Credit & Debt

Master your credit score, manage debt effectively, and understand how credit cards really work.

12 Lessons

5 Tools

8 Key Concepts

Key Concepts

A number (300-850) that represents how reliable you are at repaying debt. Higher scores get better loan rates.

A detailed record of your credit history - all your accounts, payment history, and public records. Your score is based on this.

credit utilization

The percentage of your available credit that you're using. Using $300 of a $1,000 limit = 30% utilization. Lower is better.

credit card

A card that lets you borrow money for purchases. Pay the full balance monthly to avoid interest charges.

debt

Money you owe to someone else. Can be 'good debt' (mortgage, education) or 'bad debt' (high-interest credit cards).

debt snowball

A debt payoff strategy where you pay minimums on all debts except the smallest, which you attack aggressively. Builds momentum.

debt avalanche

A debt payoff strategy where you attack the highest-interest debt first. Saves the most money mathematically.

minimum payment

The smallest amount you must pay on a credit card to avoid late fees. Paying only this means you'll pay WAY more in interest.

Lessons

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Credit Scores Explained: What Actually Matters

Foundations5 min

How to Build Credit From Scratch

Foundations5 min

Credit Cards 101: Tool or Trap?

Foundations5 min

Credit Utilization: The Second Most Important Factor

Foundations4 min

Understanding Your Credit Report

Foundations5 min

Debt Payoff Strategies: Snowball vs. Avalanche

Foundations5 min

The Minimum Payment Trap

Foundations4 min

Debit vs. Credit Cards: When to Use Each

Foundations4 min

Understanding Debt: Good, Bad, and Ugly

Foundations5 min

Credit Card Rewards: Playing the Game Without Getting Played

Building6 min

Refinancing: When It Makes Sense to Replace Your Loans

Building6 min

Strategic Credit Card Use: Beyond the Basics

Building6 min

Related Tools

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Credit Utilization

Foundations

Calculate and optimize your credit usage

Credit Score Explainer

Foundations

Understand the 5 factors affecting your score

Debt Payoff Calculator

Foundations

Compare snowball vs avalanche strategies

Debt Inventory

Foundations

Get a complete picture of all debts

Debt-Free Date

Building

Calculate your exact payoff date

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