In the United States, tipping is part of our society. Often times when receiving a service, we feel obligated to tip an extra few dollars for a job well done. In a country built on competition and capitalism, it's no surprise that tipping has been embedded in our social contract since the 1800’s. However, the same cannot be said for other countries around the globe. There’s a stereotype in the restaurant industry that servers never want a table of foreigners because they’re unfamiliar with tipping norms. While that’s not entirely true, tipping customs are different depending on what country you’re in. The following is a guide for tipping to use as basic reference, keeping in mind that specific countries and cities may have slightly different expectations.

Anyone who has ever applied for a loan, regardless of the type, has probably been told that the lending institution will have to “run their credit.” The latter is a phrase that refers to obtaining the applicant's credit score in order to determine whether or not the individual is a good credit risk. This is often referred to as the person's FICO–Fair Isaac Company–score. This score is what virtually all lenders use to determine how likely it is that a specific borrower will default on a loan or other financial obligation, as well as whether or not the person will make timely payments on loans or other lines of credit.

Lights flashing, adrenaline flowing, the scrolling triple 7's rewarding you with the jackpot of a lifetime; who in the world hasn’t dreamed of striking it big in Vegas? You could finally go on that vacation to paradise, pay off your home, or maybe even help support your family for generations to come. But those lucky 7's don’t have to be confined to Vegas.  In fact, one of the most important 7's you should be shooting for is a credit score of 700 or higher.  It may not reward you with cash jackpot worth millions, but obtaining a credit score above 700 will certainly open the door to more desirable credit cards with rewards, 0% interest credit cards, mortgages, auto loans, and other credit products that will save you thousands in interest during your lifetime. 

What's the main goal of college? Most would say it's to get a degree so you can get a high-paying job after you graduate.

But, what might come along with this new job that you're working towards as well? Perhaps getting a new car, buying a house, or starting your own business one day? If so, it's important to remember that one of the key things involved with all of these goals will be your credit score.

Credit Scores

Credit card companies that issue bad credit credit cards have been getting a lot of bad press over the past few years. Extremely high interest rates coupled with higher fees than your average credit card make them an easy target for those that believe these products are "evil" and should either be done away with for good or regulated even more than they already are. While credit cards for bad credit certainly have higher interest rates and fees than most consumer credit cards, the reality is that they actually provide a much-needed service for millions of Americans trying to rebuild their credit. Without them, a huge market of consumers would be left underserved.   But why do the interest rates and fees have to be so darn high?  It's not rocket science— the answer is quite simple to understand.