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Higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction may be linked to people with higher credit scores:

Life Happiness Study
(Credit scores range from 300-850.)

Very happy: 790-850
Somewhat happy:700-789
Reasonably happy: 621-699
Somewhat unhappy: 580-620
Very unhappy: 300-579

Does Your Credit Score Match Your Happiness?

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ADT is the biggest name in home security—they’ve been protecting homes like yours for over 140 years.

Their expertise in security and customer service have always been industry leading.

✓ Competitive Price

✓ Wireless Options

✓ Indoor Cameras

✓ Away-from-home Monitoring

✓ Cellular and Landline Connections

✓ Home Automation Capabilities

✓ 6 Month Money-Back Guarantee (certain restrictions apply)

Find out for yourself why America trusts ADT.

Two of the nations largest residential move services offer free online quotes to help ease the burden of your move.

With affordable options for every budget, Allied and North American Van Lines move America for less.

✓ Affordable residential moving services

✓ Options from do-it-yourself to full service packing and moving

✓ All the moving supplies you’ll ever need

✓ Storage-in-transit, vehicle transportation, customized crating and much more

If you suffer from back, neck or hip pain, your pillow could be the problem.

Sleepgram’s adjustable pillow is the best option available for anyone suffering from pain or looking for the most comfortable sleep of their life.

✓ Money Back Guarantee

✓ Cooling Technology

✓ Perfect for All Sleep Styles

✓ Allergen Resistant

Homeowners – new or aging appliances? Expensive HVAC systems? You can protect against unexpected expenses with a home warranty plan.

American Home Shield (AHS) may protect you from the high costs of repairing or replacing your home’s major appliances and/or systems.

AHS consistently receives the highest possible reviews in the areas of customer service, coverage, and customer satisfaction.

✓ Far and away the trusted industry leader

✓ Over $2 billion paid out in claims in the past 5 years

✓ Nationwide network of more than 14,000 contractors

✓ More than 1.7 million customers

✓ Best reputation in the home warranty industry

Our readers find that American Home Shield’s coverage is the most comprehensive and consumer-friendly in the industry. AHS beats the coverage of appliances and systems provided by competitors and has fewer coverage limitations.

Get an Instant Free Quote today and find out what our readers are talking about.

Reviewer:  Aaron Creighton | March 3, 2019 

Home security is about peace-of-mind and safety for your family and valuables. Top home security providers offer both home monitoring services and home automation equipment… but it’s really about which options work best for you.

Editor Update 1/9/2019: Readers responded looking for a low-cost security, so we’ve added our top hidden camera pick.

 

What You Need to Know

Each security system has its own strengths and weaknesses. Technology and service options are endless. The only truth about all systems is that they can be tailored to meet your individual needs. Without this understanding, you may pay too much for a system that doesn’t work for you.

Standard Features

Most security systems have many of the same standard features. The first thing is a central controller. This controller can accept inputs from a variety of wired and wireless devices such as motion detectors, video cameras, wired power, battery backup and some type of alarm.

The best way to find a system that works best for you is to evaluate all features, determine your needs, and shop confidently. We can help with all three.

Wired or Wireless

Security systems come in wired or wireless version. Both rely on internet or phone connectivity to transfer information like silent alarms outside the household. Wireless systems are easier to install because they use less hardware, and are often more affordable for the same reason. That makes them perfect for a DIY job, but also means they have more potential to experience glitches like dropped signals because they aren’t hardwired to the central controller.

Smart Home Features

Nowadays, people can control just about every electronic item in the home from a mobile app, as long as they have a smart home controller and some extra external devices. Homeowners can monitor and control lights, thermostats and video cameras from any mobile device. While these features are very common, they don’t necessarily need to be tied in with a security system, making it more expensive than it would be without those options.

Smart home technology is so common and inexpensive now that anyone can install smart home devices that work with common mobile apps, including Google, Apple and Amazon voice control.

Video Surveillance

There are numerous video surveillance options that range from simple doorbell monitoring by the homeowner to video transmission to a security service. Obviously, the more involved or “high-tech” the service or equipment, the higher the cost.

