Medical bills have the potential to hurt your credit just like most other types of bills. Medical bills can wind up on your credit report even if you have health insurance, since insurance companies don’t always cover 100% of medical services. Medical service providers don’t drop a medical bill on your credit report right away. They typically give you a give you time to pay the bill in full or make a payment arrangement first. In...
It’s new, it’s shiny, and it has that new car smell. What more could you want? As tempting as it may be to purchase a new car, don’t go down this path until you’re 100 percent sure that it’s the right financial move. When shopping for a new car, it’s easy to pay attention to nothing more than the sticker price and the deal you negotiate. However, there are many other costs associated with this purchase,...
Before you decide to refinance your car loan, it’s important to determine if you’ll benefit as a result. If everything checks out in your favor, it’s time to contact three to five lenders to learn more about your options and the best way to proceed. If you’re on the fence, here are several benefits of refinancing: • Lower interest rate: This is one of the top reasons to refinance, as a lower rate saves you money...
Are you interested in taking on a home renovation project? From a new kitchen to finishing your basement, there’s no limit to what you can do with your home. However, there may be something holding you back: money. It’s easy to dream up the perfect home renovation project, but not quite as simple to turn it into reality. Fortunately, there are several ways to pay for a home renovation project, all of which you should consider....
As you review your budget, one category may stick out like a sore thumb: entertainment. While there’s nothing wrong with spending some money to have a good time, you don’t want to go over board. Doing so can wreak havoc on your finances, thus calling for a complete overhaul of your budget. So, this leads to an important question: how much should you spend on entertainment related expenses every month? There’s no right or wrong answer...
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently released its 2019 Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Annual Report which discusses trends in consumer debt collection complaints. The FDCPA is the federal law that dictates what third-party debt collectors are allowed to do when they’re collecting a debt. The CFPB receives complaints from consumers about financial services businesses, including collection agencies. After receiving a complaint, the bureau opens an investigation and attempts to work out a resolution between the...
Most credit cards come with a credit limit, which is the highest outstanding balance you’re allowed to have on your credit card. Your credit limit is based on a few factors: your credit score, your income, and the credit card itself. Spending all the way up to your credit limit is known as maxing out your credit card. Even though your credit card issuer allows you to spend all the way up to your credit limit,...
2019 is off to a fast start and hopefully the winter is over. Now that you are getting your taxes done for 2018, you may want to look at your financial picture for 2019. This is a great time to start boosting your savings and really focusing on your financial plan. Below are tips and helpful guidelines to help improve your savings in 2019. Please feel free to add any in the comments section below. Breakdown...
While 5-10 years ago most people had never heard of the term sharing economy or knew exactly what it meant. Fast forward to today, and the reality is very different. Our modern economy includes an economic model that includes a sharing economy. But what exactly does that mean? Below is a summary of what a sharing economy is and how it affects your everyday life. A sharing economy has many facets, but is a mode of...
Buying a car is supposed to be fun. Unfortunately, your good time can be spoiled if you run into challenges when searching for a loan. On the plus side, there are thousands of lenders across the country offering car loans. From small community banks to national lenders to credit unions, your options are nearly endless. With so many options, you must carefully consider the finer details of each lender and loan that’s available to you. Here...
