Credit Card Debt Galore – What to Do?

January 24, 2012 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

Last week, we talked about what to do if you have a good, but not great credit score – about how to subtly raise your score into the upper echelon. But what if you have justifiably terrible credit? What if you’re more like those people who rack up $20,000 in debt on nine cards and…

Credit Scores and How I Lost My Dream Apartment

November 17, 2006 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

If you were to ask me a year ago what a credit rating was, I would have mocked you for you watching too much late night TV. Maybe I would have told you to go buy a suit and on the way, pick me up some Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. After all, I was still living…

How Much Rent Can I Afford and Other First Decisions?

November 23, 2005 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

You may not know how much rent you can afford, but your government does. The US Housing Department guideline says that your rent should be no more than 25-30% of your gross salary.