CREDIT.ORG

Financial Education: Guides and Downloads

How-To Guides

Road Map to Financial Freedom

This guide helps you take the first steps on your journey to financial freedom with Credit.org through the use of a Debt Management Plan to consolidate and pay back unsecured debt.

Consumer Guide to Good Credit

Good credit is indeed crucial to financial health. Because credit reports frequently contain errors, we must all check our credit reports regularly and ensure that they are accurate and up to date. This guide will teach you how to do that.

The Wise Use of Credit

You have bad credit or need to establish credit —now what? Managing your credit responsibly helps build a solid foundation for your financial future.

Preserving Homeownership and Foreclosure Prevention

This guide will show you what options are available if your mortgage becomes delinquent, you are facing foreclosure, or you are facing a mortgage interest reset which you can no longer afford.

Couples and Money

This guide helps couples communicate about money matters, offers money and budget saving tips, and helps couples develop a spending plan for their future goals.

Surviving the Holidays

Learn to prepare for costs associated with the holidays, manage your holiday spending, and begin your New Year without holiday debt.

Predatory Lending

Don’t be a victim! Protect your equity, know your rights, and avoid dishonest lenders.

Surviving a Job Loss or Reduced Income

When the unexpected strikes, many of us are left without an easy solution for our financial situation.

Deals for Wheels

Get the information you’ll need to make a sound decision about buyingor leasing a car, and find out how to get a great deal on your next set of wheels.

Identity Theft Prevention

Learn what to do to protect yourself from identity thieves, and what steps to take to restore your good standing if you are a victim of identity theft.

Understanding Your Credit Reports and Scores

Understand what information is contained in your credit report and how it affects your life. Also learn how your credit scores are calculated.

Power of Paycheck Planning

Learn time-tested strategies to budget, manage and prioritize your paycheckand learn how to take control of your finances by learning to budget your paycheck – before you spend it.

Basics of Financial Planning

Start saving for the future by learning the basics first. Understand what your priorities should be when you tackle financial planning, and avoid sales pressure from investment advisors.

Raising a Money Smart Child

A parent’s guide to providing children with the necessary basic financial skills as early as possible. It’s never too early to develop good saving and spending habits!

Essential Couponing

Coupon shopping is a skill you can learn, and it will save you money that you can use for other things.
Ready to start changing your life and build your credit?

Financial Worksheets

Estimated Financial Worksheet

Once you’ve calculated your income, expenses, and debts, you’re ready to propose your first detailed budget. This worksheet will help you lay out how your monthly spending should look.
This worksheet will help you dive deeper into your debts and help you calculate exactly what your debts are costing you monthly as you set out to create a working budget.

Financial Allocation Breakdown

Keep things simple when managing your finances. The 50/30/20 budget separates your budget into 3 broad categories to keep your spending on track.

Payment List

Regular tracking is critically important to having a successful budget. This sheet will help you keep track of every transaction going in and out of your bank account, and give you the detailed information you need to make your budget effective.

Personal Finance Statement

Start your journey to better personal finances with an assessment of where you stand. Use this form to calculate your assets and liabilities to establish your current net worth.