your Credit Limit

By

Ever wonder how you can increase your credit limit? With the right intention, it’s not a bad question to ask.

Having the right intention matters.

Increasing your credit limit so that you can make irresponsibly purchases and go into debt is usually a bad idea. However, increasing your credit limit so that you can make a necessary purchase, or even just make ends meet, can be a great idea.

There are a few tactics you can utilize to increase your credit limit. We’ll walk through those further below.

[Read more…] about How to Increase Your Credit Limit

Good Reasons to Use Multiple Credit Cards

By

Deciding to use multiple credit cards is not a black and white decision. There are good reasons to use multiple cards, and bad ones.

There are many factors to take into account before deciding to add a credit card to your wallet or purse. They include the impact to your credit score, the rewards it offers, its annual fee, and much more.

Depending on who you are, if you heard a friend or family member had 5 credit cards you may either think they are a personal finance wizard or an irresponsible spender.

I definitely fell into the latter camp a few years ago, scoffing at anyone who had multiple credit cards as someone who clearly had no control over spending.

Though, over time, I’ve come to realize I was sometimes wrong (not surprisingly). There are a few really good reasons to own multiple credit cards that can help maximize your money, beyond the typical advantages that one credit card can offer.

[Read more…] about Good Reasons to Use Multiple Credit Cards

How Are Credit Scores Calculated: A Beginner’s Guide

By

It’s financial literacy month, so this post is focused on something all consumers should know: How are credit scores calculated?

Banks and lenders use credit scores to see how reliable consumers (people like you and me) are and to understand the likelihood that they will pay back a loan.

A good credit score = a reliable consumer.

A bad credit score = a risky consumer.

Most consumers have a general idea of what a credit score is, but we’ll dive into more of the nuances immediately below.

On the other hand, less consumers understand how credit scores are calculated. There are five simple components that make up a credit score, see further below to learn how they come together to form your credit score.

[Read more…] about How Are Credit Scores Calculated: A Beginner’s Guide

Is an Annual Fee Credit Card Worth it?

By

Is an annual fee credit card worth it? Definitely a question all consumers should ask (or think about) before signing up for a new credit card.

It’s actually a pretty simple question to answer, you just need to do some basic math.

Well… it was basic math until credit card providers started introducing points, miles, bonus offers and other hidden benefits (and fees). It’s not as simple as finding the best cash back offer anymore.

[Read more…] about Is an Annual Fee Credit Card Worth it?

The Latest Blog Posts:

As Featured In:

Just Start Investing Press Strip 2020 B&W

Follow Us: