Why is Good Credit Important?
We all know that we should strive to have a good credit score, but, why?
Why is having good credit important?
Here is a list of 6 things you will need to have good credit for.
1. Renting an Apartment
Your credit will determine whether you will be approved to rent an apartment as well as the security deposit which will be levied on you. Consumers with low credit scores are often times hit with high-security deposits which can equal up to 2 months of rental payments while those with high credit scores may not be required to put down a deposit at all.
2. Setting Up Utilities
Got your new apartment or home? Great, now it’s time to set up your utilities. Electricity, Gas, Water, Cable, Phone, and Internet providers will all check your credit in order to determine whether you qualify for service and if you do, the amount of security deposit you will need to put up to establish service. Just like renting an apartment, consumers with low credit scores are often times hit with high-security deposits which can range between $250 to $500 per service, equaling thousands of dollars of deposits, while those with high credit scores are not required to put down any deposit at all.
3. Buying a Car
Your credit score will determine the amount of loan which you qualify for, the interest rate, length of term, down payment, and monthly payment amount. Consumers with low credit scores may not even qualify for a loan but, if they did manage to squeak by, the fees would be astronomical.
Lenders would likely ask a consumer with bad credit for;
– Large down payment
– High-interest rate
– Short length of term (typically no longer than 36-48 months)
– Small loan amount
But, if you have good credit, lenders will typically offer;
– No down payment
– 0% interest rate
– Long length of term (72-84 months)
– Large loan amount
In the end, the person with good credit can pay less for a more expensive car without having to put a penny of his money down.
4. Getting Insurance
Now that you have a car, you will need to get insurance for it. You may not have known this your credit score actually determines your insurance premium, the amount you pay for insurance. According to certain experts in the insurance industry, a credit score can be an even better predictor of getting into an accident and costing the insurance company money, than your driving record. Consumers with bad credit will have higher insurance premiums than those with good credit.
5. Getting A Job
You got an apartment, a car, utilities, insurance, now it’s time to get a job to pay for all of those things right? But, what does your credit have to do with you getting a job or a promotion? Sometimes, Everything! More and more employers are checking candidates’ credit reports in order to determine their hire-ability. Job seekers with bad credit are seen as risky because they are looked at as irresponsible, disorganized, and in some cases may be more likely to steal. While those candidates with good credit are looked at as responsible members of society who are organized enough to maintain good credit and are likely to be the same way at work.
The military also has certain set standards for credit as well. Those with bad credit will never be given top-secret security clearance. According to the Department of Defense, “Failure or inability to live within one’s means, satisfy debts, and meet financial obligations may indicate poor self-control, lack of judgment, or unwillingness to abide by rules and regulations, all of which can raise questions about an individual’s reliability, trustworthiness, and ability to protect classified information. An individual who is financially overextended is at risk of having to engage in illegal acts to generate funds.”
That pretty much speaks for itself.
6. Emergency
We should all have a rainy-day/emergency fund but, most don’t. So what happens when emergencies hit and you don’t have the cash? Consumers with good credit have a wide variety of financing options, including 0% credit cards, and low-interest rate personal loans, seems like there’s always someone willing to lend you a helping hand when you have good credit. But, those with bad credit get caught up in high interest/fee credit cards and pay-day loan places which put them in a never-ending spiral of high fees and constant indebtedness.
I don’t know about you but, it seems like only rich people can afford to have bad credit. Consistently overpaying for services and leaving large deposits that they will likely never see again.
Can you afford to continue living with bad credit?