There is no easy fix for having bad credit. It takes time to create a bad credit history, and it takes time to create a good one. But do not despair! With a bit of patience and a thought-out plan, it is indeed possible to turn your credit around.

Fair Isaac is the creator of the most used FICO score. This graphic shows you what you need to do to keep your credit score high. I have 40+ credit cards and a FICO score of 803, which is counter intuitive unless you understand that how you manage your credit accounts is the most important factor in having a high score.

My 20 year old son will soon need to buy a car but he has no credit. What’s the best way for him to establish credit? I don’t know of any stores that will let him pay off a purchase without first checking his credit. Are there still credit cards that will let him put some money on hold in order to back any purchases he might make? How do I find them?

Unless you use a local bank, your bank probably creates all sorts of unfair bank charges and other policies like excessive overdraft fees. And this is just one reason that your bank’s policies stink. Here are five bank policies that should be changed, and changed immediately.

Ads abound almost everywhere (online and off) selling books, systems and secrets to help you fix your credit in a hurry. Many of these programs have claims, which read like the covers of supermarket tabloids, “In 3 hours my credit score jumped from 580 to 676!”…”Erase bad credit and smash your debts with just 2 Magic Letters!”…”Create a completely new credit file in 24 hours!” Are these types of claims ALWAYS too good to be true? The answer is “Yes and…no.”

Debit cards have become a very popular way to pay for everything from fast food to rental cars. The Federal Reserve reports that debit card transactions have been growing more than 20 percent annually and have surpassed credit card transactions. The appeal is understandable. Debit cards are quick and easy to use. But using a debit card can cost you hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. We’ll show you why you should never carry a debit card.