Today, millions are shopping online and purchasing over the internet on a daily basis. Identity theft has risen as thieves turn their attention to this domain. Most sites are secure and trusting but always make sure you are using a secure browser and website when shopping online. Never release personal information when shopping online unless you are using a secure browser. If you don’t have a secured browser or the website, when shopping online, place your order by phone. Likewise, if you do order by phone, make sure no one is near by that may overhear your credit card number.

Also, many websites require a password or a personal identification number (PIN) when shopping online. Don’t use common names or dates that can easily be guessed. Create a password or PIN made of numbers and letters. As an example, instead of using “Mickey” use “M8ck3y”. This simple change will deter most identity theft opportunities.

Other identity theft areas to remember include:

-Keeping your credit cards with you at all times. Never let your cards out of your site even to waiters at restaurants or cashiers at stores.
-Check your monthly credit card statement thoroughly. Whether you receive your credit card statement by mail or electronically, check to make sure all the charges were actually made by you. Any discrepancies on your credit card statement should be reported to your credit card company immediately.
-If you’re planning to move, let the credit card company know in advance to prevent the next tenant from receiving your credit card statement.
-An obvious, yet frequently overlooked, area is to alert your credit card company if your card becomes lost or stolen with the date the card was lost or stolen. This way a stop can be put on your card to prevent charges from being made to your account.

In many cases, victims of identity theft haven’t done anything wrong except place their trust in people. Do your part to protect your identity by following the tips above and you will reduce your risk of identity theft. Most credit card companies today offer a identity/fraud protection guarantee so make sure you look for credit cards which offer this protection.

Again, check your credit rating often, and if you notice anything odd contact your credit card company immediately. As mentioned most have measures in place to keep identity theft damage to a minimum.

The good news is most credit card companies now offer some level of credit card fraud protection. However it is important as a consumer to regularly check your credit score. We always suggest getting a free credit report like the one offered by GoFreeCredit. Keeping current with your credit score will reduce any credit card fraud and give you peace of mind.

Here are some tips when looking for the best credit card for you:

1. Look into the credit card terms and conditions.  These are the fees associated with making purchases on the card, transferring balances to the card, taking cash withdrawals, and late fees.  You can easily compare the annual percentage rate between credit card offers.  The annual percentage rate is a way to measure what the credit actually costs you.  Beware of variable annual percentage rates! If you are considering credit card offers with variable APR’s, find out how often the rate can be changed, how it effects the finance charges you are billed each month, and how the rate is determined.

2. Find out whether or not the credit cards you are considering charge an annual membership fee.  Annual fees can range from $25 to $100 a year. There are some platinum credit cards charging several hundred dollars.  This is an annual fee regardless if you ever make a purchase with the credit card.  If you’re going to pay an annual fee on a credit card, there should be rewards or low rates that make the fee worth paying. Otherwise our recommendation is not to apply for a credit card that requires an annual fee.

3. Does the credit card have a grace period?  Many credit cards offer up to 60 days to make payments interest free, without finance charges, just by paying your entire balance on time.  Credit cards that do not have this free period can charge you a finance charge from the date you make a credit card purchase, or from the date each charge is posted to the account.  Also consider transaction fees, and other fees associated with having the credit card.  Beware almost every credit card has a fee if you take a cash advance or make your payment past the due date.

4. Find out whether or not there is a monthly fee charged to the account when you don’t make any purchases. There are some credit cards that will charge you monthly even if you haven’t made a purchase with the credit card. Avoid selecting a credit card that includes these additional fees.

5. You’ll also want to consider the reward programs offered from each credit card you are considering.  If you are a frequent business traveler, it makes sense to look at reward programs which earn you discounted flights, hotels, and car rentals on your credit card purchases. Over time, your purchases will result in free travel, making the credit card with the travel rewards program a great choice for the frequent traveler.  A very popular form of credit card rewards program is the cash back offer.  These credit cards will reward spenders with 1% to 5% cash back for all of their purchases- either credited back to the credit card or sent as a check to the card holder.  This may be a good card for you if you pay your balances off each month in full, because typically a cash back card will have a higher percentage rate than cards without cash back programs.

6. Many credit card web sites will provide instant approval when you apply online. These can be very good sources in securing a credit card quickly. You will often get your credit card within 3-5 days after approval verse several weeks if you apply through the mail. Also, you will know instantly if your credit rating is good when you apply on line as you get immediate feedback. However, do not apply online until you have done your research in all the other areas described above.

In summary, when selecting a credit card do not jump on any offer until you have done your research. Spend a little time doing your homework and learning about the different credit cards available to you in order to get the best rates and best deals for your credit purchases. Then when you get those offers in the mail or look on line, you will know which credit card is best for you!

Do keep in mind, regardless of who is applying for a loan, make sure that any loan you consider has the following:
-NO application deadlines
-NO fees to apply
-NO payments until you finish school
If any of the lenders you consider charge for any of the above areas, our recommendation is to politely thank them for their time and move on to another lending institution.

We believe some combination of the educational cost burden is best if shared between parents and student. By sharing in the loan process, the student begins to learn responsibility and help in establishing their credit for their future without placing the entire burden on the parents.

We found Simple Tuition’s design easy to use in applying for a college loan. They bring an objective, sortable, online comparison solution that will make your college borrowing choices a whole lot clearer. They have more than 20 lenders for comparison to make the best college funding choice for you and your family. They have a simple, straightforward navigation with a complex engine which provides real numbers in your decision process. They stand behind the accuracy of their results and are dedicated to the importance of this decision for students and families.

Here are testimonials from a few of satisfied college students. Click here to apply today!

Most of us do not know how our credit score is determined. It is not the most difficult thing in the world, but what makes it a little hard to understand is that it can change every month based on our debts, payments and credit activity. There are many resources to help you maximize your credit score, but overall, you need to take responsibility for your credit score. If you search the web for “manage your credit score”, you will find many sites with great resources providing information on ways to manage your credit score. If you manage your credit well, you will be amazed how much money you can save!

Your credit score is based on 5 major categories:

1. Payment history represents 35% of your credit score.
Lenders and banks want to see how well you pay your bills each month. Your credit score is affected by late paid bills and how many were sent out for collection.

2. Current debt represents 30%.
How much is owed on your home, on your car, on your credit cards? Ideally you want to keep your credit card and any lines of credit at 25% or less of their total limits. If it is higher, it starts to lower your credit score. If you have a card above this limit, quickly reduce this balance below the 25% level so there will not be any impact on your credit score.

3. Length of time you’ve had credit, or loans, or credit cards represents 15% of your credit score.
Again, lenders and banks get to see a longer payment history if you have had credit for a longer amount of time. They view your past payment trends as good sources of determining how you will do making payments in the future.

4. The type of credit you have makes up 10% of your credit score.
The number of loans, credit cards and available credit you have at your disposal, listed in your credit report, impacts your credit score. Having too little or too much could hurt your credit score. The appropriate level is an individual determination, so each person will have to monitor this on their own.

5. The final 10% of your credit score is determined by the number of inquiries on your credit report.
If you apply for a lot of credit cards or loans, these finance companies will check your credit report and show up as inquiries. Credit inquires hurt your credit score because they signal that you may have financial trouble or that you are planning on adding loans and debt. The more recent these inquiries, the more they can damage your credit score. FYI, your credit score is NOT affected when you check your own credit report.

Keep these five areas in mind as you manage your credit score and you will be well on your way to maximizing your credit score. Remember, by law you have the ability to receive a free copy of your credit report each year.
Click here to receive your free credit report.