A&M-SA Research Guides: Be Money Smart: Personal Finances

Credit

Below are links to websites that provide information about credit cards, debit cards, and credit building.

Credit Cards, Secure Cards, Bank Cards
This is a scavenger hunt focused on teaching you the difference among the types of cards you may use for payment.
Investopedia
Credit Cards vs. Debit Cards: An Overview
Best Secured Credit Cards of August 2023
If you need to build credit but can’t get approved for an unsecured credit card, a secured card may be exactly what you need.
9 Common Credit Card Fees And How To Avoid Them
Forbes Advisor has compiled a list of the most common credit cards fees, along with strategies to steer clear of the charges.
Investopedia: 10 Reasons to Use Your Credit Card
If you can use the plastic responsibly, you're actually much better off paying with a credit card than with a debit card and keeping cash transactions to a minimum.
SAM's Credit and Debt Basics Course
Smart About Money (SAM) offers this is a course designed to introduce the different aspects of credit and debt.
Part 3: Understanding and Protecting Your Credit Podcast
For the 3rd and final episode of this series, we spoke with Melinda Croes, Training Institute manager for the Credit Builders Alliance, about understanding and protecting your credit along with the function of nationwide credit bureaus and credit reports, how credit scores are calculated, how to build credit and more.

Below are links to websites that provide information about credit history.

Calculated Moves for a Good Credit Score
This is a scavenger hunt focused on guiding you to resources to help build your credit score.
What is a credit report?
A credit report is a statement that has information about your credit activity and current credit situation such as loan paying history and the status of your credit accounts.
What is a Credit Score?
Credit scores are calculated using information in your credit reports, including your payment history, the amount of debt you have, and the length of your credit history.
Will Checking Your Credit Hurt Credit Scores?
1. Checking your credit reports or credit scores will not impact credit scores
2. Regularly checking your credit reports and credit scores is a good way to ensure information is accurate
3. Hard inquiries in response to a credit application do impact credit scores
How Long Does Negative Information Stay on Your Credit Report?
Most negative information stays on your credit report for 7 years; a few items remain for 10 years.

Check Out Your Credit Score!

Order your free credit reports every year:

Write:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

SAM's Insurance Basics Course
Smart About Money (SAM) introduces the importance of and different types of insurance you may need.

Medical Expenses
What Are Medical Expenses?
Steps to take after a family health crisis
When a health event happens to a parent, in-law, or spouse, it can have a ripple effect across the entire family.

Employee Benefit Research Institute
Information on employee benefits (health care; retirement plans) and Retirement Confidence Survey (annual).
SAM's Investing Basics Course
Smart About Money (SAM) provides an investing basics course is for beginners. You will learn many of the fundamental concepts that apply to investing, including risk, inflation, compound interest and more.
Social Security
Pros and cons of social security. If you are asked to login, please use your Blackboard username and password.