Will I purchase a car or house in the next six months? If there’s the slightest chance you might,  don’t apply for any new credit card account (store or bank) to protect your credit score.

It’s tempting to bury your head in the sand when it comes to credit errors, blunders and faux pas. Or to keep mum, deceiving even yourself about the health of your credit and finances. But keeping secrets and ignoring your credit can lead down a path of debt that ends in bankruptcy or financial ruin.

But many wonder if the “free” credit reports paint the whole picture.

Whether you have just one credit card or enough to play Texas Hold ‘Em, it’s wise to not tote around all your plastic all the time. Not only can carrying around your credit cards increase the odds of an impulse purchase, but it also leaves them at risk of falling into the hands of a pickpocket or identity thief.

When you’re trying to build – or rebuild – your credit score, it’s tempting to tuck away all your credit cards and avoid using them. But while avoiding a huge mountain of debt is always wise, shutting down your credit cards might not be the best path to a high credit score.

According to USA.gov, managing money and getting out of debt is among the most popular resolutions made at the start of the year. Unfortunately, a few days or weeks into the year, many fall off the resolution wagon. Experts say those abandoned and forgotten New Year’s resolutions wind up as a faint memory sometime around Valentines’ Day – or sooner – because consumers commit a few common mistakes when resolving to get out of debt or get a grip on their finances.

Ever wonder how minimum credit card payments are computed or if a balance transfer is really worth it? The answers often seem locked in complicated mathematical computations reminiscent of high school trigonometry. That’s unfortunate since knowing what your monthly minimum payment before you splurge on a new purchase or open a new credit card can be the difference between landing in financial hot water and being able to make ends meet.