After this data breach, you may want to freeze your credit

And what to do when collection agencies are jerks [The Penny Hoarder Daily]( [How to Freeze Your Credit]( [Your SSN May Have Been Leaked]( [How to Freeze Your Credit]( Seems like every day the news reports another massive data breach. If you're worried you're at risk, one of the best ways to protect yourself is with a credit freeze. That way, even if a hacker has all your information, they can’t do anything with it. We explain how you can [do it quickly and for free](.   [Yes — More Than $25K in Debt Will Impact Your Score]( It’s not exactly what you want to hear, but your debt can impact just about every area of your life — especially your credit score. But we’ve got a bunch of strategies to help you [pay it off while building back your credit](. You might be surprised by what’s on the list. [Start Building](   [ways to raise your credit score]( [Dear Penny: How Can I Raise My Credit Score?]( Even when you pay off your car and do everything you can to settle your debts, collection agencies won’t necessarily remove that bad credit history — but paid-off collections debt doesn’t necessarily hurt your score. And even so, there are still [ways to raise your score after a credit blunder](. Dear Penny explains.   [8 Moves to Get Your Credit Score Over the 700 Hump]( Yup — a three-digit number is basically controlling your entire life. It’s especially frustrating when it feels like no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to get your score over 700. Don’t give up — these moves could help [get your credit score to start moving up](. [Stop spending money on these dumb things]( [Cutting Corners Might Cause Scurvy]( When you’re really motivated to improve your financial situation, you’re often willing to cut some corners. But $1 ramen for every meal has been known to cause scurvy. Your current health is just as important as your future well-being. Here’s how you can [get out of debt fast]( and enjoy more of the restaurant-grade ramen than the kitchen cabinet kind.   [The 6 Best Cards for Improving Bad Credit]( You might not qualify for cards with fancy rewards, but using a credit card responsibly is one of the easiest ways to repair your credit score or establish a credit history. We’ve compiled our [six favorite cards that you can qualify for]( even if you have bad credit or no credit history at all.   [We'll Text You More Money Tips]( Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. [Learn more]( about how we make money and select our advertising partners. We’re letting you know because it’s what Honest Abe would do. After all, he is on our favorite coin. © 2024 The Penny Hoarder. All rights reserved. 490 1st Ave S. Suite 800 | Saint Petersburg, FL 33701 | U.S. [View in browser]( [Mailing preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy](