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Find FREE Product Samples at Walmart.comYou can sign up for free product samples at www.walmart.com. It's not that easy to find the page to sign up. But, if you follow these instructions, you're there! First (walmart.com will open in a new browser so you can follow these instructions) click on www.walmart.com to go to Walmart's website. From the page you landed on, you should see, on the left hand side, a list of all of www.walmart.com's departments. On www.walmart.com, DON'T CLICK, just hover above the orange link that says In Stores Now. You should see more stuff pop up and this is where you will see FREE SAMPLES. Click that link and you can go from there.Posted: 7/5/2009 By: Savings for You!
The Importance of Your Credit RatingSource:http://www.savings-for-you.com/54/post/2009/05/first-post.html With people becoming more dependent on credit, it''s crucial to understand both your personal credit report and credit score. What is a Credit Score? A credit score is a statistical method that''s used to determine the likelihood of an individual paying back money borrowed. The credit bureaus that issue these scores have different evaluation systems, each based on different factors. Some take into consideration only information contained in your credit report. The primary factors used to calculate an individual''s credit score are his or her credit payment history, current debts, time length of credit history, credit type mix and frequency of applications for new credit. Because the scoring systems are based on different criteria and weighted differently, the three major credit bureaus in the U.S. (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian) may issue differing scores for an individual, even though scores are based on the same credit report information. You may hear the term FICO score in reference to your credit score. FICO is an acronym for the Fair Isaacs Corporation What About a Credit Rating? In addition to using credit (FICO) scores, most countries use a scale of 0-9 to rate your personal credit. On this scale, each number is preceded by one of two letters:''I'' signifies installment credit, and ''R'' stands for revolving credit. Each creditor will issue its own rating for individuals. For example, you may have an R1 rating with Visa (the highest level of credit rating), but you might simultaneously have an R5 from MasterCard if you''ve neglected to pay your MasterCard bill for many months. Although the ''R'''' and ''I'' systems are still in use, the prevailing trend is to move away from this multiple rating scale toward the single digit FICO score. Here is how the scale breaks down: Rating Description · R0 or I0: You are new to the credit world, and have an insufficient credit history for making an accurate judgment of your future risk. · R1 or I1: You pay your credit back in 1 month. · R2 or I2: You pay your credit back in 2 months. · R3 or I3: You pay your credit back in 3 months. · R4 or I4: You pay your credit back in 4 months. · R5 or I5: You have not repaid in four months, but you are not a ''9'' yet. · R7 or I7: Your debt payments are made under consolidation. · R8 or I8: Debt was cleared by selling item (repossession). · R9 or I9: You have bad debt (default), which usually means is uncollectible. What Makes up Your Credit Score? When you borrow money, your lender sends information to a credit bureau which details how well you handled your debt. From the information in the credit report, the bureau determines a credit score based on five major factors: 1) Previous credit performance 2) Current level of indebtedness 3) Time credit has been in use 4) Types of credit available 5) Pursuit of new credit. Why Your Credit Rating is Important When you apply for a credit card, mortgage or even a phone hookup, your credit rating is checked. Credit reporting makes it possible for stores to accept checks, for banks to issue credit or debit cards and for corporations to manage their operations. Depending on your credit score, lenders will determine what risk you pose to them. According to financial theory, increased credit risk means a risk premium must be added to the price money is borrowed. If you have a poor credit score, lenders will not shun you (unless it is utterly awful); instead, they''ll lend you money at a higher rate than someone with a better credit score. Source: myfico.com Tips to Improve or Maintain a High Credit Score: · Make loan payments on time · Avoid overextending your credit (Unsolicited credit cards may be tempting to use, but they won''''''''''''''''t help your credit score) · Never ignore overdue bills · Know type of credit you have (Credit from financing companies can negatively affect your score) · Keep outstanding debt low as possible · Limit number of credit applications Credit is not built overnight. It''s better to provide creditors with a longer historical time frame to review: a longer history of good credit is favored over a shorter period of good history. Conclusion The importance of credit today is significant; overlooking this fact can be very detrimental to your financial health. Being aware of how your credit score is calculated is essential. By following the tips laid out for you, you should be able to maintain or improve your credit score. Posted: 6/23/2009 By: Savings for You!