‘I Will Probably Rent Forever’: Is the High Cost of Home Prices Killing the American Dream?
In a recent Credit Sesame survey, we asked 1,000 consumers about home affordability, and nearly half of respondents age 18 to 34 said they rent because cannot afford to buy where they live or work. This led us to question whether homeownership, which is part of the American dream, is no longer realistic, especially for Millennials […]
Mother of 6 Erases $45k of Debt and Improves Credit Score Almost 300 Points in a Year
Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The prospect of having to sell her home and become a renter again was enough motivation for Megan Hammon to improve her credit […]
Robots Want to Do Your Taxes. Should You Let Them?
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Credit Sesame may receive compensation. This offer is available exclusively to Credit Sesame members. If you’ve ever watched TV game show “Jeopardy,” you’re probably familiar with the episode in 2011 that featured a robot named Watson, that was paired up in a match […]
How this Credit Sesame Member Bounced Back from $140,000 in Debt at Age 21
When 26-year-old Kayla Sloan first signed up for a free Credit Sesame account in 2013, she was drowning in $142,000 of debt – about $10,000 in credit card balances, $8,000 in student loans, a $4,000 personal loan from her parents, and a $120,000 mortgage. When Sloan’s student loan payments began, she realized she would have […]
How to Get Your Credit Ready to Buy a Car
You’ve made the decision that you need to buy a car but have no idea how to make sure you get the best deal. We can’t look under the hood, but we can help you get off to a good start. Lenders will use your credit score to determine your creditworthiness, your employment status, and […]
Got Collections? You Need to Know if Pay-for-Delete is Legal
Collections accounts can legally stay on your credit report for 7 years after the date of delinquency. Many consumers are eager to find a way to clear the record sooner. In one strategy, often called pay-for-removal or pay-for-delete, the consumer makes a deal with the collection agency. The consumer pays the debt (either the full […]
The One Thing I’ll Do If I’m Strapped for Cash the Next Time My Cat Gets Sick
What would you do if you found out your beloved pet needed an emergency $3,500 trip to the vet to ensure a long life ahead? That actually happened to me and my cat, Beeker (yes, my husband named her after his favorite Muppets character). Luckily, I was prepared. I had enough money in savings to […]
Secrets from a Credit Elite Family of 15
Rob and Sam Fatzinger have 13 kids. They live on one income. They paid off their mortgage early. Sam has a stunning 809 credit score and Rob clocks in at 804. How do they do it? How to Manage Money and Credit The unglamorous but effective truth of healthy credit is that your biggest payoff […]
Do You Crave Perfect Credit? 5 Best Ways to Get Into the ‘Elite Credit Score Club’
The biggest benefit to having perfect credit is that you’ll qualify for the best possible terms. The better your credit score is, the better the interest rates on what you borrow. If you want to finance a car, for example, perfect credit makes it much easier to qualify for a 0% APR deal. Lower interest […]
How to Refinance a Home Loan If You Have Bad Credit
A low credit score isn’t a roadblock to refinancing a mortgage, but it may be enough to stop homeowners from considering a refi at all. After all, a credit score is an important factor lenders consider. For the biggest purchase in most of our lives, why even try if you know going in that you […]
What is the average American credit score?
Most people have heard the term “credit score” and know it has something to do with their personal finances. But what is it? How do you get one? And how does yours compare with people like you? The credit score is a three-digit number based on your credit report. Lenders report your debts and payments […]
Credit Sesame’s Ultimate Tax Filing Guide for Beginners
Tax season is underway and if it’s your first time filing, don’t panic. Taxes don’t have to be intimidating. Just take a little time to understanding the basics. If you’re not sure where to get started, this guide breaks down the basics from start to finish. Dive in to learn more. Getting Ready to File […]
Investing in Stocks Isn’t Always a Losing Game: One Woman’s Story of Success & Early Retirement
When you think of an artist, you probably think starving and broke. That’s not the case for Katherine Kean. This fine artist managed to achieve financial independence in her 40s with a successful business and savvy investments. These days she spends most of her time in her home studio in Los Angeles, painting beautiful works […]
Foreclosure And Deed In Lieu Of Foreclosure: My Credit Score Took A Huge Hit. Now What?
2008 was years ago. The housing market is supposed to be better now, right? That may be true for the U.S. as a whole, but not for many individual Americans. The 2016 U.S. foreclosure rate was at a 10-year low, but nonetheless, about one million homes were in foreclosure according to RealtyTrac. My husband and […]
Credit Sesame Addresses the Confusion: What Credit Score We Use
Interested consumers ask a few common questions about who we are and what we do. Here are the answers you need. Credit Sesame, a financial wellness company, is a consumer advocate. We provide credit scores, updated monthly, absolutely free to any U.S. consumer who has a credit file. Credit Sesame also provides services to help […]
