 TITLE: How a Good Credit Score Could Help You Save on Home Improvement Costs CONTENT: Identify Your Home Improvement Needs\n------------------------------------\nWhen it comes to making improvements on your home, it's easy to stray down the path of \"fun\" projects: adding a fire pit in the backyard or knocking out a kitchen wall to accommodate a wine refrigerator, for example. Investing in these projects isn't always the best financial decision, however. If you have existing or growing damage that needs your attention—a roof that no longer holds water or a patio structure weakened by termite damage, for instance—you should give these projects priority to prevent further problems down the road. Once you have those out of the way, you can move on to more fun vanity projects.\nWhen you decide which home improvement projects to tackle, figure out how much it's all going to cost by getting contractor quotes and researching material costs. Line up these costs next to your budget to see if you'll have enough cash to cover the new expenses. If it looks like you'll need to rely on credit to pay for your project, your next step is to ensure you get low interest rates and good terms on your loan. That's where a good credit score comes in. END