Thanks for visiting Ultimate Money Blog! If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. I think it’s important to check your credit report and credit scores at least once a year. By doing so, you’ll be able to ensure accuracy of the credit report and hopefully mitigate any potential fraud. Credit Sesame is a great company that helps you receive your credit score for free, as well as help you manage your debt better. Here’s how it works: -Sign up for a free Credit Sesame account. You will have to provide your social security number as well as some other identifying information. Credit Sesame uses Experian to pull your credit score. Credit Sesame uses the same safe encryption methods as financial institutions, so your information is safe. -Next, you’ll receive an analysis of your debt as collected from your credit report. They will evaluate whether or not you may be able to save money on interest rates, and if you’re receiving the best deals. Credit Sesame will comb through many different scenarios to come up [...]

This past week I spent time up in Michigan with my family.  I drove there, and of course had to stop a few times to get gas.  There were a few things I noticed over the different places I observed gas prices.  For one, it was cheaper to buy gas when I left on Saturday, May 28 in the South versus anywhere else I saw.  While in Michigan over the week, I noticed the gas prices jumping to $4.19 a gallon! Ridiculous.  I thought gas prices were supposed to go down. Another thing I hate about getting gas in Michigan is that there’s a different price for cash versus credit.  Where I live, this option does not exist, and I am so glad!  I use a gas rewards credit card to earn money back on each gas purchase, so when there’s a difference of ten cents a gallon less when you pay cash, it kills me!  I can’t help but think I could be getting the gas cheaper if I was strictly paying cash.  Of course, if I calculate it, [...]

This is a guest article written by Odysseas Papadimitriou, the founder and CEO of Card Hub, an online marketplace for discounted gift cards and the best credit card deals. For many people, especially recent college grads, backpacking through Europe is a rite of passage. It’s a time to see the world, to enjoy a life devoid of obligation and to come of age. However, despite all the freedom and growth such a trip can inspire, one of the lasting takeaways is often the impact it has on one’s finances. In fact, this is true whether you’re backpacking or staying in five star hotels, whether your degree is hot off the presses or you have an established career. Foreign travel is unfortunately quite expensive, and if you don’t take a few simple precautions before embarking, it will be even more costly than it truly has to be. The first thing anyone traveling abroad needs to do is make sure they have debit cards and credit cards with no foreign fees. While such spending vehicles will certainly prove beneficial abroad given that [...]