Credit & debt
Raise your score, cut your interest and get out of debt for good.
How to Raise Your Credit Score: What Works and How Fast
Your score is built from a handful of factors. Focus on the two that matter most and you can see real progress within a few months.
How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt Faster
Avalanche or snowball? Balance transfer or loan? A step-by-step plan for getting to zero, and staying there.
How Credit Scores Work: The 5 Factors That Matter
Your credit score is a three-digit snapshot that affects what you pay to borrow. Here's what goes into it, in plain English.
Credit Utilization: The Fastest Way to Raise Your Score
How much of your credit limit you use can swing your score by dozens of points, and it can change within a month.
How to Check Your Credit Report for Free and Dispute Errors
You can see your reports from all three bureaus every week at no cost. Here's what to look for and how to fix mistakes.
Balance Transfer Cards: How to Use 0% APR to Pay Off Debt
Moving high-interest debt to a 0% intro card can save hundreds or thousands in interest, if you go in with a plan.
Debt Consolidation Loans: When They Help and When They Don't
Rolling several debts into one fixed-rate loan can lower your interest and simplify payments, but only under the right conditions.
How to Freeze Your Credit (It's Free) and Why You Should
A credit freeze is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself from identity theft. Here's how to set it up at all three bureaus.