Be a Budgetista with My Tips to Keep Your Family’s Credit Score and Spending on Track

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I currently have a good credit rating but that has not always been the case. Hence this post Be a Budgetista with My Tips to Keep Your Family's Credit Score and Spending on Track.

I am lucky because I married a partner who pays his bills like clockwork  and together we have bought our house paid off the mortgage and have two reliable cars that are ours and paid for. It is a good feeling to be out of debt and have a good credit score but it is not always easy for everyone. 

Before I was married I lived a different life and my credit score was in jeopardy of being very poor. This happened because I took some bad advice, had some medical tests that I couldn't pay for and didn't have health insurance.

The result was that I could not pay for an MRI in full. This one very expensive costly medical procedure, that went unpaid for months into years, launched me into debt collectors relentlessly hounding me. And it took several years for me to recover good credit rating.

I wish I knew about the professionals at Lexington Law Firm at that time because they might have been able to help me improve my FICO score. I was young and did not know that a late payment or derogatory mark from a creditor can last for seven years.

What is your FICO score?

Your FICO score is calculated by Fair Isaac Corporation, a 50-year old company that pioneered the credit scoring system. By using credit files across the three main credit bureaus Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion a score is calculated and is used to determine one’s lending risk. It is the gold standard, 90 percent of financial institutions base their lending decisions on FICO.  

By using a service like Lexington Law Firm you may be able to improve your score although it may take time. The law is on your side to help you fix a bad score. 

So what laws and acts have been passed to help a consumer with their credit score?

There have been a number of important acts that Lexington Law Firm takes advantage of when trying to help a client. Acts such as The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA), Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), The Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA), The Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and even the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), give consumers the legal right to change inaccurate items on their credit reports with the credit bureaus and individual creditors.

The truth is navigating all this to improve your credit score seems a little daunting. This is why choosing Lexington Law Firm to get your credit score back on track is the way to go! They can help people in need they can leverage all the consumer protection laws.

Who are the professionals at Lexington Law Firm?

They are the oldest and most respected name in credit repair. By being the oldest they use experience and technology to get results for their clients. They are CROA compliant meaning they are extensively regulated with auditors and regulators.

The good news is that the law is there to help consumers optimize their scores. And with Lexington Law Firm’s help you can get results. You can get help and the cost can be as low as $24.95 per month.

 

 What do you do if you need help optimizing your credit rating?

Just as if you needed an MD or CPA, Lexington Law Firm’s professionals are who you need to contact for your credit health. Lexington Law believes that you have a right to a fair, accurate, and substantiated credit report.

Lexington Law Firm has worked with all three of the credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These relationships, and a deep expertise in knowing how getting errors removed, enable the team to communicate more routinely and efficiently for their clients.

Lexington Law Firm can help you with the credit repair process by using the power of knowledge and the law to fight for their clients’ rights to good credit. See their site for the full story!

And since getting my credit score in order it's been super important to me to teach my kids about their financial health! while I get a lot of ridicule and the kids make fun of me I call myself a Budgetista because ultimately I want to give them what I consider the important things like healthy meals, sturdy clothes and shoes and a college education.

So if you are like me–don’t worry I’ve got you covered with some of my go-to cost savers to help you Be a Budgetista with My Tips to Keep Your Family's Credit Score and Spending on Track.

Be a Budgetista with My Tips to Keep Your Family's Credit Score and Spending on Track

Plan, Plan, Plan.

Let’s face it shopping for your family is not only a herculean effort (carrying those 20 lbs bags of produce is quite literally a workout for your biceps) but sticking to a budget is nearly impossible. The key is to plan ahead. This means, check the inventory of food you have in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry before finalizing your shopping list. With a list in your hand, you’ll not only save money by buying less on impulse but you’ll also avoid last minute trips to the store for missing ingredients. Also Eat first, shop second.

