Kicking the Habit of Overspending!
By Michelle Black

Does the arrival of your monthly credit card bill strike fear into your heart?  Have you ever discovered that your checking account is empty without knowing where your paycheck could have possible gone so quickly?  Do you have more new pairs of shoes in your closet than you can count?  If you answered yes to any of these questions then you may have a problem with overspending.

Overspending is one of the most significant causes of poor credit scores and unbalanced budgets.  I know that typically you do not set out to overspend; however, without a solid plan for spending you will find yourself in the uncomfortable situation of having more bills than money over and over again.  When you find yourself short on cash that is when bills get paid late (or not at all) and credit scores begin to slip.

Keep in mind, over-spenders are not bad people!  At HOPE we have helped thousands of members to overcome credit problems, many of whom arrived at those credit problems due to overspending.  The good news is that if these members were able to fix their overspending problems and turn their credit reports back around then so can you.  Here are a few tips to get you started on kicking the habit of overspending:

1.)  Write down every dollar you spend for the next 2 weeks.
This is the first step to help you find out if you have an overspending problem and, if so, how severe the problem has become.  Wives and girlfriends, if you are asking your spouse or boyfriend to track their spending you may want to note that men are typically a little more resistant to doing so. My suggestion? Make it easy for them!  Give your man a 3X5 card to keep in his wallet.  Just ask him to jot down the amount spent and where he spent it if he doesn’t want to save receipts.  You will still get the basic information you need this way and he may be more likely to follow through with your request.

2.) Make a spending plan (in writing) and stick to it.
You may be wondering, “What exactly is a spending plan?”  A spending plan is a written list of your monthly income (paycheck, alimony, child support, etc.) and your monthly expenses (rent, utilities, car payment, etc.).  In other words – it is a budget.  You can even contact us to request a free HOPE Budget Worksheet today! The key is to get started. (Note: if you are a current HOPE member you can give us a call today to schedule your free one on one budgeting session with a HOPE credit specialist. Talk about a great membership perk!)

3.) Trim the fat from your spending plan.
Once you have reviewed your 2 week spending list and completed your budget worksheet, look for areas where spending can be cut.  Now, I’m not talking about sucking all the fun out of your life so be sure to resist the urge to respond negatively to this suggestion.  However, I am talking about making a plan to get the things that you really want out of life (i.e. a new home, a new car, college education for children, family vacations, etc.) by figuring out what you can live without in the present.  You may be able to find hundreds of extra dollars per month by reducing cable TV plans, cell phone plans, entertainment expenses, eating out expenses, or shopping.  Don’t be afraid to take an honest look at your spending habits and see if a change can and should be made.

If you have any questions about today’s article, budgeting questions, or questions about other credit issues in general we would love to hear from you! Feel free to email us or give us a call at 704-499-9696.  Our caring HOPE Credit Specialists are standing by to help.

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The question that you are faced with when deciding to work towards a healthier credit report is, “should I try to fix my credit report on my own or should I get some professional help?”  First of all, please allow us to give you a big congratulations! The first step towards achieving clean credit is the decision to try.  You have already made the most important step!  Now, it’s time to figure out the logistics.

You should know that it is 100% legal for you to work on your credit report alone, with no professional assistance.  If you come across a “credit repair” company that does not inform you of this fact, be sure to run the other way as fast as you can!  ”Credit repair” has a very bad name, for a good reason.  There is a ton of scam within the “credit repair” industry.

However, just because you can work on your credit report alone does not necessarily mean that you should.   Remember, it is your legal right to represent yourself in a court of law but most people would rather have an attorney in their corner, especially if faced with a serious charge.  Another example that comes to mind, in light of the recent series of storms in the southeast, is that you legally have the right to replace your own roof if it was damaged by the elements.  Unfortunately, if you are not professionally trained and do not have experience in the roofing business then you will probably just make a bigger mess of things if you try to work on the project alone.  The same is true of credit restoration.  Do-it-yourself credit repair is often a disaster.  In the 10+ years since HOPE has been in business we have seen many people actually make their credit scores worse rather than better by trying to clean up their credit alone, without an experienced professional to guide them.

HOPE has designed a unique, one of a kind, credit education program to help our members achieve healthier credit and to learn how to maintain that healthy credit for a lifetime!  Active HOPE members receive the following benefits for no additional fees:  personalized budgeting assistance, negotiations with creditors, individual credit report analysis, and much, much more! Over 80 HOPE members have graduated our program with credit scores healthy enough to buy a home in the last 4 months alone!

