If you're pregnant, you're about to enter the hectic, frustrating, and wonderful world of motherhood. There will be plenty of tears and joy and dirty laundry between now and when that little life becomes an adult and leaves your nest.
So, while moms are celebrating Mother's Day with cards and breakfast in bed, you have an opportunity to give yourself a gift that will reward you (and your child!) for years to come.
This Mother's Day, give yourself the gift of good credit.
Good credit is not something we normally consider a gift, but think about it: A good credit score means that you can borrow more money for longer periods of time at a lower interest rate. Sure, you might not be thinking about interest rates right now (you're probably painting the baby's room and picking out cute little onesies with owls and cows on them) but there will come a day soon when you will need to borrow money.
Maybe you'll need to move to a bigger house when baby #2 and #3 arrive. Maybe you need to lease a minivan, to drive around your kids and their friends to the beach. Maybe you need to put some money aside for your kids to get braces. Maybe you'll someday need to borrow money to send your kids to college. All of those things take credit, and a good credit score can help you borrow more money for a longer period of time with a lower rate.
Good credit means you can save money on that mortgage or minivan lease or the orthodontist loan or the college loan. And when you save money, you keep more of it in your pocket so you can spend it on your kids. (And hey, why not spend a little on yourself -- you'll want a spa day every now and then, believe me!). So a good credit score means that you can borrow money when you need it while also allowing you to spend more on your family. The bottom line: You'll provide your family with even more opportunities than if you had poor credit and paid higher interest on each loan.
This is something to start right away -- before your bundle of joy arrives on the scene! Because when they arrive, the last thing on your mind will be your credit score: Between midnight feedings and the millionth diaper change, you won't even remember what a credit score is.
So while you have a few spare minutes now, give yourself (and your growing family) a gift this Mother's Day -- the gift of better credit. In as little as 90 days, you can achieve a higher credit score and the peace of mind that you're doing something great for your kids.
You can start by going to MyFico.com and pulling your credit reports for all three credit reporting agencies. Then review your reports for errors and discrepancies and dispute them with the credit reporting agencies. For more great tips and ideas, check out The 90 Day Credit Challenge.
You might not have kids underfoot just yet, but this is the best time to give yourself the gift of good credit to help you provide for your family!