Almost 50% of people working in the US earn income as freelancers, independent contractors, and small business owners. If you count yourself among this group of hard-working Americans, you likely know it can be difficult to borrow money from a local bank that prefers to see a pay stub and steady income provided by a […]
Unexpected bank fees can come as a shock, especially if you don’t have much money to start with. And, of course, those with less money are actually more likely to find a bank charge they weren’t prepared for on their statement. Here are a few common bank charges, and how to avoid them. Minimum balance […]
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 […]
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 […]
Earlier this year I wrote an article comparing the costs of renting versus owning a house, and it quickly became one of my more popular articles on Medium. Since then I’ve also completed my Mortgage Salesperson exam, am currently in the process of getting my mortgage license, and recently renewed my mortgage. I’m in a […]
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 […]
If you follow such personal finance gurus as Suze Orman, Dave Ramsey, and many others, you’ve heard them tell you repeatedly to pay down your home mortgage as quickly as possible. Whether by making an extra payment each year, or by adding extra money to each payment, they want you out of that debt as […]