Your credit score can make a huge difference in your finances, from helping you qualify for loans and low interest rates to accessing utility services and renting the home you want. As much as people want to have good credit scores, there’s a lot of confusion about how they work.

Your credit score and credit history are extremely important pieces of information. They are used to determine how much home you can afford; what your payments will be on your car; whether you qualify for credit cards; and even how much you’ll pay for auto insurance.

Sears is a popular department store that specializes in consumer electronics, house wares, tools, clothing and other basic needs. The Sears credit card is designed for consumer purchases. It can be used for any merchandise in the store, warranty packages, and even servicing of appliances, tools, or other gadgets. This is a popular consumer store card that offers membership rewards to cardholders, as well as different coupons and members-only deals throughout the year.

Discover started including customers’ FICO scores on monthly bills and on online accounts in early 2014. According to FICO numbers quoted by Discover, 87 percent of consumers’ credit scores fluctuate from month to month, with changes of as much as 20 points. These monthly credit scores can help customers receive real-time notification of any changes that could signal an error or abuse of their credit.

Despite the middling economy, a number of credit card companies continue to offer generous 0% APR balance transfer deals and some companies have straightforward offers that last a full 18 months.