In these times of economic turmoil, one of the biggest casualties has been personal credit. Many people are seeing a drop to their credit scores, and finding it difficult to get the best rates on a number of products and services. This includes car leases, for those who prefer to lease their cars. And, if a double-dip recession becomes a reality, this problem could continue. Those with credit that is good enough to lease may find that they are not getting the best payment plan for their money.
One way that you can improve your chances of getting better pricing is …read more

One of the things that surprises many people is that they have a separate insurance score. When it comes to getting property insurance, companies can look up your CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) report and see what claims you have made on your insurance. This information is used to develop a score that insurers can use to help determine the cost for your coverage — or if you can even qualify for coverage.
Your CLUE report contains the following information about your insurance claims:

Policy information (your name, birth date and policy number)
Claim information (date of loss, type of loss, amounts paid)
Description …read more

This week’s personal finance readings.

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!

Your credit score is one of the best personal finance handbooks I’ve read recently.

One company, Pertuity Direct, offers a rather interesting version of social lending. Recently, I spoke with Pertuity’s CEO Kim Muhota, as well as Charlie Schliebs, who is on the board for the National Retail Fund.

Here are some of my favorite places to go when I need help making a personal finance plan

The company has tinkered with its credit scoring system in the past, but in 2009 FICO prepares for the largest change to its formula ever.