We would love to invite you to schedule a personal credit analysis appointment with us (in person or over the phone) today to see what it will take for you to achieve the healthy credit you desire to have.  Analysis appointments are completely pressure-free and there is NO obligation to join the HOPE Program after speaking with a HOPE Credit Specialist.  Please give us a call today at 704-499-9696 to reserve a time for your one on one credit analysis.  We would love to hear from you!

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5 Ways to Invest Your Tax Refund
by Michelle Black

It’s that time of year when you may be receiving an extra check from Uncle Sam – your tax refund!  Before you let that refund check burn a hole in your pocket, first think about how you can invest those extra funds to improve your quality of life and strengthen your financial health.  Here are a few suggestions we have put together for you to consider:

1.  Pamper Yourself and Have a Little Fun!
Being responsible does not mean that you have to deny yourself completely.  Now, we are certainly not suggesting that you go on an all out spending spree, which you will almost certainly regret later, and blow your entire check.  However, spending a predetermined amount of cash (10% of your refund or less) on a weekend getaway, spa treatment, shopping trip, or that new fishing pole you have been eyeballing is a nice way to reward yourself for the discipline you will be using with the other 90% of your refund.

2.  Give to Your Local Church/Favorite Charity.
At HOPE we are strong believers in the principle that you will reap what you sow.  It is important to remember your local church or another worthy organization if you are not currently committed to a local church.  If you do not have a local church or other charity in mind, HOPE recommends www.ambassadorstothenations.com for a wonderful organization which funnels 100% of all charitable contributions to those in need.

3.  Pay Down Those Credit Cards!
Want to improve your credit scores or shave some money off your monthly financial obligation budget?  If you do then paying down your credit cards is, by far, the best way to achieve both of these goals.  You will save money in interest and, since high credit card balances lower credit scores, you will also most likely see a positive increase in your credit scores.  (Note: Current HOPE members, please contact us to request a free HOPE Snowball Effect debt payoff plan to help you see the biggest “bang for your buck” possible!)

4.  Save Money for Debt Negotiations.
Collection accounts can have a big impact upon your credit scores.  So, if you have past debts that are still hanging over your head (i.e. medical bills, student loans, credit cards, etc.) then now is the time to do something about it while you have the extra cash.  However, be careful before you start actually paying off these old debts on your own.  It is highly recommended that you check with a HOPE Negotiations Specialist first to see how you can potentially save up to 50% off your old debt and stretch your dollars as far as possible.  Don’t have any negative debt to pay off? Great! Instead of starting a debt negotiations saving account start (or add to) an emergency fund for your family.  The next time your car breaks down or you have an unexpected doctor’s visit you will be glad you set those funds aside for a rainy day!

5.  Become a Member of the HOPE Program.
You may have figured that we would put this suggestion into our article.  However, we can say with 100% certainty that, if you desire to learn how to achieve healthier credit, then a HOPE Program membership is just what you need to get started!  With professional credit analysis appointments available for just $30 and affordable membership options beginning as low as just $99 per month it has never been easier to achieve the clean credit report you desire to have.  Interested in learning more about our membership services?  Give us a call at 704-499-9696.  Our caring staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and/or “like” us on Facebook for access to free weekly credit tips!

5 Ways to Give Your Credit a Kick in the Pants!
By Michelle Black

Earlier this week we discussed The 5 Fastest Ways to Damage Your Credit.  If you have not reviewed this list yet, please take a moment to check out the article.  It may save you from making a detrimental mistake which could set your credit score back as much as 100 points!

However, today we will be focusing on a subject that is always much more enjoyable: Ways to improve your credit.  Since the 3 credit bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian) all have a different system they use to determine your credit score, it is impossible to predict specifically how much any one action will change your credit score.  Still, we do know that if you heed the following advice, your credit scores cannot help but to improve with all 3 of the credit bureaus (as long as no new negative actions on your credit counteract the new positive changes):

