Credit

I am 32 years old and would consider myself financially illiterate! I briefly held a credit card, but after a series of rather poor decisions at the age of 20, I got spooked by the idea of credit altogether. When I last checked my score several years ago, it was not surprisingly in the toilet. In deciding to try and repair my finances, I checked my score today and found that it was (surprise!) 775! So after years of neglect, illiteracy and general incompetence, how do I maintain this incredible turn? Desperately in need of some sound, simple advice! Ryan, Cincinnati, OH

Living debt-free is a good thing, right? Those with little or no credit history are finding out you really can be "too thin."

Where can I get an annual free credit report? Thanks. Myra, Pineville, NC

Tess and personal finance expert Liz Weston of MSN talk to listeners about their personal finance questions.

Some early concerns about tight European credit markets making it expensive for European banks to raise capital dragged the markets down in the early hours. That was countered a bit by some more trickles of good news about the U.S. economy.

Between July to September of this year, bank credit lending was up 10 percent -- the highest rate since before the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008.

Yesterday, we wrote about Verizon teaming up with American Express to let customers buy stuff with their phones. Now, T-Mobile is planning to la...