Can You Afford to Have Bad Credit? - Personal Finance Article

By:Chris Cooper

I am often asked the question; What does bad credit cost me?”

It is a hard question to answer because of the individual’s circumstances and the fact that lenders are competing fiercely for customers.

But I will give it my best shot.

Mortgages

If you know your credit score you will be in a position to make a pretty good guess at what interest you will be charged on a mortgage. In today’s (March 2006) market, mortgage rates for those in the top or prime category, with a score above 720, will pay around 6.25%.

As your score declines your rates will increase.

For those in the second tier, with a score between 700 and 720, rates will go up to around 6.38%; for those in the third tier, with a score between 675 and 699, rates will be about 6.91%; for those in the fourth tier, with a score of 620-674, rates will be about 8%; in the fifth tier, with scores in the area of 560 to 619, the rates increase to 9%; finally for those with the lowest scores, 500 to 559, the rate jumps to 9.82%.

On a $150,000 mortgage, your payments will be between $926 and $1411, a $485 difference per month.

Additionally, those in the lowest tiers will face higher loan origination fees.

Most bankrupts will be in the 650 area – if they behave themselves – within two years of bankruptcy. You will save a lot of money if you push your score above 675 before trying for a mortgage.

These numbers are not written in stone and vary from lender to lender. According to some news accounts, you can qualify for the lowest rates with a score of 620, but proof of that is hard to find.

Auto Loans

You will not qualify for zero or low APR financing offered by manufacturers. You will have to deal with a sub prime lender and will be charged rates in the 21 to 24% area.

Again, loan origination fees may be high.

Credit Cards

Interest rates will be high up in the 30% area. If that was not bad enough, bad credit risks face fees that can choke an elephant.

Fees commonly charged to those with poor credit include the following:

Setup fee - while you can find some lenders that may not charge a setup fee, fees between $29 and $49 are not uncommon.

One time fees – these can be as much as $100

Account maintenance fees - $6 or $7 a month

Annual fees - $35 to $150

Bad credit credit card fees can easily run over $250 the first year, a little bit less after that, if you are not careful.

Other Hidden Costs

Bad credit can ruin your chances of getting a new job if you employer checks your credit report, which many do.

Some auto insurance companies will charge you higher premiums if you have bad credit.

Your utility deposit may be higher than for those with good credit.

You may not be able to rent an apartment, if the landlord doesn’t like your credit.

Even though just about anybody can find credit, no matter how bad their credit score, that doesn’t mean it will be inexpensive, or even affordable. It pays to shop around and read the terms of any offer of credit very carefully.

Rebuild your credit. Pay all your bills promptly and without fail. Only use a portion of your available credit, 20 to 25%. Avoid applying for new credit.

Within two years or so, if all goes well, you may qualify for better credit terms.

Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article keywords: bad credit, cost of bad credit, debt help, debt advice

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Chris Cooper a retired attorney, and his wife Aileen, who has a MBA in Finance, provide personal finance and financial planning advice at Credit Yourself

