Online Business Blog

We all know that creditors look at our credit report before extending credit to us.  In fact, a credit report is like the Holy Grail when it comes to creditors. However, what many of us don’t realize is that it’s not just creditors who are looking at our credit score. In fact, exactly who is looking at your credit score may surprise you.

• Employers – Your education or ability to do your job may not be the only thing an employer is looking for. In fact, many employers have begun performing credit checks on candidates. They may want to know if you are in debt, if you have any outstanding judgments against you, and if you are able to handle your finances well. And a

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Did you know that 62 percent of American adults consider themselves “savers” instead of “spenders”?

Things may be looking up for those living paycheck to paycheck. The vast majority (80 percent) of U.S. adults are able to save money right now, according to a survey performed by Harris Interactive on behalf of Barclays.

Hoping to help give Americans another savings option, Barclays has announced the launch of its new, online high-yield savings account and certificate of deposit.

The Barclays online savings account has no minimum deposit or monthly maintenance fees. It can earn depositors 1.00 percent APY, compounded daily. Barclay

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The Verdict: The Kern Schools Platinum Plus card has a number of advantages for cardholders, including no annual fee and a credit limit that can be as high as $250,000. Unfortunately, the card has a high APR of 12.99% to 20.99%. Cardholders that use their card responsibly and don’t incur interest charges, however, may enjoy the high credit limit along with the rewards system in place.

Overview: Kern Schools Federal Credit Union will extend membership to applicants in the Kern County, California area. The credit union offers a range of financial services, including a Platinum Plus card that offers high credit limits and a solid rewards system. A

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Kohl’s has a long history dating back to the early 1960s. That was when founder Max Kohl – who was in the grocery store business – opened the first Kohl’s Department Store in a small Wisconsin town. He sold everything from candy to motor oil, but intentionally positioned his store to occupy a niche in between low-end discount stores and upscale department stores.

Within a decade Max had a string of several successful stores. That got the attention of the United States division of the British corporation BAT, which used to also own well-known companies like Saks Fifth Avenue and Marshall Field. BAT bou

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If you are a fan of Giant Food Stores, you may already know that you can get gas rewards on your purchases at many locations. You can do so by using a Giant card. This is a typical grocery store card and, as such cards are usually very easy to get.

Earning and Using Points With the Giant Card

With your Giant card, you’ll earn 1 point per dollar spent in Giant stores. Each 100 points is good for a discount of 10 cents per gallon at Giant or Shell gas stations. You can use up to 2,200 points in 1 shot, which would be good for a discount of $2.20 per gallon.

Of important note is that each discount is good for a maximum of 35 gallons. T

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In my opinion, too many Americans continue to remain “unbanked.”  Unbanked consumers are those which do not own credit cards, savings or checking accounts and the reason they don’t own these things is for one of two reasons:

1. Their credit is too poor to obtain even a simple deposit account.
2. For whatever reason, they choose to own any kind of bank or credit account and pay for everything in cash.

If your unbanked because of poor credit, the smart play would be to apply for a secured credit card.  Secured credit cards require a deposit up front which is equal to your credit limit, then works as a normal credit card.  Should you default on your agreement, the bank has your deposit as collateral so they’re covered.

The benefit of owning a secured credit card comes in building credit.  Unlike prepaid debit cards, secured credit cards report to the three major credit bureaus and will help improve your credit score.  After time, many secured credit cards allow you to change your account to an unsecured credit card and will subsequently refund your deposit.

And if you’re unbanked because you choose to be, then a prepaid card is a better fit for your wallet.  Cash doesn’t work everywhere, as paying for things like utilities and airline tickets must usually be done online or with a credit card.  Prepaid debit cards are a great way to stay out of the grid while having a payment method for non-cash purchases.  The best prepaid debit cards can offer no fees and free ways to add money but the worst prepaid cards can be wallet sucks.  Make sure to review all of the best choices before jumping in.

• Best Prepaid Debit Cards
• Best Secured Credit Cards