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As promised by the new JCP CEO, here is a coupon for an extra 20% off your purchase of regular, sale and clearance merchandise and 10% off furniture when you pay with a JCP credit card.

Non-credit card holders will receive an extra 10% off.

The coupons are good through Monday, May 27, 2013. Exclusions apply. Print Coupon.

Online shoppers can get the same coupon offer by using coupon code LAUNCH16 during checkout.

See also: J. C. Penney is Back Among the Living (Maybe)

Most people know that credit reports are used with loan applications, sometimes job applications, and even in establishing utility services. Your credit report can also be used against you in divorce court, particularly for alimony consideration, according to a story on Forbes.com.

In the Forbes article, a soon to be ex-wife was requesting a large amount of alimony from her husband, claiming that she had limited resources. However, her husband’s attorney accessed a copy of her credit report which showed that she had access to over $50,000 in credit. She’d recently been made an authorized user on her new boyfriend’s credit card accounts. Unfortunately, that hurt her ability to get the alimony she’d requested, even though she was merely an authorized user.

If you’re going through a divorce, beware! The information on your credit report may be used against you.

More on Credit Reports

• 10 Things That Show Up on Your Credit Report
• 6 People Who Check Your Credit Report
• How to Check Your Own Credit

Here’s the latest list of 10 travel deals for this week. Many of these links lead to offers with a very limited shelf life, so if you’re interested, act quickly. But don’t act so quickly that you miss the fine print. Spring Travel Deals aren’t quite so fleeting, and are also worth a look. Among this week’s deals: A sale on TGV Premier train tickets in France, a $500 resort credit for travelers to Mexico and May discounts for student travelers.

In their third annual survey on consumer knowledge about credit scores, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and VantageScore Solutions found that many consumers still have major misconceptions about what influences credit scores and how credit scores are used. In fact, 54% of people answered they have not checked their credit scores within the past year. (Thirty-seven percent have never checked their credit report.)

Before the bad news, here’s a bit of good: 94% of those surveyed realized that timely loan payments can help improve their credit scores.

About one-third to two-fifths of survey respondents did not know:

• Credit scores are used when credit card issuers and mortgage lenders approve applications or determine pricing
• Age and marital status are not considered in credit score calculations
• When they’re entitled to a free credit score from their lender
• That payment history – positive or negative – on a joint loan also influences the co-signer’s credit score

Only 16% of those surveyed said they had excellent knowledge of credit scores and 39% answered that they had good knowledge of credit scores.

1,022 people were surveyed.

Credit Score Resources:

• How Your Credit Score is Calculated
• Why Your Credit Score Fluctuates
• What’s Not In Your Credit Score

The new credit card rules require your credit card bill to be due on the same date every month. This takes some guesswork out of when to send your payment. Knowing the due date won’t always make it easier to send your credit card payment, though.

When you’re tempted to put off your payment a few days or weeks, think about the consequences – like a lower credit score or late payment fees. Read: 7 Reasons to Make Your Credit Card Payment on Time.

More…

• How to Handle an Accidentally Missed Payment
• Making Your Payment Online
• Tips to Remember Your Due Date
• Monthly Bill Payment Checklist (printable PDF)

Alex Slobodkin / iStockPhoto