To save on costs, consider turnkey wireless video systems. They’re much easier to install DIY with the right basic skills. If flexible is your goal, wireless video is unmatched, but wired systems do boast a bit more reliability. The number of cameras also modifies the price; you can pick up a decent four-camera system for under $500, whereas a security company is likely to charge much more for video.

Extras / Options

Some options that can be included or added to most security systems are a doorbell camera with two-way voice, automated door locks, light controls, energy management controls, voice response and remote garage control. These options offer convenience and consistency, but it’s really about how much the homeowner wants their system to do. For some, that amount of technology can be overwhelming, while others desire that level of automation and control.

Ease-Of-Use

Advanced technology doesn’t have to be difficult to use. New smart security equipment can be controlled with just a touch, combining power and simplicity to make it easier for people to manage and control their systems from a distance. Mobile app integration provides easy access to monitoring equipment from virtually anywhere, letting users keep track of video monitoring and even interact with systems on the fly. These systems also keep users informed by sending out automatic texts or notifications if and when someone triggers the alarm. Systems with live video technology add another safety layer, giving them the ability to quickly check on pets or kids.

Technical Support

Most top security systems consist of different components, some of which require professional installation and 24/7 monitoring. Even though security providers offer DIY options, it’s often a good idea to have systems installed, configured, and maintained by professionally trained technicians. Companies should provide technical support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day — with specialized services for emergencies, taking the maintenance burden off the homeowner.

Installation

Do-it-yourself installation is not available for most premium packages from security companies. Having a security system professionally installed ensures the entire installation is guaranteed and supported by the company’s tech support. When it comes to selecting wired or wireless options, wireless may be the way for renters to go. If the home can be serviced by wireless connections and backed up by wireless connections, that’s typically the most reliable way to go.

Reviewer:  Stacey Christiansen | February 3, 2019

Higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction may be linked to people with higher credit scores. Monitoring and improving your score is free, and makes you less likely to become a victim of identity theft.

Most people don’t find out that their identity has been stolen until it’s too late. If you haven’t checked your credit score recently, you’re at risk.

Our guide will help you understand your score and how to quickly and easily improve it.

Editor Update 2/8/2019: 773 Million username and passwords have leaked – the largest data breach in history. See if you were affected.

Credit Score Overview

A great credit score means a more comfortable financial life. On average, a higher score means lower interest rates, so borrowing money is less expensive. There are also many exclusive credit cards and loan types that are not available to people with low or average credit. 

But how do you know if your credit is good, bad, or somewhere in between? And then, what can you do to lift it? That’s what we’ll cover in this guide.

The very first step is to gain an understanding of what a credit score is and how it’s used. Or if you just can’t wait, skip ahead and check your score first!

Credit Score Basics

Before a company gives you a loan, they will evaluate your ability to pay it back within the time period specified. This can involve reviewing your income, your obligations like rent, and may include pulling a credit report. But a big part of determining your creditworthiness will be reviewing your credit score.

A loan company will try to make as much money from your loan as possible, while still insuring that they can get their money back. They’re hoping you will only make the minimum payments on your loan—because early loan payoffs mean that you are paying less money in interest for that loan.

Looking at your credit score is a common way for loan companies to make an educated guess about how likely you are to make your payments on time and in full.

What’s a FICO Score?

FICO is a type of credit score, and it gets it’s name from the Fair Isaac Corporation responsible for inventing it. Your FICO score is actually the most commonly used score in determining credit worthiness, so we’ll skip covering any other scores.

Your FICO credit score is calculated using complex mathematical models, but it’s pretty easy to understand the basic elements involved.

FICO Score Range

FICO scores range from 300 to 850, and the higher your score is, the better. Your score will fall into one of five basic categories, but don’t worry, it can change very quickly when you make the right financial moves.

