I found this link on MSN Money and thought is was very interesting. The title is "Weird stuff that hurts your credit". Some of this stuff you may already be familiar.

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Luckylique, StephNY, and Defonte, I believe that our mothes were so busy making sure we finsished school so that they know we would be prepared for the real world to "Move out of thier house into our own" but they failed to say credit is the key to a new apartment.....lol. Defoante, you are on the right track about talking to your boys about credit. I am doing the same with my 10 year old. We mastered the "value of a dollar" routine, he knows that he will not receive one penny unless he work for it. As far as his playstation games goes, he know that he will not receive a game unless his room has been clean everyday for a month straight (weekends not included due to company and free time). Now I have to break him out of being tooooo stingy. When he turns 13 he is going to get his first teen card which will be linked to my Bank Account with a set limit. This will teach him how to use credit wisely because he is going to have to pay on his own bill by mail even thought he bank is a few blocks away. I think this is a great idea for a kid to realize the importance of credit. Not like the old days when we wanted money, I used to go , "Momma, I want some money", her reply,"Girl, get out of my face talking about money, money don't grow on trees!" Then I would pout, stomp around on the floor with my thumb in my mourth and say, "Man, we dont neva have no money in dis house, all my udder friends momma give dem money." Then there goes that flying shoe headed straight for your skull....lmao. My granny always picked up the slack for me, I was a granny's baby..

But all in all, I never knew about credit until one of my older friends was telling me during my early adult life, how to receive credit. Cards started flying in my door in the 80's and 90's. I was trying to handle them, and my mom + granny was helping, but they didnt tell me anything about what will happen if I don't pay it.......wait, I take that back, they did tell me, I just did not care. Now I wish that I never seen plastic until my late 30's....lol. Now it seems like while I am trying to get myself on the right track, I have to deal with issues from my husband credit being jacked up, I can't win from loosing. He is in a situation where seven years of waiting for an item to drop does not exist for him. Child support is tearing mens heads off these days, I hate to tell this but he has child support judgements for over $200,000 on his report, with over $100,00 in arrears. Good Lord, that is the value of a house. The only thing that we (I mean HE) could do was make payment arrangements, but here is one good thing, his credit report does say, "Payment arrangments made." This is the main reason why I want to stay close with my baby's. I do not want them to go out and make the mistakes that they're step dad did, becuase they may go out and brag about thier first little sexual experiences, but when those little baby's pop up and child support come running through, your credit will be doomed at a young age........

how did I get on this subject? Bored I guess....lol

StephNY that is sooooooooo true about credit education from our parents. I am almost 30 and really didn't understand the responsibilities of credit up until about 2 years ago. I think money, finances, and using credit responsibly is another one of the major talks that parents should have with thier children. I know I will have this talk with my boys. I think this will give them a headstart in the real world on their way out of the door. I sure wish my mom had told me!!!!

I tell you ladies when our mothers had the "talk" with us they did not include "KEEP YOUR CREDIT CLEAN".

I am right there with both of you ladies. I am putting it on being young and "don't understand much babe" I just would not paying anything. When I started cleaning up my credit 4 years ago, I actually have 7 items under an hundred dollars. Now if that was not sad. Anyway I have definitely wised up and have been on the road to recovery for sometime now. Once we all hit the 700 club....which at this point seems pretty definite. I think the test will be can we stay in the club.

Hey StephNY, you are on the right track, AMTRACK....lol. I was just rereading your posting and I had to laugh at some of the things you were saying. Girl it looks like Orchard really understand how individuals like us feels when we are begging for trust again. But they dont understand how to give a sister good limits when she asks for it. I am tired of asking orchard for a limit increase and they only offer $100 minus $25 because you requested it. Then $200 if they decide to give it to you. Four years and $1300 is what makes an individual say "Sock Drawer, or Close It."

Ive been in the 400 club. My credit mess started back in 1995 when I was in college and applying for credit, during my last year in college I was in school, interning, hardly no money, living off my cards, but when it was time to pay them back I went from card to card. Which after a while catches up to you. Once I moved to the city and secured a job my bills were piled so high, I said you know what F it, whoever dont get paid Oh well!!! I lived that mentality for years until my car died completely and I had to finance a new car and when they pulled my credit report I wanted to hide. It was a whopping 420. I couldnt get my car and anything else that required my credit to be pulled. It even kept me from getting jobs and apartments, that I really wanted. I was ashamed but it was my fault.
I knew I had to do better,once I finally secured a stable job 3 years ago, I started working with one creditor at a time. I pulled my report some time later and I managed to make it to a score of 510. I needed to reestablish credit and I started with Orchard Bank. I still have 2 collection accounts and a judgement in dispute, I managed to maintain scores in the 680's. Im trying for those 7's too girl. Almost there. We'll get there soon!!!

Keep your head up and move forward Meya! I know that you'll get there, as determined as you are.

Well I will store my 2 cents in first. What I done was pulled my credit report in 2003 and had it mailed to me. The mailman had to knock on my door because the manilla envelope was too thick. I saw all of those co's and lates and just fell to the floor. Well, I hate to say this but, I did not pay anyone, I just began disputing old accounts and watched the rest fall off as thier time limit was up. I went from scores 400's-600's within a matter of 4 years. I have two medicals left from 2002, one tax lein from 1999 which is going off in Jan 08 due to the fact that the release is nearly 7 years old, and one credit card derog from 2002. I should be clean around Oct 09 and that is about the time all my inquiries will fall off. Then I will be ready for the 700 club.