The CardBuzz blog
Card-by-card write-ups from our team, features, fees, lounge access and who each card actually suits. For the numbers after every cap and exclusion, head to the card pages.
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Credit HealthLoans During a Rebuild: What to Take and What to Avoid
At some point in every rebuild comes the question: should I take a loan to rebuild faster? The instinct is understandable — a loan adds a new positive trade line, diversifies your credit mix (the variety of credit types
Credit HealthUtilisation Discipline During a Rebuild: The 30 Percent Rule and Beyond
Of all the levers that move a credit score, utilisation is the one you control most directly, month to month. Utilisation — sometimes called the credit utilisation ratio — is simply the percentage of your available credi
Credit HealthThe 12-Month Rebuild Plan: Month-by-Month Milestones
Recovery loves a plan. "I will rebuild my credit" is a wish; a month-by-month sequence of concrete actions is a programme. This article lays out a twelve-month rebuild plan for someone starting from a resolved or resolvi
Credit HealthDisputing Errors During a Rebuild: The Process That Works
Here is an uncomfortable truth about credit reports: they are assembled from data supplied by hundreds of lenders, typed by humans, transmitted through systems, and they contain errors. Industry experience across markets
Credit HealthWhat 'Settled', 'Written Off' and 'Closed' Look Like on Your Credit Report
Your credit report is not written in plain language. It is a dense grid of codes, dates, and status words — and when you are rebuilding after trouble, three of those words matter more than all the rest: Settled, Written
Credit HealthSecured Cards: The First Step Back Into Credit
After a default or settlement, the cruel irony of credit rebuilding is this: to prove you can handle credit again, you need someone to give you credit — but nobody wants to be the first. Secured credit cards exist to bre
Credit HealthSettlement vs Full Closure: The Math That Follows You for Years
When you cannot pay a debt in full, the lender may offer a settlement: you pay an agreed portion of what you owe, and they close the account with the remaining balance written off. It feels like relief — and in many ways
Credit HealthRebuilding Credit After a Default: The Honest Roadmap
A missed payment here and there is a stumble. A default — where a lender gives up expecting normal repayment and reports the account as overdue for months — is a different kind of event. It sits on your credit report for
How-To GuidesThe Monthly Money Close: A 20-Minute End-of-Month Card Ritual
Companies close their books every month. Reconcile, review, report — a disciplined ritual that catches errors while they are small and keeps the next month honest. There is no reason your personal finances shouldn't get
How-To GuidesVariable Pay and Freelance Income: Payday Routines Without a Fixed Salary
Every payday routine assumes a payday. But what if your income arrives on the 7th one month, the 23rd the next, and sometimes as three separate client payments across a fortnight? Freelancers, consultants, sales professi
How-To GuidesPayday Pitfalls: Five Mistakes That Undo a Month of Rewards
Here is an uncomfortable piece of arithmetic: a single month of revolving interest can wipe out a year of carefully earned rewards. The cashback, the points, the milestone bonuses — all of it can be undone by a handful o
How-To GuidesSalary Hikes and Card Upgrades: When a Raise Should Change Your Wallet
A raise feels like a promotion for your entire financial life. More income, more room, and — the thought arrives uninvited — maybe it's time for a better credit card. The premium card with the lounge access, the metal fi