Top Personal Finance Articles
1). Dealing with The Stress of Debt! By : Paul Duxbury As the New Year begins many people resolve to address the problems caused by their debts. This article provides some insights into dealing with the stress of debts.
2). Forecasting the Future Value of Your 401(k) By : Stephen L. Nelson, CPA If you’ve got Microsoft Excel (or just about any other popular spreadsheet program) running on your computer, you can use its FV function to forecast the future value of your 401(k) account. The FV function calculates the future value of an investment given its interest rate, the number of payments, the payment, the present value of the investment, and, optionally, the type-of-annuity switch.
3). What Makes a Credit Score Rise or Fall? By : Nathan Dawson OUR financial decisions can affect your credit score in surprising ways. Two credit-scoring simulators can help consumers understand the potential impact.
4). Handling Your Money Effectively By : Mary Williams There is inflation every year. You cannot stop an increasing in living expenses as prices of consumer goods increasing all the time. Saving money becomes an extremely difficult task to do. Here are some solutions for saving a little so that you can still meet your needs and still find ways to trim off a little for the future. 1. Budget – Get one and stick with it! And set aside at least a small portion for savings while you’re at it; savings for your future, your retirement, your education, your vacation, whatever.
5). An Overview Of The Direct Deposit System By : Bob Benson Direct deposit is an excellent feature offered by many banks all around your area. Banking is supposed to be convenient and easy, it has been made that much easier and more convenient with the offering of direct deposits. When thinking about direct deposit, consider many of the things that could apply to you. Have you found yourself hurrying off to.
6). Post-Christmas Financial Difficulties By : Mike Hanna If you’ve spent more than your budget can cope with, then maybe you’re thinking about credit to help you through January. Many people fear the long, broke month of January. After a lovely Christmas full of joyous smiles January can see a mood swing in the wrong direction. Many of us turn to credit cards to help get through this terrible month. But without knowledge of the financial industry a person without a great income can fall victim to the evil grip of unscrupulous credit companies.
7). Boost your savings By : Bob Benson It is general knowledge that residents of the United Kingdom are typically not savers. They tend to spend much more than they save; according to studies, saving money is not as popular as it once was. Saving is extremely important to the quality of life you expect to live in the future. Think about it, what would happen if your car suddenly quit working?.
8). How To Get Personal Loans For People With Bad Credit By : Susan Dean Personal loans for people with bad credit are available. There are a number of opportunities for those who are looking for money that do not have the highest scores out there.
9). If You Want To Make Money: Avoid Debt! By : Rene Graeber Everybody starting in life should avoid running into debt. There is scarcely anything that drags a person down like debt. It is a slavish position to get ill, yet we find many a young man, hardly out of his "teens," running in debt. He meets a chum and says, "Look at this: I have got trusted for a new suit of clothes." He seems to look upon the clothes as so much given to him; well, it frequently is so, but, if he succeeds in paying and then gets trusted again, he is adopting a habit which will keep him in poverty through life.
10). Refinance With Help From The FHA By : Lorna Mclaren Refinance, Home Loan - The FHA can help...

New Personal Finance Articles
1). How To Consolidate Your Debt If You Are A Homeowner With Bad Credit By : Craig Thornburrow Different debt consolidation methods you can use if you are a home owner with bad credit.
2). Bargain Buys for You in the Wholesale Market By : james lowe If you buy lots of goods you can save big money by learning how to use wholesale markets
3). Gold Coins - An Investment in Your Financial Liberty By : Ricardy Banks When you have a child, or even before you do, start collecting gold coins. When your child grows up, cash them in to send your high school graduate to the University of their choice.
4). Estate Planning: The Gift that Keeps on Giving By : Robert Valentine Gifting is one of the many estate planning tools available.
5). Living Debt-Free By : Debbie Dragon Do you dream of living without the burden of excessive debt hanging over your head? It’s possible, but not easy. Living debt free requires financial discipline, all the time. To become debt free and maintain a debt free life, try the following three steps: 1. Get rid of existing debt. This is obviously your first step to living a debt free lifestyle.
6). Accountant By : Jason Gluckman An accountant is a person who manages financial issues, including the preparation of financial plans and budgets, as well as the management of accounts and staff welfare. In most countries, officially licensed accountants are recognized by titles. In the UK, they are termed as “chartered accountants.” In the U.S., accountants are commonly known as “certified public accountants,” whereas in Canada, they are either known as “certified management accountants” or “certified general accountants.
7). Roth 401k – New Retirement Savings Plan. By : Simon Fox Brand new employer sponsored retirement plan is a hybrid of a traditional 401k and a Roth IRA. Income tax rates have been cut, the marriage penalty done away with, and the "death tax" is also on a path to no more. All of this is a result of the Bush administration's Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act which was passed by a Republican congress in 2001.
8). Budget Backyard Family Vacations By : Cheryl Johnson When travel and lodging are cost prohibitive, you can still have a vacation right at home. Yes, in your own backyard. Many of us live within reasonable distance to museums, campgrounds, historic sites, and beautiful state parks. You might be surprised at what you find in your own local area. Do some research in your area to find free or low cost activities and sites to visit.
9). The Cost Of Talking By : blueboy With so many companies offering “the lowest call rates, and the best service" who do you believe and are there any additional costs hidden in the small print? Do they all give per second billing by email, full cost analysis, discounted BT line rental and personal account managers? On mobiles do they offer free connection, and line rentals from £4? There has never been a better time to review the cost of your telephone charges and the service you are getting.
10). Asking for a lot of money By : James C. Samans Most people dream of making a lot of money. The question is, what does that mean? The truth is that money is highly subjective. Certainly, a billion dollars is a lot of money; there are only a handful of billionaires in the world. Is a million dollars a lot? In terms of total wealth, no; a significant minority of the population has a million dollars or more in total assets to leave to their heirs, largely due to the appreciation of real estate.