What is Travel Insurance? Do You Need It?

travel insurance

One of my favorite things to do is travel. One of the realities of travel, however, is that it can be uncertain. There are a number of things that can interrupt your trip. Whether it’s an illness, the death of a loved one, a car accident or bad weather at your destination, you never know […]

Which Debts Should You Pay Off First?

Which debt should I pay first

One of the questions that many consumers ask as they wrestle with the realities of debt repayment is which debt to tackle first. There are different schools of thought, with some insisting that you start with the debt that has the lowest balance, and others insisting that you rank your debts in order of highest […]

Want Good Credit? Pay Your Bills On Time

Paying bills on time

By now, there are few consumers who don’t realize how important good credit is. Most people know that they need to have good credit. What’s in a credit report can influence money-related decisions from whether or not you get a loan to whether or not you are hired for a job. Your credit is so […]

How to Negotiate with Your Credit Card Issuer

negotiate with your credit card issuer

Do you wish you had a lower interest rate on your credit card? What if you don’t want to pay an annual fee? Just because the credit card issuer says that something is part of the terms doesn’t mean that it has to be for you. A couple of years ago, I was able to […]

Are You Actually Losing Money with Your CDs?

cd rates vs inflation

In times of economic and stock market turmoil, many investors look for ways to increase the safety of their investments. Looking for investments that are likely to provide safety, rather than high returns, become the priority when people are worried about what’s coming in the economy. Cash becomes preferred during times like this. As a […]

Are You Happy with Your Checking Account?

happy with your checking account

Recently, it seems as though banks are trying their best to squeeze as much money as they can out of consumers. Fees continue to head higher, and account minimums are imposed. In fact, we’ve heard a lot about the demise of the free checking account, and how consumers are a little unhappy about the current […]

Creating Short Term Savings Goals

short term savings goals

Often, when we think about saving, we think about our long term goals. We know that we are supposed to be setting money aside for retirement, and even for emergencies. However, many consumers don’t realize that they can save for short term goals as well. Just like any other savings goal requires planning, short term […]

How to Invest When You Have a Small Amount of Money

one dollar coin

One of the things I hear a lot is, “But I don’t have enough money to start investing”. Even after the Internet revolution has democratized investing to the point where almost anyone can start investing online, the myth that you need to have a large chunk of capital to start investing persists. The reality is […]

Are You Ready for the Obamacare Individual Mandate?

individual mandate health reform

Starting in 2014, the individual mandate provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), known as “Obamacare”, goes into effect. If you don’t have insurance coverage right now, you might be required to get it — or pay a fine. What is the Individual Mandate? Under the PPACA, the individual mandate requires that […]

What is Debt Settlement? And Does It Really Work?

debt settlement works

You’ve probably heard commercials on the radio, or seen ads on the Internet: You can get rid of your debt, paying just pennies on the dollar for what you owe. These types of offers are typically the result of debt settlement efforts. In some cases, the promises are true; there are some companies that can […]

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