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How to Live Off the Credit Score Grid

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    How to Live Off the Credit Score Grid

    November 8, 2010

    As we've learned in the last year, your credit score is very important. It's probably too important. It's being used to determine whether or not you can get a cell phone, it's used by potential landlords to pick who to rent to, and it's sometimes used, rightly or wrongly, by employers for employment decisions. Despite the various laws governing the collection and use of credit information, it's still being used in ways they were never intended to be used for.

    What if you wanted to live off the credit score grid? What if you wanted to rebel against the system and live life without borrowing a penny? It turns out that it is actually very difficult to avoid creating a credit record of yourself but you can certainly live a life without using credit at all. Here's how you do it.

    Use Debit Cards

    One of the benefits of using a credit card is in the consumer protections you get, from using the card and by not having to carry around quite as much cash. With debit cards, you get very similar consumer protections without having to go through the hassle of apply for credit. When you open a checking account, the bank will likely pull your credit, usually for identification purposes, but will not usually "deny" you an account because of your credit score.

    You can use debit cards in place of a credit card for most of your transactions. It will come with a few additional headaches, such as pre-authorization charges. Anytime you make an open ended purchase, such as for a rental car, hotel, or gas pump charge, there will be an authorization placed on your account. The store will usually tell you how much it is and it'll vary based on the final charge. Gas pumps authorize $50, hotels may authorize one night's rate, but they all do this. This can cause a burden if the hold is for several days and you have other pending charges.

    Borrow from Friends & Family

    Using a debit card helps you avoid recording credit card accounts (revolving accounts) on your credit report, the next step is to avoid installment accounts like car loan and mortgages. Unfortunately, if you get a loan from a financial institution, it'll appear on your report. To avoid that, you'll need to either borrow large sums of money from friends and family or wait until you've saved up enough money to make those purchases outright. This is by far the hardest part of trying to live off the credit score grid if you want to own your home.

    The alternative for lodging is to rent, which won't appear on your credit report, an apartment or house. For a car, it's easier as you can probably find a used car that you can save up for or rely on public transportation. Getting a roof over your head and wheels beneath your feet isn't hard, but owning that asset will be.

    Review Your Credit Report

    Even if you are staying off the credits score grid, it's important that you review your credit reports annually. Just because you don't use your report doesn't mean a potential thief won't try to steal your credit. If you aren't vigilant about your history, you are more likely to get burned if a thief does gain your credentials. If you want to check your credit score while you're at it, you'll have to sign up for a trial subscription with a service like MyFICO, run by Fair Isaac Corporation.

    If you can avoid credit cards and avoid loans, chances are your credit report will look very bare. Your score will probably be pretty low since the equation won't much have information to work with. This will create some hassles in your life as your credit score is used in a lot of places you probably didn't expect (like whenever you rent something). You won't be able to get completely off the grid but these tips should help.

    Filed Chapter 7 July 2010
    Attended 341 September 2010
    Discharged November 2010 Closed November 2010

    #2
    I've been about a year now living without credit of any kind...probably wouldn't qualify for any credit. So far it is manageable, and hopefully it will continue to be so. Renting a home may be the only challenge I foresee, but I'm confident I can handle that as well.

    Comment


      #3
      This 2010 piece of advice needs an update now in the era of crypto. I've been living for over a year without using credit cards. It's possible even in the US, and completely normal outside of the US as an American.

      The only major problem has been narrow-minded landlords whop demand a credit score, even if I could pay several months upfront cash. (How about rich foreigners with no "credit score" who want to rent for several months? 🤷‍♂️) This credit score BS isn't done in other parts of the world; only in the US. Elsewhere, you pay the first month and another month as guarantee. If something goes south with your rental, or you stop paying before the contract ends, the landlord keeps the guarantee.

      You can work around this credit score rental requirement by dealing directly with landlords instead of rental agencies, or by renting on Airbnb or via the numerous furnished rental companies like Sonder or 2ndaddress (but that's more expensive), or of course by sharing a house with other people who know you.

      There were some other minor problems. Some rental car agencies demand a credit card, but there's Turo. See more in the post I linked above.

      Outside the US, you can rent without a fuss as I explained above. You can buy prepaid SIM cards, rent cars, use Uber etc. all without credit cards. Debit cards work just fine.

      Comment


        #4
        Nozar, I agree people should be able to live free of credit cards. A few years ago, I worked for a call center. For their deferred billing, they required that the customer use a credit card. If the customer did not ask me if their debit card was OK to use, I did not ask them if they were using a debit card. Personally, I feel that a person's credit card can go "bad" just the same as a debit card. One time, my particular company decided to "partner" with a big retailer for online discounts. The retailer when asked, said that they had no issues with people using debit cards. lol

        Comment


          #5
          I suppose living off the grid is possible if you don't travel much. I went nearly 7 years without a credit card and I have to tell you, it really stinks trying to rent a car at a major airport or trying to obtain a hotel room in a nicer hotel; in many cases, no credit card, no service.
          Latent car nut.

          Comment


            #6
            The credit free life is done by millions upon millions of people these days. Paying cash using debit cards can buy you anything you want if you have the money. Houses can also be bought with the proper down payment and qualifying for manual under writing. Think of how you could save and invest with your income without any debt to pay. Maximize your earnings and your savings then think of the power this enables you, slave to no one.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by 5yrplan View Post
              The credit free life is done by millions upon millions of people these days. Paying cash using debit cards can buy you anything you want if you have the money. Houses can also be bought with the proper down payment and qualifying for manual under writing. Think of how you could save and invest with your income without any debt to pay. Maximize your earnings and your savings then think of the power this enables you, slave to no one.
              Living a credit free life is counter productive; it leaves lots of money on the table which would otherwise be in your pocket. If you can afford to live credit free, you can be even better off if you wisely use credit; simple fact of life.
              Latent car nut.

              Comment


                #8
                Epic fail, debt is never smart.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by 5yrplan View Post
                  Epic fail, debt is never smart.
                  Epic fail, blindly following Dave Ramsey (or any other crackpot out there) is never smart. If you get yourself educated you'll learn how debt, used wisely, can enhance both your short-term and long-term financial health.
                  Latent car nut.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Starting a drop shipping business requires a credit card to order the product ... thats one good use of credit

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Using a credit card for literally every purchase which can be done without a surcharge are other perfect usages of credit cards. Why? Rewards; why pay cash or with a debit card when the exact same purchase can yield hundreds of dollars per year back in your wallet?
                      Latent car nut.

                      Comment

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