Prepaying Your Mortgage- Is It a Good Idea?
Is it a good idea to prepay your mortgage? Mortgage prepayment is a topic that financial experts often don’t agree on. Many financial advisors say that you can get a better return on your money…
Mary Tomkins
Mary Tomkins is a freelance writer located in Spartanburg, SC, with emphasis on economic news and research on the financial industry.
U.S. Government Takes Charge of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson announced on Sunday that the government will take charge of the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), commonly known as Fannie Mae, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), commonly know…
TransUnion Offers Settlement on Class-Action Lawsuit
The years of unsolicited junk-mail you’ve received from credit card issuers and loan companies may have finally paid off. Millions of American consumers could be awarded free credit monitoring services from TransUnion, one of the…
Gas Prices Drop for the 7th Week in a Row
More relief for drivers in the U.S., gas prices are dipping lower for the 7th week in a row. The average price for gas in the U.S. is $3.67 a gallon for regular unleaded. Crude…
Avoiding Overdrafts and Bounced Check Fees
A Lesson Learned Overdrafts and bounced checks can be extremely costly, severely punishing a consumer for a simple mistake in record-keeping. I clearly remember the first time I bounced a check, and it ended up…
Watch Out for Foreclosure Rescue Fraud
Record numbers of foreclosures in the U.S. have presented scam artists with an opportunity to take advantage of desperate homeowners when they’re already down. The Federal Trade Commission issued a warning to consumers about crooks…
The Debt Snowball
Paying off debt is a concern for many consumers, and there are different opinions on the best way to go about doing it. Mathematically, it makes more sense to first pay off the debts that…
The Emotional Relationship with Money
Money management should be a simple task. It’s all mathematics; such a clear-cut approach should guarantee success. But, no, it’s not that simple. Throw some human emotion into the formula, and you often have, well,…
Your Credit Utilization Ratio
Credit utilization ratio – a significant factor in your credit score Most consumers who keep a close eye on their credit score know exactly what a credit utilization ratio is; it’s the percentage of your…
Inflation Picks Up the Pace
Inflation rates in the U.S. have risen faster than economists have predicted. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose…