Credit Tips and Students Loans

The Benefits of Using a Credit Card Wisely

By Jason M Larkins

Credit cards often get a bad reputation in personal finance circles: They have high interest rates, they lead to ruinous debt, and they're evil! Many personal finance gurus hiding your cards or even cancelling and cutting them up. But before you go freezing your them in a block of ice, you should know that if used wisely there are many benefits.

Build your credit score
Regardless of your personal opinion, unless you're planning on paying in cash, many large purchases that you make throughout your lifetime will require good credit in order to qualify for a loan. And, depending on the value of your credit score, you may even get a better rate.

If you use them responsibly and pay off your balance each month, you will be able to build your credit score over time without incurring interest charges.

Earn rewards
If you're using a credit card and paying it off monthly, why not get the card company to pay you? Many cards offer rewards in the form of points for travel, merchandise or services. Some offer a percentage of your spending back in the form of cash rewards. Still others may let you stay in hotels for free.

A great way to maximize your rewards is to choose a rewards card from a store or a service that you use very often. So if you travel a lot, get a card with travel rewards. If you mostly use your the card for groceries and utilities, get a card that gives you free groceries or cash back.

Maximize convenience
Let's face it - using a credit card is much more convenient than using cash or a debit card. Cash can't be replaced if lost and can be bulky. Debit cards can come with transaction charges depending on the bank or the retailer. With charge cards, you only need to carry one piece of plastic and you never have to worry about additional charges... unless you don't pay off your monthly balance!

They are also a convenient way to organize your bill payments. Instead of having to keep track of 3 or 4 different bills, you can pay each bill automatically through your card and then simply pay your credit card off each month.

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As you can see, there is no need to avoid credit cards if you're willing to use them wisely and responsibly. As long as you can pay off your balance each month, you can reap many benefits and ultimately, save yourself some time and money.

To learn more about great credit cards and credit score services check out Green Dot Money Card and Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards

College Scholarships - Six Facts You Didn't Know About Scholarships For Students

By N. S. Jenks

The world of scholarships is an exciting one -- and one that can be overwhelming. A leading financial services company reports that there are over three million scholarships worth over $16 billion in the U.S. That fact represents a huge opportunity!

You may not know how to go about finding and winning a scholarship. In fact if you're like lots of people, you may not even plan to pursue one because you think you can't qualify. If so this article is for you, because here's the most important fact to know: scholarships are for everyone.

Following are six key facts that will give you the knowledge and the confidence to begin the exciting journey toward financing your education.

1. You don't have to be a top student or an outstanding athlete to win a scholarship. 
   Scholarships are provided not only by colleges and universities but also by dozens of other types of organizations and even individuals. These groups give out scholarships for a wide variety of reasons, not just to encourage top students or athletes. Some want to encourage students to enter a particular field; others want to help a specific minority or reward students for their volunteer service. At least one wants to help students who are left-handed! The point is there are scholarships to match just about anyone who takes the time to seek one out and submit an application - or even just enter a drawing!


2. Getting A Scholarship Is Not Difficult. 
   Just as many people assume scholarships are only for straight-A students, they also think it's difficult to apply for and win a scholarship. It isn't -- but it does require time and effort. How important are your dreams? The process you need to follow is one you can learn, and the results could be very rewarding.


3. You can get both Scholarships and Financial Aid. 
   Too often people assume that Financial Aid and Scholarships are mutually exclusive and you have to choose which one to apply for. This is not true. Everyone (regardless of income level) should apply for both. If not you could be missing out on financial assistance that is available to you.


4. You don't have to pay a fee to get access to scholarship databases. 
   You may have seen ads for services that will -- for a fee -- give you access to scholarship lists and even match you with promising opportunities. However there are several good sources that do not charge a fee, and the design of the matching services may cause you to miss out on some promising opportunities. You can take the do-it-yourself-approach to maximize your results.


5. All scholarship opportunities cannot be found online. 
   While online searches are a good place to start and certainly can provide lots of information, you can find lots of promising scholarships by doing some "old school" searching close to home. The scholarships you find this way may be smaller (though not necessarily!), but they can add up fast. Since many people do focus solely on internet searching, you may have a better chance of winning these scholarships since you will have less competition.


6. Fall is not the only time you can apply for scholarships.
   Many people give up without even trying because they think they have missed the deadline if they didn't start looking in summer or early fall. This is not the case: scholarships are available year-round. Better yet, scholarships with winter deadlines often have fewer applicants so you could have a better chance of winning one of them.

You can get free, factual information now on how to find and win scholarships, grants, financial aid and more to help pay for college or career school. Start your journey to a brighter future today athttp://www.whatisascholarship.com.