10 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR YOUR CREDIT

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR YOUR CREDIT 1 DON'T MAX OUT Having even 1 maxed-out credit card can drop your credit score STOP Don't charge more than you can afford PAY DEBTS MONTHLY (2 Pay off each of your credit cards every month to avoid debt PAID! Bills can stack up easily, so stay on top of your income-to-spending ratio 3 WATCH YOUR CREDIT You can get free credit reports from each of the three credit bureaus Credit reports can show whether your identity has been compromised FIX YOUR CREDIT 14 Get a free credit report to see where you currently stand See what's hurting your credit and plan a solution to fix any issues 5) BE SMART USING CREDIT Draw up a monthly budget and track your spending so you don't overcharge Be conscious of spending so you don't swipe your card when you can't afford it START SAVING (6 Living paycheck to paycheck can be stressful and is a bad habit Cut frivolous expenses and start putting money away 24 7 PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY Identity theft is all too common and can damage your credit score Be vigilant about protecting your information online and in person AVOID LATE FEES 18 Late payments end up costing you money, and your interest rate could rise If you forget to pay bills, turn on autopay to have money deducted automatically 9 MAKE A BUDGET Maxing out your card or overspending is often a result of not having a budget Figure out your income, basic expenses, and extras to see where you can save EVALUATE YOUR CREDIT CARDS (10 You should have a card or cards that fit your needs Choose rewards cards based on your lifestyle and what you can actually use INFOGRAPHIC PROVIDED BY: GCS GCS CREDIT UNION CREDIT UNION www.mygcscreditunion.com Sources: http://nypost.com/2014/12/13/new-years-resolutions-to-help-trim-your-credit-card-debt/ http://credit.about.com/od/reducingdebt/tp/new-years-resolutions.htm http://www.freescoresandmore.com/resolutions-for-credit-infographic.html %24