Credit
When to use credit and when not to
Borrowing is a tool with a price, and a short set of questions distinguishes sensible use from expensive use.
Credit
Scores, reports, disputes and what actually moves the number.
Credit
Protecting yourself from financial fraud
A small number of habits prevent most fraud, and the tactics are consistent regardless of the story.
Credit
Credit reports across borders and after moving
Credit history does not travel, which affects migrants, returning residents and anyone starting again.
Credit
Understanding interest rates
A handful of concepts explain almost every product, and the advertised rate is frequently not what most customers pay.
Credit
Comparison sites, brokers and who is paid by whom
Free services are paid by someone, and knowing who changes how the results should be read.
Credit
Rebuilding credit after difficulty
Recovery is a matter of time plus consistent behaviour, and no product can accelerate it beyond that.
Credit
What lenders look at for a mortgage
Affordability assessment dominates, several common behaviours reduce the amount available, and preparation starts a year out.
Credit
Bank accounts and getting the basics right
The account structure underlying everything else is worth ten minutes, and basic accounts exist for people who have been refused.
Credit
Fraud, scams and getting money back
The tactics are consistent, the protections vary by payment method, and speed determines whether money is recoverable.
Credit
Being refused credit and what to do next
A refusal is information rather than a verdict, and applying repeatedly is the worst possible response.
Credit
Credit cards used properly
They are either free short-term credit with useful protections, or one of the most expensive borrowing products available.
Credit
What actually affects your credit score
A short list of factors dominates, several widely believed factors do nothing, and the score itself matters less than the report.