Excellent: 750 to 850
Good: 700 to 749
Fair: 650 to 699
Poor: 600 to 649
Bad: 300 to 599

Elements of Your FICO Credit Score

There are the five basic factors that are used to calculate your FICO score:

1. History of payments
2. What percentage of your available credit you’re already using
3. Have you taken on new credit
4. How long you’ve been using credit
5. The types of credit you’re using

By focusing on the areas above that you’re weakest in, you can turn your FICO score around quickly.

Paying your bills on time – 35%

If you’re paying your bills on time, companies are more likely to give you credit. In fact, at 35%, over ⅓ of your FICO score is determined by your ability to pay your debts in a timely manner.

How Much Can You Borrow, vs How Much Do You Owe? – 30%

Let’s say you have a credit card with a limit of $2,000. If you make a purchase of $200, you will be using 10% of your available credit. The lower your overall percentage is, the better. A complex equation evaluates each of your credit accounts individually, as well as all of your credit accounts combined.

New Credit Hurts Sometimes – 10%

Ten percent of your credit score is influenced by new credit. While increasing your overall credit limits can help your score, an inquiry on a new credit can take it down a few points. Especially if your application is denied. However, if you’re shopping for a loan it’s alright to get multiple inquiries, as the credit bureaus will know that you’re shopping around for a single loan and that’s not counted against you.

Length of Credit History – 15%

This part is the hardest to change. All you can do is start making better decisions about your credit. That means keeping accounts open instead of closing them, and practicing good financial decision making. If your cards don’t have annual fees, keep them open by putting some charges on them every once in awhile and then paying them off regularly. Setting up automatic bill payments is a good way to do this.

Credit Mix – 10%

Do you have credit cards, car loans, a mortgage, or all three? A responsible mix of all of these credit types can influence your score up to 10%. Just note that not having any credit cards is seen as high risk to credit bureaus.

How to Know What Your Score Is

There are three major credit bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. You can get a free copy of your credit report from each bureau once every 12 months, and it’s wise to do so. There are a number of free services that can pull the scores from these bureaus for free and offer many free and premium features as well, like credit monitoring and identity theft protection.

We recommend that people check their credit scores three to six times each year, depending on their financial situation. If you’re not good at checking your credit regularly, a a credit monitoring service could help minimize the damage caused by idenity theft by catching it quickly.

Final Thoughts

Having a great credit score is a badge of honor. It represents financial responsibility and trustworthiness. If you have a great score, congrats! If you don’t, use some of the tips above to increase it. In order to make sure all of the hard work you do on your credit score doesn’t go to waste, we recommend some form of credit monitoring to protect your financial well-being.

Reviewer: Charles Weaver | January 23, 2018 

Homeowners – new or aging appliances? Expensive HVAC systems? You can protect against unexpected expenses with a home warranty plan.

Home Warranty Basics

Home warranties can provide peace of mind. These are essentially insurance policies that protect you from major home expenses. They are particularly useful to first-time homebuyers who are unfamiliar with home maintenance, and new homeowners who don’t know the true condition of the appliances or home systems they’re buying. Often a seller will purchase a home warranty for a homebuyer to sweeten the attractiveness of a sale, or the buying real estate agent will purchase a home warranty for their client as a gift. These policies provide an important extra level of protection that homeowners insurance often misses. 

Benefits of a Home Warranty

Whether or not you’d benefit from a home warranty depends largely upon your situation. Some of the benefits are peace of mind for knowing that you’re covered in the event of a major appliance breakdown, or system failure like internal plumbing problems that can lead to catastrophic expenses. Home warranties fill an important gap between homeowners insurance and appliance warranties, where homeowners are especially exposed to risk.

✓ Eliminates costly repairs from eating up your paychecks.

✓ Covers major appliances that make a home comfortable.

✓ Increases the ability for you to sell your home.

✓ Covers a variety of different contractor visits.

✓ Provides trusted contractors to fix your appliances.

✓ Adds peace of mind knowing costs are controlled.

Those most likely to appreciate the peace-of-mind benefits are new and first time homeowners. Buying a home, and the first few years in a new home, can be exciting but also stressful. Many people are spread thin financially when they purchase a new home, and the thought of a major expense popping up is scary.

