When you borrow money the lender wants to know a lot about your personal history. You know, if you've promptly paid back money that you borrowed in the past, and if you currently earn enough money to pay back the loan. It doesn't make any difference whether you want to borrow $500, $5,000 or even $500,000 -- the lender always wants to know every detail about you and your life history before the loan is made. On the other hand, you meet a contractor, agree to have him perform $500, $5,000 or even $500,000 dollars worth of work -- and you don't bother to perform a thorough credit check. Ever wonder why banks always make so much money and why consumers are frequently ripped off by contractors? Think about it! All you have to do is borrow a blank credit ap from your local banker, fill it out, get it signed and have a mortgage broker run it for you -- cost $15 -- a small price to pay -- wouldn't you say? And that's the On The House tip for today.