Top 10 Personal Finance Articles of the Month — October 2017

Credit Cards and Scores

This is a Crash Course in Everything You Need to Know About Credit Cards — Dana Sitar, The Penny Hoarder

The American credit system has a few quirks to say the least. As a result consumers of all ages may have credit-related questions ranging from how to build credit to how debt consolidation works. That’s why Dana compiled this credit crash course, looking at these topics and much more.

Master Your Credit Cards — Staff, Valet

Speaking of credit quirks, as you may know, closing a credit card can affect your scores. So when is doing so worth it? And how many credit cards should one person have anyway? Valet shares a few tips for determining those answers while also discussing the effects credit utilization and age of credit can have on your scores.

What’s the Best Free Credit Score Site? — Kyle Burbank, Money@30

Following the massive Equifax hack, monitoring your credit has become more important than ever. Thankfully there are a number of free sites that will allow you to view an educational score and some of the data contained in your report. However not all of these sites are equal. In this piece Kyle compares three popular credit score sites — Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, and WalletHub — to determine which is the best overall.

I Was Shocked By My Fiancé’s Terrible Credit Score. Here’s How We Fixed It — Erin Lowry, Money

Maintaining your good credit is one thing but what about turning your bad credit around? After all, having poor credit can severely impact your ability to buy a car, a home, or even rent an apartment. For her article, Erin shares her story of the shock she and her finance encountered after discovering his 520 credit score and how they’re working to turn it around.

Budget Travel

The Small Perks You Can Get on Seven Major Airlines — Kristin Wong, TwoCents

For years flyers have been complaining about how much nickel and dimeing there is in the airline industry these days. This now goes beyond checked baggage fees as some airlines will now charge you to carry on a bag, select a seat, print your ticket, and even get a glass of water while on board. But, as Kristin notes, there are still a few small perks you can get for free while flying with some major airlines.

Easy Tips on How to Choose an International SIM Card — Staff, Nomad Lifestyle

When traveling abroad, one expense you may not have considered is your mobile phone service. In some cases calling home from overseas can be insanely expensive and your data usage can be severely limited. But, as this piece points out, buying an international SIM card for your travels may be a better option if you know what to look for.

Afford Your Dream Vacation with This Wicked Awesome Strategy — Greg Johnson, Club Thrifty

Many people say they’d like to travel more but believe they can’t afford it. While that may be true, with some proper planning and smart saving, your dream vacation may actually be possible. To help get you on your way, Greg offers his advice for finding the perfect destination, building your travel budget, and saving up for your big trip.

Personal Finance Tips

10 Smart Financial Retirement Moves You Can Make Today — Joshua Adamson, USA Today

As you’ve probably heard several times before, it’s never too early to start thinking about retirement. In fact, the earlier you can start, the better. With that in mind, Joshua highlights several money moves you can make today that will help you prepare your finances for the future.

How to Build a Bank Account Firewall — Jim Wang, WalletHacks

In addition to reminding consumers to check their credit, the Equifax breach has also gotten many to start thinking about cybersecurity and payment networks. Unfortunately, on that front, many of us are vulnerable — especially if all of your accounts are connected. To help prevent a financial breach from spreading, Jim shares his strategy for building a banking firewall and protecting your money from hackers/scammers.

How to Earn Money with Your Emergency Fund — Dan Rafter, WiseBread

By now you likely know the importance of having an emergency fund to help insure you against major financial mishaps. Although emergency funds are a must, the one downside is that those funds often aren’t making you any additional money. If you’re looking to correct that, Dan has a few suggestions for earning on your emergency fund while still keeping your money liquid.

Thanks for checking out my top 10 personal finance articles published last month and congratulations to all of the bloggers who made the list. To find more of these great articles on a daily basis, be sure to follow me on Twitter @jondyer9 and of course visit DyerNews.com.