Category Archives: Debt
How Long Can a Debt Be Reported to Credit Bureaus?
Unpaid debts can put a dent in your credit score that can last for years. The type of negative item on your credit report – whether a late payment, bankruptcy or civil judgment – determines exactly how long the negative … Continue reading
How to Teach Your Teenager the Importance of Paying Taxes
While paying taxes might not be a fun thing to do, it is a fundamental requirement of living in the United States. The responsibility to pay even stretches to children and teenagers who earn enough to reach the Internal Revenue … Continue reading
Budgeting Tools for Paying Off Credit Cards
Personal budgets can help you pay off your credit cards faster by letting you see how much money you have coming in and where you’re spending it. Once you understand your income and outflow, you can build a plan that … Continue reading
Top Thoughts to Consider When Using Your Department Store Card
Department store credit cards can often have a misleading reputation for lowering your credit score. But as with many things in life it comes down to how you use them, so if you already have one, don’t rush to cancel … Continue reading
Ways to Reduce a Home Loan
If you’re like many homeowners, your largest monthly expense is probably your mortgage. So, saving a little on your mortgage over time could add up to real savings. One way to pay down your home loan faster is to make … Continue reading
How I Solved Over $25,000 in Personal Debts
Nothing weighs you down like debt. It makes it difficult to keep up with the big-ticket financial necessities like saving for retirement, purchasing a home, and setting up a college savings fund for your kids. If it’s there, though, you … Continue reading
Holiday Gift Ideas that Won’t Break the Bank
Before the lessons of the Great Recession, many Americans viewed big credit card bills in January as just one more necessary side-effect of the holidays. But, if you’ve rethought your spending and saving habits, you may no longer be comfortable … Continue reading
Black Friday: Best Buys and Don’t Buys for Holiday Deals
The day after Thanksgiving is commonly called “Black Friday” because it’s the day retailers often hit their sales goals for the year and are “in the black.” Sales abound throughout Black Friday weekend, and many take advantage of those promotions … Continue reading
Halt the Charge: How to Avoid Holiday Credit Card Debt
Gift-giving is part and parcel of the holiday season, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah or Kwanzaa. Credit card debt, however, doesn’t have to be a side effect of the holidays. It’s possible to share the spirit of the season through … Continue reading
Should You Finance or Pay Cash for Your New Car?
As the end of the year approaches, car dealers will be slashing prices and offering generous incentives to help move 2013 models off their lots before the 2014 models arrive. If you’re thinking about buying a new car, the last … Continue reading