I love to travel. Whether it’s for work or pleasure (or a little of both), I love to see the sights, visit a few touristy places, sample the local fare, and meet-or make-local friends. The only downside? Travel can be expensive. Plane tickets or transportation, hotels, meals on the go, souvenirs– it all adds up, […]
How to Establish Good Credit
Good credit is the key to borrowing smart. It allows you to secure lower interest rates on a mortgage or auto loan, it gives you a larger pool of funds to borrow against for larger purchases or remodels, and can even help when you’re looking for a new job. Why does credit history matter? When […]
Use Membership Rewards for Holiday Shopping
One of the best savvy money tips my parents taught me was to take advantage of membership rewards. Using your credit card to get rewards like a new tv or plane tickets is a smart way to make your dollar stretch farther. Who doesn’t like the idea of being rewarded for buying what you need? […]
New Year, New Budget, New Attitude
Starting 2012 on the right financial foot is a resolution many people share. We’re only a few weeks into the new year and you may already feel defeated, but it’s not too late to get organized, and turn 2012 into the year you become a money ninja. One of my resolutions was to spend more […]
Credit Scores and Credit Reports: What, why and where?
Unless your last name is Rockefeller it’s likely credit is a necessary evil in your arsenal of personal finance. Even if you’ve dedicated yourself to a cash only existence, credit scores can still effect your life. For instance, did you know credit scores are commonly used by Human Resources departments? If you’re up to your […]
Why Use A Credit Card?
Despite the fact that we are still digging our way out of debt (we’re down 17%!), we recently started using a credit card for our everyday purchases. I’ve always been a big believer in using my debit card AS a credit card. Especially since our bank charges a $1 fee after you make more than […]
Credit Score, More Important than Ever
We all know that the days of easy credit are long gone. Lately I’ve been reading about more and more people losing their lines of credit, having limits cut, or interest rates raised. Learn more: Credit Guide: Everything You Need To Know About Credit When Chase unexpectedly increased our rate, we took action. You can […]