I’ve been focused on educating readers about investing and I will continue to do so. Sharing what I’ve learned through studying, research and my own experiences. But learning about something is only as useful to you as being able to apply it in the real world. For people who are not currently investing, it’s like […]
Most people have a love-hate relationship with credit. We love that it’s easy, and always within reach. But we hate that it’s so easy to spend money we don’t necessarily have and that can get us into financial trouble. Understanding what credit is, how we can use it to our advantage, and what major mistakes […]
You may have heard that a high credit utilization rate hurts your credit score, but what does that mean? What exactly is a credit utilization rate? How much does it hurt your credit score? And what can you do about it? Your credit utilization rate, also referred to as your credit utilization ratio, refers to […]
Credit cards are like a power saw. Use them right and you can easily do things with much less effort than without. Use them wrong and you can (figuratively, for cards) cut off your fingers (ouch!!!). Here are the best and worst ways to use your credit cards, and how in some situations, one of […]
It’s inevitable. In every life a little rain must fall. I’m not talking about floods or a Noah’s ark-type deluge, but more like the kind of unexpected shower that really messes up your day. The kind that comes with an equally unexpected price tag. Like when your car makes a “funny” noise that ends up […]
Along with your cellphone provider… And insurance carrier… And doctor… And pharmacist… And gas station… Etc. Ah, Vacation! Getting away from it all may be more challenging during these scary pandemic times, but if anything, the stress and anxiety we all feel day in and day out make it even more crucial. The problem is […]
Credit card debt is no joke. First, there’s all the interest you have to pay, which drains your financial ability to buy things you need. Second, there’s the stress and anxiety as you spiral deeper and deeper into debt. Third, as I’ve written elsewhere (see graph), your credit score can drop by 250 points just […]
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) just released its annual report of the Private Education Loan Ombudsman, detailing statistics of complaints relating to student loans over the past two years (through August 2019) The report bases its findings on data from the CFPB’s Consumer Complaint Database. The database, typically updated daily, holds information on complaints […]
As recently reported by CreditCards.com, the state whose residents are best at managing their money is South Dakota, followed by Montana and a three-way tie between Wisconsin, Maine, and Vermont for 3rd place. This ranking places Texas, Maryland, and Washington DC at the bottom of the pile. As a Maryland resident, something smelled fishy here, […]