It’s possible you’ve noticed, but in case you haven’t, let me just say, I really love talking about personal finance. So much so that I volunteer for two organizations as a financial education counselor. This past Saturday, I taught a two-hour course titled Know Your Credit Report. It’s one class in a 5-part series on [...]
Why Paying Off Student Loan Debt Makes No Sense and Why I Did It
November 16, 2009 By 16 Comments
There was a time I swore I’d never pay off student loan debt a second sooner than required. Why would I do something dumb like that? There were so many benefits to keeping it around until 2020. By paying off my student loan, I’d avoid 2.625% of interest on the outstanding balance each year. That’s [...]
4 Reasons You Should Never Cosign A Loan
August 19, 2009 By 32 Comments
Picture it. On a blistering cold evening in the winter of 2005, I received a frantic phone call from a family member whose loan application had just been denied. To protect the indigent, let’s refer to this family member as Larissa. Unable to obtain law school financing [...]
8 DIY Strategies to Boost Your Credit Score
June 24, 2009 By 3 Comments
Request a free copy of your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you have a right to receive a free copy of your credit report once a year from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. AnnualCreditReport.com doesn’t provide a FICO score with your [...]
5 Tips to Stay Motivated and Get Out of Debt
June 16, 2009 By 11 Comments
Like losing weight, getting out of debt can be a long and toilsome process. However, piling on debt is easier than piling on the pounds. There aren’t any quick and easy fixes, so I’ve listed 5 tips that will help you stay motivated while you climb your way out of debt.
The Case for Frugality
May 28, 2009 By 25 Comments
6 Simple Ways to Outsmart the Credit Card Companies
May 23, 2009 By 3 Comments
During my never ending quest for knowledge, I stumbled upon an audio book at my local library by Kevin Trudeau titled Debt Cures “They” Don’t Want You to Know About. The “they” Mr. Trudeau refers to is the consumer lending industry. I’m all for Americans gaining their financial independence and getting out of all kinds [...]
