Is it just us, or does it seem that America, in general, is addicted to debt? Just call us the credit nation, from the highest levels of government all the way down to Main Street USA. America and Americans are obsessed with credit and rely on debt every day. Even as the nation and its […]
Paying off Debt: Highest Interest or Smallest Amount?
You’ve got a little extra money and want to destroy some debt. But which should you pay off first – the smallest debt, or the one with the highest interest rate? Questions or comments? We’d love to hear from you. Just click the “comment” link below to sound off.
Skip a Payment, Inflate Your Debt
If you have a car loan through your bank, an offer to skip a payment might seem like a godsend. But is it? Have you gotten offers like this one? Did you skip a payment? Would you skip a payment now that you know how much it’s really costing you to do it? We’d love […]
8 Keys to Financial Security
Looking for financial security in these down times? Knight Kiplinger shares fundamental lessons for building and maintaining a sense of financial security in your life. If you have questions or comments about this, or any other story on our site, please use the comment link to ask us what’s on your mind. We’ll get back […]
3 Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund
We’ve all been guilty of it – we get a big tax refund check and run out to buy that big-screen plasma television we’ve been wanting, or take a trip to Mexico, or that new sofa you’ve been dreaming of adding to your sun room. Spending your tax refund check this way is one of […]
Household Worth Up: A Positive for the Mortgage Market
Americans are beginning to gain ground against the worst recession in recent history as more and more economic indicators point to recovery. A new study from the Federal Reserve says household net worth in the U.S. soared $2.1 trillion during the last three months of 2010. Gregory Daco, U.S. senior economist for the research firm […]
Bankruptcy Filings Ticked Up Last Month
Consumer bankruptcy filings ticked up in February, but so far the rise has slowed from 2010. The number of personal bankruptcy filings rose 11% to 102,686 in February compared to a month earlier, the American Bankruptcy Institute and the National Bankruptcy Research Center reported recently. “Though consumers are striving to reduce their debt burden, high […]
Debt Consolidation for People With Bad Credit
Debt consolidation is getting more popular as more people are struggling with finances. If you want to get onboard, but you have bad credit, there may be some help available. Finance companies are under pressure to find new ways to get customers. Early in 2011, at least two of them, Wells Fargo and Citibank, announced […]
Resolutions 2011 – Paying Off Debt
Did you resolve to get in better shape financially this year? One way to do it is to shed some of that unsightly debt. Have any other “Reduct the Debt” tips for our readers? We’d love to hear your ideas. Just click the “comment” link below and tell us your plans…
Why Credit Counseling Often Fails
MSN Money columnist Liz Pulliam Weston recently wrote an interesting column about the high failure rate in the credit counseling business. It turns out that most people who sign up for credit card counseling, even if they’re working with a legitimate counselor licensed by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, fail to pay down their […]