Blog Keywords | Illinois Extension

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How does my credit affect renting?

March 21, 2024

Credit history plays a significant role when looking for housing. While I live in a college town with many housing options, finding a home anywhere can be difficult if you have a poor credit history. A credit check involves more than just a three-digit number. In a bustling city like...

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Opportunity to learn practical money management strategies

February 1, 2024

Plan Well, Retire Well

Webinars provide a safe environment to explore new or challenging topics. As financial educators, we aim to provide a safe and inclusive environment where participants feel comfortable asking finance-related questions. Chat comments from participants during our 2023 financial education webinar...

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New Year’s financial refresh

January 18, 2024

Plan Well, Retire Well

With the start of a new year, you should take some time to think about your financial wellness in addition to your overall health. Do you feel like you are in a good place financially? If you are not happy with your current financial situation, how could you change things this year to get on the...

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Ask yourself, is Buy Now, Pay Later a good financial tool for you?

August 17, 2023

Plan Well, Retire Well

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) plans divide your total purchase into equal payments, with only the first payment due at checkout. Often the total cost is divided into four equal payments; you only pay 25% of the total cost the day you make the purchase. The remaining payments are billed to your debit,...

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Laptop with hands on the keyboard and holding credit card

Piggybacking credit: Adding an authorized user on a credit card

April 28, 2021

I had a few conversations with a friend who decided to add a loved one to his credit card as an authorized user. Over the years, we had many discussions about some of the challenges he faced building his credit history as an immigrant with a thin credit file. He had been a joint account holder in...

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