Are you a beginner when it comes to the stock market? No problem! This series of articles on mutual funds will make it easy for you to understand what a mutual fund is, what it is all about and whether it is worth your while to invest in one. My first three articles are called “Mutual Funds For Beginners” and they lay down the basics.

The next one is titled “Expenses Associated With Mutual Funds” and it goes over the general things you can expect to be charged for if you make the choice to invest in a mutual fund. The last two are called “Is Investing in a mutual fund worth your while?” and they cover the pros and cons of mutual funds. First let’s break things down to a molecular level and talk about securities. The fancy definition of a security is a negotiable instrument representing financial value.

This definition is kind of hard to grasp so let us take a look at an example of a security to help you get a better idea of what one is. A stock is considered a security. Stocks can be purchased or sold, and therefore have financial value, and a share of stock literally means that as a stockholder you “share” a fraction of ownership in the company whose stock you own. Bonds, which are contracts to pay back money with interest on specified dates, are also securities. If you hold a bond, you know that you are going to receive money on these set dates, so bonds have financial value as well.

Stocks are bought and sold at exchanges called stock markets, and bonds at bonds markets. A bonds market is usually very different from a stock market. If you were looking to invest in stock, or sell the stock you have, you would enlist the help of a stock broker who would charge you a commission for performing this work for you.

Usually you are going to need some sort of a broker to help you do this, unless you already own stock from the company you would like to purchase from. The same goes for bonds – you are going to need a dealer. Now that we have the very basics down, let’s go over mutual funds. See my article “Mutual Funds For Beginners Part Two!

Mallory Megan works for Rapid Recovery Solution and writes articles on commercial collection agencies.

Your credit score can be likened to your criminal record. Both will follow you around for a very long time, and both are supposed reflections of the person you are. Only you and perhaps your attorney will know your criminal record. But your credit score can be pulled when you apply for a credit card, or go to get a new car, or even try to move in to a new place.

For those not in the know, your credit score is based on a number system between 300 and 850. A secret formula (OK a mathematical algorithm) will determine what your number will be. Creditors and experts agree that your credit score is said to be a very accurate prediction of how likely you are to pay off your bills.

Your credit score is imperative. If you already have a credit card, the creditor will probably take a gander at your credit score to try and decide whether to decrease your credit limit, or give you a higher interest rate. Those lucky people with the highest scores get the lowest rates.

But don’t wig out yet if you have a low credit score; there are things you can do in order to improve your situation. Most importantly, try to pay your bills on time. Paying late or even worse, allowing a negative account to go to collection can have a negative impact on your credit score. It logically follows that the longer you pay your bills on time the better your credit score will be.

Try to pay off debt rather than just move it around. It’s really the most effective way to help your credit score. Don’t close your unused credit cards. Closing will close the gap between the amount of credit you are using, and the sum amount available. If you have a bunch of credit, and only use a little, its good.

And for the love of God, don’t open new accounts. New accounts aren’t even useful in credit scoring because they will diminish your average account age. Which leads me to my final point. Longevity. Try to maintain your oldest accounts. Longevity has a lot of clout on credit reports, so the oldest account you have is the most available.

Mallory Megan is employed bya debt collection company. Also, shewrites pieceson consumer spending, business, financeand debt collection.

There have been recent changes in the credit industry due to the new credit card bill that takes effect in February. It will have huge ramifications for both issuers and cardholders. Restrictions on rate increases, fees and increased disclosure requirements will bring about many changes for issuers. Every borrower should learn about the crucial stipulations in the law and the loopholes.

While the new rules will heavily restrict retroactive rate increases, they will not put an end to all negative changes to card accounts. Even consumers with high credit scores may be affected by negative adjustments.

The best way for a consumer to maintain an adequate credit score and keep account provisions intact is to be on the defense. This includes paying on time, not closing accounts unless its necessary and keeping balances low.

A decrease in your outstanding balance will help to protect you against unwanted changes to your account, improve your credit score, and most importantly saves you money. This is because a lower balance could help protect your credit score against credit limit reductions. If your credit limits decrease, and your debt doesn’t decrease, your credit score may drop. According to the CARD Act, issuers have to give you the option to opt out of a considerably large change in terms.

In these situations, issuers must send out a notice 45 days in advance at the least from the date the changes will take effect. The purpose of this is to give you time to decide if you want to reject the proposed change.

It is key that you check your credit score frequently; this is based on your credit report. Mistakes such as collection accounts or delinquencies will lower your score. This is why it is imperative to check on your credit reports at the three major credit reporting agencies on a regular basis. You can do this free of charge.

Any large change in law that could affect your finances is a big deal. Consumers should educate themselves as much as possible in order to protect their credit report and financial situation.

Mallory McGuinness-Hickey works for a debt collection company. She also does articles about consumer spending, business, finance, and debt collection.