LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — High interest rates, rising prices, and tighter lending standards could make 2026 a difficult year for anyone planning a major purchase, and financial experts say consumers need to be more credit-savvy than ever.

Shakeria Hawkins shows us how one local woman rebuilt her credit and the steps you can take now to protect yours. Local woman rebuilds credit as experts warn 2026 will bring tougher borrowing conditions

For 74-year-old Ellen Strimling, rebuilding her credit became a long journey that began more than a decade ago.

“I filed bankruptcy,” she told us. “My credit rating went way down, to maybe 600 or 620.”

Strimling says her financial challenges began in 2013, when her husband passed away and left behind thousands in debt, most of it on credit cards. She spent

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