How to Budget When Having a Baby
May 22, 2013
Becoming a parent for the first time is thrilling and terrifying on several fronts, not the least of which is budgeting. You know having a baby is going to cost you dearly in the wallet, but how much? Should you set aside $50 per month for diapers and other regular expenses? Should you anticipate dropping [...]
Dwolla Review: A PayPal Alternative?
February 21, 2013
Have you ever been ripped off by eBay or PayPal? Or simply tried to resolve an issue after using one of their services? For many the experience is a nightmare that results in account freezes, lost funds, or outright fraud that results in you shipping an item and never being paid for it. Even if [...]
6 Things You Can Learn From Your 401(k) Statement
February 20, 2013
Your 401(k) statement is an incredibly useful document that can be confusing when you first look at it. It is several pages long, is full of tiny print, and has percentages and basic charts on it. If you take the time to look at it before you file it away with the rest of your [...]
3 Things You Can Learn from Your Credit Report
January 22, 2013
Reviewing your credit report every few months is an easy way to combat identity theft. Identity theft is a profitable form of crime because once you have someone’s personal information you can open up credit lines in their name and use those lines to buy items that you never intend to pay for. (Just make [...]
3 Things You Can Learn from Your Credit Card Bill
January 21, 2013
Your credit card spending says a lot about you; it might even say things that you don’t even realize. There are many things you can learn from your credit card bill. Which ones can have the biggest financial impact on your life? Gain Insights from Your Credit Card Statement Of course your credit card bill [...]
How to Save Money on Your Data Plan
December 24, 2012
Smartphones and tablets have taken consumers by storm. You can be constantly connected with slick apps to thousands of different services wherever you have a cell phone signal. There’s only one problem: all of that connectivity uses a lot of cell phone data, and cell phone data is not cheap. With cell phone bills rising [...]
4 Ways to Buy Discounted Gift Cards
December 20, 2012
Sometimes you just aren’t sure what the right gift to get someone is, so you opt for the gift card. Although sometimes seen as a social faux paux, gift cards are also rated very highly as gifts to receive. It is, of course, much easier to shop for yourself than to hope someone else gets [...]
Discover Bank Online Savings Account Overview
November 16, 2012
Discover, the credit card and financing company, is best known for its credit card accounts and cash back programs. What you may not know is Discover also has a retail banking division that offers several options for consumers. Similar to Other Online Banks Discover Bank is an online only bank similar to other population options [...]
How to Use Lending Club to Pay Off Debt
November 15, 2012
If you’ve dug yourself into a hole in regards to your debt burden it can sometimes be impossible to dig out without filing bankruptcy. The minimum payments, late fees, and interest charges continue to rise to a point that you simply can’t earn enough money in a given month to pay everyone. Your credit score [...]
What is a Good Debt to Income Ratio?
November 13, 2012
A common question amongst potential home buyers is what a good debt to income ratio for the loan underwriting process. As important as this question is for home buyers (or those looking to refinance their loans) it isn’t just for this group of people. Everyone should know what a good debt to income ratio is [...]
