Credit Tips...part 2

A few more credit tips for you!

3. The Age of Your Credit History -
The score is looking to see if you have a lengthy history of managing your credit obligations. The age of your credit history is determined by the "date opened" on the oldest account listed on your credit report. The older your credit report, the more points you will earn in this category. You should never try and get old, good accounts removed from your credit reports. You want the history!

4. New Credit/Inquiries
When you apply for credit you are giving the lender permission to pull your credit reports and credit scores. Each time this happens, your credit report will reflect what's called an "inquiry." To perform well in this category, you should really only apply for credit when you need it.

5. Credit Mix
You should have a nice diverse list of different types of accounts in your credit report. This includes mortgages, auto loans, installment loans, credit cards, etc.

That pretty much covers the factors that are used in determining your credit scores. Let's do a quick recap:
1. How you pay your bills - on time is good, late is bad
2. How much you owe your creditors
3. How long you've had credit - the longer the better
4. How often you apply for credit - apply only when you really need it
5. Account mix - diversity is good
If you can stick by these five key principles, you should be
well on your way to healthy credit and credit scores.

Holiday Season

Cut down your holiday clutter to make your holidays even greener! Try not to produce excess waste and use these tips:
Holiday cards- skip traditional cards and send e-cards
Gifts- give "experiences" instead of "stuff." Show your family or friends you care with a day at a spa or by adopting an endangered animal in your loved one's name.
Holiday Lights- place your outside lights on a timer. This will help reduce your electric bill and cut down the glare in your neighbors' windows at night. An all around good idea!
Gift wrap- reuse gift wrap, bows, and bags. Use newspaper comics or colorful pages from magazines as gift wrap.
Warm Up- keep the thermostat low and put on a holiday sweater to stay cozy.

**The Canaday Group is going green with our documentation. We have new programs for an almost paperless transaction.**

Green Kitchen Tips

Thanksgiving is around the corner! Here are some green tips for your kitchen:
-Run the dishwasher only with a full load
-Volunteer for washing dishes AKA "running the dishwasher." The dishwasher uses less water than washing dishes by hand.
-Replace your dishwasher with an energy-efficient one
-Don't preheat or "peek" inside the oven more than necessary
-Keeping a well stocked fridge keeps it from warming up too fast when the door is open, so your fridge doesn't have to work as hard to stay cool.
-Refrigerators with a top or bottom freezer design can save you an additional 2-3% on your bill compared with a side-by-side design.

We hope you remember these tips this holiday season.