1.  Make payments on time.
I always like to start with this recommendation because payment history is the single most important factor making up all 3 of your credit scores.  A whopping 35% of your credit score is determined by your ability to make your payments on time.  Even if you have had some recent late payments (within the past 24 months) that have damaged your credit score, if you make a plan today to start paying your current bills on time you will start to slowly dig yourself out of the hole. Plus, if you want to dig yourself out of the proverbial credit hole even faster you can check out some of the great services that HOPE has to offer.
2.  Have enough open credit cards.
It is important to have open revolving accounts (AKA credit cards) on your credit report.  Your credit score is a snapshot to potential lenders of how you pay your bills.  Therefore,  if you do not have enough open accounts, you may have low scores or even no scores at all. HOPE members, please check with your HOPE credit specialist to see if it is recommended for you to open additional credit card accounts or if you already have enough active accounts appearing on your credit report.
3.  Pay down open credit cards.
Yes, it is definitely recommended that you establish some current credit card accounts if you do not currently have enough open.  However, it is not recommended that you establish any new debt by charging up the balances on your credit cards.  If you do have balances on any of your current credit cards, especially if the balance is over 50% of your credit limit, aim to pay off your credit cards ASAP.  You could potentially see a huge increase in your credit scores by following this advice.  (Note: current HOPE members can contact us to request a HOPE Snowball Debt Payoff Worksheet for help making a plan to pay off your current debts.)
4.  Check your credit report for mistakes/erroneous information.
All 3 credit bureaus are quite notorious for making mistakes on our credit report.  Even if your credit report is in pristine condition, it is important to check your credit report 1-2 times every single year to make sure that there are no new errors being reported.  The good news is that you are legally entitled to a free credit report (minus your credit scores) every year from www.annualcreditreport.com.  Make sure to check your report with all 3 credit bureaus.
5.  Use old credit cards occasionally.
Your length of credit history makes up approximately 15% of your credit score.  This means that those older credit card accounts on your report actually help to boost your credit scores more than new accounts.  Often a creditor will automatically close a credit card account if you do not use it for a prolonged period of time due to inactivity on the account.  Solution?  Use your old credit cards several times per year for a small purchase (which you pay off immediately) in order to keep your older accounts open and active.

Don’t forget, if you or someone you know is in need of professional credit advice or assistance, we would LOVE for you to take the time to consider the services offered by the HOPE Program.  We want the opportunity to answer your questions and offer our unique expertise on all situations related to your credit report and credit scores.  There really is no such thing as a HOPEless situation! Please feel free to give us a call with any questions you may have at 704-499-9696.  We hope to hear from you soon!

Credit Cards – What Is the “Magic” Number?
By Michelle Black

Have you been thumbing through your stack of credit cards lately and wondered, “do I have too many?”  This is one of the most common credit questions I receive, so I thought I would share a little bit of insight into the matter.

The answer to the “how many credit cards should I have?” question is not necessarily the same for every person. As a general rule of thumb, it is advisable to have 3-6 open credit cards on your credit report. So, I can very easily advise that if you have less than 3 credit cards, you need more.  That being said, if you have more than 6 credit cards open right now I am NOT advising that you immediately close any accounts.  It is very important to have some professional guidance when and if you decide to close existing credit card accounts.  Closing the wrong account can potentially cause your scores to drop significantly.

If you already have 3 or more open credit card accounts is much more important to focus on your credit card balances rather than the actual number of credit card accounts you have.  Did you know that if you have a credit card with a balance that is over 50% of your credit limit then your credit scores will be lowered even if you are paying your bill on time every month?!?! This means that if you have a credit card with a $500 limit and you charge more than $250 on the card then your credit scores are affected negatively.  Your best bet is to keep all of your credit cards paid off to a zero balance.  (HOPE members have access to our “Snow Ball Effect” debt pay off plan to help begin eliminating credit card balances during their membership.)  By keeping your credit card balances at zero you also get to avoid paying those pesky interest fees and, therefore, save yourself some money!

Another fact about your credit card accounts that you should be aware of is how extremely important it is to make sure that your credit card is paid on time every single month.  Since 35% of our credit score is determined by our payment history it is easy to see how one single late payment can cause a huge drop in our scores.  In fact, I have seen a credit score drop as much as 100 points due to a single late payment on a credit card account!  Keeping your credit card balances at zero gives you further insurance against late payments as well.

We at HOPE would like to thank those of you who participated in our Facebook credit poll last week which asked the question “How many credit cards should I have open?” If you are not already a fan of our HOPE Facebook page we want to invite you to follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter for access to HOPE’s latest credit tips, special offers, and giveaways! Congratulations to Jill Lowe who won our credit poll contest last week and will be receiving a free professional credit analysis with a HOPE credit specialist!

If you have questions or need credit related advice, please feel free to give us a call at 704-499-9696.  Our friendly staff is waiting to hear from you and will be happy to help.