In fact, JPMorgan Chase's vice chairman wasn't exactly enthusiastic about the economy either. Cramer reacts to both and offers plays on cheaper gas.   Read More

On June 30th Bloomberg ran an article called "FICO Scores Show Flaws as U.S. Banks Cut Credit Lines." The article sufficiently bashes the credit score giant and their core product by pointing out that consumer credit scores are lowered when credit card issuers lower credit limits.   Read More

I'm trying to raise my credit score to purchase my first home. My credit score is 635. I was late a few times on a couple of loans. I've since paid them off. When I purchase my score the formula uses those old accounts that I've paid off to formulate my score. Is that fair or correct?    Read More

My favorite Dollar Dilemma regarding credit scores went something like this: “I make over six-figures, my credit should be awesome!” The more we need credit scores, the more misinformation still seems to fester.    Read More

Q. I receive 6-10 calls per day from the debt relieve people asking me to contact them so they could either wipe out my credit card debt completely or a least reduce it by more than half.    Read More

Has the economic crisis actually been a good thing for your retirement savings? If you asked this question, most people, still reeling from the hit their 401(k)'s took from during the market's dive, would think you were nuts. But every cloud has a silver lining, and there is at least one potential plus-side to what we've been though over the past year.    Read More

Q. I am watching your show "On the Money" and the topic is: "How to raise your credit score."

I have great credit: 788 on Experian. I am planning on buying my first home, hopefully by September. My only debt is $2,900 on Amex Blue.

In order to raise my score a little higher -- should I pay the entire balance off?    Read More

I opened a credit card account to help improve my credit a few years back. The limit on the card has not increased but the interest rate has since I received the card. The credit card account has a $65 annual fee, $300 limit and 29.99% interest rate. Is it worth it to keep the account open?    Read More

Our wallets are a kind of key to our souls (well, our ‘money-souls’ at least). Mine has stayed pretty much the same in boom times as in the current bust. No big change in what I carry to pay for things, but something tells me that you may have changed the contents of your wallet lately.    Read More

When you search for driving directions online, a good site will give you several options like “no tolls,” “quickest route,” or “avoid highways.”  You have choices like this when it comes to paying off your credit card debt. 

Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t think it’s good advice to tell someone to take the time to enjoy the tree-lined roads on their way to becoming debt-free, please don’t worry that it takes so much longer.  For me—and from what I can see also many, many of you—getting out of credit card debt was all about getting out hard and fast.  I wanted the route that not only avoided tolls (or fees, in credit-card land) but also that got me to my destination as quickly as possible—a $0.00 balance.     Read More