Cost of a Home Warranty

Home warranties are not expensive. They range from $300 to $500 per year depending on the coverage and benefits. It’s generally a rather cheap way of guarding against major catastrophe. If you’re planning on selling your home, or are a new homeowner, a home warranty is highly recommended. 

Do I Need a Home Warranty?

If you purchased or live in a new home, are handy and comfortable repairing your own home and appliances, or are very familiar with the state of your home systems, chances are you won’t need one. But if you just purchased an older home, are spread thin financially, and can’t absorb the cost of a major plumbing, HVAC, or appliance breakdown, a home warranty could make sense.

You may need a home warranty if any of the following apply:

✓ Old appliances

✓ Inability to repair appliances on your own

✓ Your home is more than five years old

✓ No trusted handyman

✓ Not enough money for costly repairs

✓ First time homeowner

Homeowners Insurance Vs. Home Warranty

What’s the difference between homeowners insurance and a home warranty? Homeowners insurance handles all the accidental damages that can happen to your property, like wind damage, fire, or flooding.

A warranty company offers home warranties to cover unexpected breakdowns of your home’s systems and appliances due to normal wear and tear. Unlike homeowners insurance, which is usually mandatory, home warranties are more like a service contract for appliances or systems that will end up aging or breaking down eventually.

For example, if your toddler uses your dishwasher door as a trampoline and breaks it, a typical home warranty will not cover it. But if your dishwasher door won’t close correctly because the seal has come loose over time, your home warranty may cover it.

Reviewer:  Aaron Creighton | December 3, 2018

Life insurance protection for your family is possible for less than $1 per day. In many cases a physical exam is not required. Term vs whole? We’ll explain….

What is Life Insurance?

Taking out a life insurance policy is protection for your family. Without your income your family could suffer financially. Most people know this about life insurance, but their understanding of how life insurance works doesn’t go much further. We hope this guide to life insurance helps clarify:

• What is Life Insurance?
• What are the different Types?
• Term vs Whole Life Insurance
• What Should I Buy?

What are the Different Types

There are essentially two different types of life insurance: term, and whole-life. Term life insurance is simple. It pays if you die, this is called a death benefit. It gets the name ‘term’ because it only ensures you for a set amount of time.

A whole-life policy is slightly different. You pay into it from the time you buy it, until you die. You still get the death benefit, but you can also cash it out in the event that you need some extra cash. Let’s take a closer look at both types.

Term vs Whole Life Insurance

Term life insurance policies are by far the more common approach to life insurance. Term policies are pure insurance. You make a payment to insure that your family is protected in the event of your untimely death. Your policy is only valuable if you expire before your term policy does. But that’s not a bad thing.

Term policies are perfect if you only want to ensure your family is protected before important life events, like your kids getting through college, or paying off your mortgage. Also, you can get another term policy after your first term policy expires. These policies are much cheaper than whole life policies on a month-to-month basis.

A whole-life insurance policy is slightly different. Whole-life insurance provides death benefits as well, but there is also an investment component. The whole-life policy does not have a set ‘term’, it continues to insure you from the day you buy it until you the day you die and in most cases that payment amount does not change.

However, the whole-life policy can also be cashed out if you need the money for something else. But don’t rush to get a whole-life policy as a savings account. There are better, more practical and cheaper ways of investing your money so in most cases term life insurance makes more sense. Part of the reason for this is that a portion of your payment goes to the administrative costs of the investments your insurance company makes. It’s not all bad though, there are a few reasons to consider whole-life which we will address next.

What Should I Buy?

The truth is, a majority of people shopping for life insurance are better off buying a term policy. But there are some instances where a whole life policy makes sense. Particularly if you have a special needs dependent. Also, if you’re wealthy and have maxed out other retirement accounts, or your wealth is subject to the estate tax.

But if you’re shopping for life insurance solely for the death benefit, you should probably choose term life insurance. These policies offer better value for most shoppers.