I highly recommend you bring your utilization down from 4% and work your way down to 2.5% (make sure your payment is submitted 2 days before your credit card company's statement date).I've seen 680s jump to 750 within 3 months.If you have debt it is best to hire an attorney to deal with it or fight the debt yourself and require a written email stating they will remove the inquiry from your credit report after you have paid X% of the debt you owe (you can usually settle for a huge discount).

Credit card paymentsItem #2. 

Any mandatory expense (e.g. gasoline, dry cleaning) also goes on a credit card.

It will be deposited into your bank account just like credit card payments.  

I am happy to buy lunch (or send an online gift card if distant), I'm pretty good with computers, coding, and business/system processes, I worked quite a bit as a laborer earlier in life so I'm happy to help with some cleanup/construction and have my own tools, and am also willing to throw down some cash if needed.

Credit cards, personal loan, friends and family, 401k loan, sell something?

However, if they rack up $50K in credit card charges and have a house full of electronics, that stuff simply belongs to the family and the CC company has to write off the debt as uncollectable.

Move to autopay, debit/Credit card or ECH.4. 

Now I'm trying to decide between Cozy and Zillow.Here is my comparison from what I see.ApplicationsZillow application fee is $29 vs $39.99 at CozyZillow application fee is good for 30 days for tenants to apply to other properties.Both use Experian and CheckrBoth allow tenants to add co-applicants.Cozy application has a few extra questions, like Drug conviction.Cozy allows references.PaymentsBoth accept ACH and Credit Card (with a fee to tenants). 

@Neil Schoepp I assume the blog was hinting at the idea that someone who does not have their own finances in order cannot invest, effectively.If you a uncertain about your own financial habits (carry credit card debt, other loans, bad spending habits), then I would recommend getting those sorted out, in order to make sure that any money you make in real estate isn't just falling into the abyss.