Daily Archives: October 9, 2019

How often should you check your credit reports?

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Monitoring your credit is like getting a regular checkup at the doctor — it seems like a hassle but it’s important.

When it comes right down to it, you really do want to find out if something is wrong before it’s too late. Identity theft is a great example. If someone is using your personal information—your name, address, credit cards, etc. — you want to find out as soon as possible. Credit Monitoring may not seem like something you need to do but it doesn’t take long for someone to open accounts in your name, take out loans, or buy a car. A lot of damage can be done in a short amount of time.

With good credit monitoring, you can catch things before they spread. It’s the financial equivalent of a regular checkup. You get tips about credit card utilization and how credit inquiries can influence your credit score. Every little bit helps.

Also, unfortunately, mistakes happen. As an example: a university could report a student as late on loan repayment — even when the student is still enrolled full-time. This could happen without anyone even sending a bill — a simple clerical error. Suddenly, a credit report is showing the loan as 30 days late, then 60, 90, 120, and all without the individual’s knowledge. The reality is that errors happen, and if you aren’t monitoring your credit report, you often don’t find out until you’ve been denied for something, like a new line of credit, or more credit on an existing line. And mistakes of this kind aren’t easy to sort out. It can take months, or longer.

Or what if you’re planning on buying a new house? You think your credit is in order until the bank denies your application. Why? Apparently you owe hundreds of dollars in interest on a purchase you never even made. Our advice? Stay on top of it. Monitor your credit report. Have access to it every single day.

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This article was originally published on truecredit.com.

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Create An Eco-Friendly Garden With These Tips

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Seeking out ways to create an environmentally friendly outdoor space is important, whether you are a beginner or experienced gardener. Remember that in the long term, the choices that you make will have an impact on our planet. In this article, we share some tips on creating your own eco-friendly garden.

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Collect rainwater

We get enough of it, so why not put the rainwater to good use by collecting it in a water tank from somewhere like Team Poly? You can use it to water your garden or wash your vehicles, which not only helps the environment but your water bill as well! If this is not an option, look at reducing the size of your lawn, so there is less grass to water, and avoid using sprinklers, which use an incredible amount of water. 

Build A Natural Compost Heap

Instead of buying ready-made soil from the store, have a go at making a compost heap. It is very simple – you use your food waste and any other organic matter that can decompose. By creating a compost heap, you are adding some much-needed nutrients to the soil and prevent even more wasted produce from entering our landfills. Organic material that you can put on your heap include vegetables, fruit, coffee grounds, eggshells, dead leaves, lawn cuttings, and shredded paper. However, meat and dairy products should not be added and nor should cooked food as these can attract vermin into your garden. You also need to add water (from your water tank!) to keep it moist and aerate it by turning it over with a pitchfork regularly. 

Use Solar Power

Many of us like to have water features and lights in our garden, but of course, these use quite a lot of energy. If you choose to have them, think about using solar power to power them. They use energy from the sun rather than your electricity supply, which not only makes them more sustainable but saves you money as well.

Add Native Species of Plants and Flowers

Exotic plants and flowers look great in your garden, but they can often consume a lot more water, fertilizer and need more in terms of maintenance and upkeep to keep them healthy. However, if you choose species that are native to your area, you will find that they thrive. This is because they have naturally adapted to the climate and the surrounding environment.

Plant Trees 

One of the best ways to help the environment is to plant more trees in your garden. They will help to improve the air quality by releasing more oxygen, and will also provide a habitat for wildlife. Plus, they can make your garden appear more attractive and inviting and provide some much welcome shade.

Use natural products to kill weeds effectively.

If your garden is rife with weeds, it can be tempting to pick up a bottle of store-bought weed killer, but this can harm the soil. However, there are plenty of natural products out there, which will do the same job effectively and safely. For instance, acetic acid at concentrate can kill 20% of weeds. Clove oil can also effectively burn weeds, while corn gluten can stop weeds from emerging in your garden.

Contributed Post.

If you like what you’ve read here, please let others know of this post, blog, and site.

And thanks for reading!  🙂