What Your Banker Never Told You - How to Improve Your Credit

Is your bank taking advantage of you? Most of us go to the bank at least twice a month for one reason or another. If someone were to ask you today, "What is your banker's name?", what would you say? Would you stare at them, dumbfounded? Too many people are utilizing the banks convenience services (direct deposit, savings accounts, automatic bill pay), but not taking advantage of all of the benefits that are offered through their financial institution.

As a formerly licensed banker at one of the world's largest banks, I will tell you that I discovered the injustice that occurs in America's banking system firsthand. The bank gains accounts and makes money off of service charges, insufficient funds fees, and more, but very few of their most loyal customers enjoy the most basic benefits that should be offered readily.

If you have a bank account, you should have a personal banker.

There should be someone that you speak to and are on a first-name basis with, in the branch that you frequent the most. This person should know you, your business/employer, your family, and your future plans. That is the only way that they will be able to help you when you need it. Your bank shouldn't be some huge, faceless institution that has no personality. Go into your bank this week and choose your own personal banker today! Most bankers would love to have their clients come in and request a meeting. It's a chore to try to get people to come into the bank nowadays, with online banking and drive-thru's being the main way that people handle their finances.

Make sure your banker is someone you feel comfortable with.

Since you will be revealing a lot about yourself and your family to this person, make sure it is someone that you feel comfortable with. He or she should be someone you can easily relate to, and someone that you know will not judge you when you hit those financial rough spots. A good banker can be your closest friend during those timesof need.

Don't think that you have to be rich to talk to your banker.

Your banker has tons of helpful tips and tricks to help you. Even if you are living paycheck to paycheck, you will be surprised at how much your banker can save you. There are easy things that you can do to improve your credit, and only your banker knows! In our new book, "What Your Banker NEVER Told You!", we reveal simple ways to improve your credit.

There is no reason why your bank should be taking all of your deposits and not helping to better your life. Think about all of the money you are entrusting your bank to manage for you. Use your banker to his or her fullest, and get started on the road to financial happiness today!

Full Disclosure: Honesty and Communication in Relationships

We've all told our partner that we wanted them to be honest and upfront with us. We encourage our loved one to open up to us and reveal all of their innermost thoughts without fear of judgement. I think that at times, we don't realize what sort of Pandora's Box we may be opening up when we ask for this 'full disclosure' from our mates. Feelings of hurt, disgust, disappointment, and even anger can erupt, and once it's been said, it can't be taken back.

Are there certain things that you have kept from your love interest? Would you ever think about revealing all of your past indiscretions to the one that you care about the most? If your partner were to tell you something that you found dispicable or distasteful, would you be able to process the revelation without punishing them for their past mistakes?

We have to be able to look at ourselves honestly and think about what we are willing to deal with in our relationships. Do we really need to know everything about the one we have given our heart to? Maybe we are better left in the dark about certain things. All of us have done things in our past that we aren't proud of. If we could snoop around in everyone's closets and dig up all of those dusty skeletons, we'd probably be shocked at all of the dirt we could find on each other! Why would we want to do that? Mistakes are made in our lives in order to help us learn and grow. We improve and excel above those mistakes, so why should we be made to expose them and have our faces rubbed in the mess we've made?

Take care when you are thinking about telling your love interest about all of your past experiences. You never know how they will react to your revelations. Also, if your partner tells you something that disappoints you, focus on the fact that they were secure enough in your relationship to tell you this embarrassing fact. Is your love strong enough to endure the negative feelings that their confession has caused within you? Full disclosure is a tricky subject. There may be some things that are better left unsaid.