Student debt has officially gotten out of control. I was reading some interesting articles this weekend on student debt and I thought I would share some of the highlights. I am also not providing any kind of solution, but this has to be addressed. It may be too late, but the numbers below are just staggering! Student loan debt is now the second highest consumer debt category. Student debt is only behind mortgage debt, and it...
I would say I read a fintech type article everyday now. Fintech companies have exploded into the mainstream over the last 10+ years. However, many people may not exactly know what ”fintech” is, so I put together a very simple summary. Please feel free to ask any follow up questions in the comments section below. FinTech or financial technology really describes the intersection of financial services and technology. Most of the time it refers to start...
The holiday season has officially started. The holiday season can bring very happy moments in your life and you should celebrate the season with family and friends. However the holiday season brings obvious expenses that can put stress into your life, especially if you haven’t budgeted for them. Below are several ways to save money during the holiday season and you can instead focus on bringing joy into your life. Make a budget: A holiday budget...
Any time you make an application that requires a credit check, an inquiry is added to your credit report. These inquiries are factored into your credit score for the next 12 months, which means each application has the potential to hurt your credit score for up to a year. Inquiries vs. Other Credit Score Factors Inquiries only make up a small percentage of your credit score - 10 percent to be exact, so you probably...
Getting out of debt is nowhere as easy as it is getting into debt. Many people start out their debt journey by putting a little bit of extra toward all their debts. Even though you may be spending putting a lot of money toward your overall balance, you may not see much progress. That’s discouraging. Having the right debt payoff strategy is essential if you want to be effective in paying off your debt, even if you...
When you apply for a travel rewards credit card, you hope to use it to your advantage for many years to come. While there’s a good chance of this happening, you never know what will change in the future. There are several times when it makes sense to find a new travel rewards credit card, including the following situations: • Terms and conditions have changed. You don’t see it coming, but your issuer decides to alter...
With hundreds of rewards credit cards to choose from, it can be both easy and difficult to make a final decision. On the surface, it appears that a variety of offers will allow you to find a credit card that suits your every want and need. While this is true, you’ll have to sift through all of them to find exactly what you’re looking for. The easiest way to choose the right rewards credit card is...
As we move toward the end of the year, there’s no better time to review your budget with an idea of making changes for the better. By focusing on the right budgeting questions, you can adjust your approach to ensure more success in 2019. While there are many questions to answer, these three are among the most important: • Will your income remain the same in the new year? You may not know the answer just...
The perks on premium rewards credit cards look great, but the high annual fee causes many people to run the other way. The annual fee on a premium rewards credit card can be as high as $550 and unlike many other types of credit cards, the annual fee isn’t waived in the first year. That means you have to start paying for the credit card right away. In some cases, what looks like a steep credit...
As I creep into my 30s (I won’t tell you my exact age!), I think it is even more important to stay on top of your personal finances. As you move into your 40s and 50s, you will likely have less flexibility, so it is really important to take some important financial strides in your 30s. Below are personal finance tips for your 30s! Please let me know if anyone else has anything to add! Pay...