No matter what your rush before you go on your shopping expedition you must eat…something! Whether it’s a small yogurt, an apple or a muffin- – you cannot go shopping at the supermarket on an empty stomach and expect to stay within your budget. Having something in your belly prevents impulse hunger buys that can bulk up your bill.

Opt for generic brands over those flashy ones!

I try to use store brands on many things like breakfast cereal, jelly, ketchup and pasta, I know it doesn’t seem like much but on a day to day basis it is very unnoticeable and you can save a few bucks.  Sure your kids would rather have Toucan Sam’s mug on their box of Fruit Loops as opposed to some copy cat no-name brand cereal like, fruit flavored O’s- but in this economy- they’re just going to have to pour their milk on it and eat it! But don’t worry; most no-frills brand items are comparable in quality to their more expensive branded counterparts but for a fraction of the price.

Make your own coffee AT HOME.

Think of it, we drink 3-5 cups of coffee a day for about a dollar when 2 medium cups of coffee are at least $5 on the outside. Do you really need the super-duper mochachino latte supreme which costs $10? My guess is NO!

Clip those Coupons Clipping coupons is no longer solely the domain of polyester wearing middle aged- housewives. In fact; take a quick look next time you’re shopping and you’ll see many other like-minded moms breaking out their coupon stash! You can clip coupons from magazines, Sunday newspaper inserts or check out sites like; Coupon Chief which provides access to thousands of online store coupons and discount codes and makes it easy for users to find great online discounts.

Turn your living room into a movie theater. Forget shelling out big bucks to see a ticket to see a movie. If you’ve got cable you can likely order a brand new movie for less than $5.00 and stop, play and rewind it- to accommodate bathroom breaks and a quick time –out for microwave popcorn.

Summon your Imagination and play games the old-fashioned way—no batteries required!
Play hide and seek red light, green light, red rover or charades. Get some pads and pens and let your kids create and act in a play, or choose a known story and turn it into a play. You can also print free coloring pages and activities from Sites like Free Printable network of sites which offers everything from recipe cards to kids' coloring pages.  Check out another nifty site online and make a paper toy.

Volunteer with the kids at your local animal shelter– it’s free! You can search out other local volunteer opportunities in your neighborhood at sites like; volunteermatch . And for simple ways to volunteer your time; bake cookies for seniors, set up a winter bird feeder and make sure your children keep it filled throughout the winter.

Check out free events in your neighborhood! Check your local parenting guide for a listing of the museums, zoos, festivals, plays and other facilities that are offer free family admission days…you’d be surprised at just how many freebie visits you can score! Don't forget to Visit your local library… a lot has changed! Use the time off to visit your local library- sign up for a card and borrow some books. And while you’re there check out their schedule of workshops, classes and their collection of video games and DVD’s – which you can rent –free!

Get a few gifts –FREE! Check out freecycle, a free classified system. Once you find your city you'll find people offering free goods from electronics to new clothes that anyone can pick up. The only catch, you’ll have to quickly respond to the product of your choice and pick it up.

Craft your own homemade presents The old saying that kids can be happy playing with a cardboard box is sort of true! Put together a snowman kit—get a hat, carrot stick, buttons and a tie wrap it in a pillowcase and tie a ribbon around it! Go through your jewelry box and wrap up a pair of earrings or a necklace you haven’t worn that you know your daughter has been eyeing!

And most importantly Get your Credit Score on TRACK!

The one thing that never takes  a break is your credit score. If you have found yourself overwhelmed following a divorce, or saddled with debt as a result of student loans or you were a victim of Identity theft, Lexington Law Firm can provide the right solutions to help you to repair your credit score or build your credit.

Lexington Law Firm uses the power of the law and their extensive knowledge to help their clients' to repair their credit scores. Lexington Law Firm believes that all their clients’ have a right to have good credit. See their site at for the full story!

So do you have any tried and true credit score tips that help you be a BUDGETISTA to share?