Remaining deeply in debt can prevent you from taking advantage of opportunities such as home ownership or employment. Read More

Silently, secretly, your money disappears under some hideous voodoo spell, right? No way. Take a look at some ways you're flushing your cash down the loo -- and what you can do about it. Do you ever feel like there's a leak in your bank account? It's like the sound of water dripping, a tiny crack through which a slow stream... Read More

If you're considering applying for a personal loan and using your home to guarantee repayment, you should know that a federal credit law gives you three days to reconsider a signed credit agreement and cancel the deal without penalty. Your "right to rescind" or "right to cancel" is guaranteed by the Truth In Lending Act. You can rescind for any... Read More

There are two types of bankruptcy available to most people. If you file Chapter 13 , you may keep a mortgaged house or car. Rather than surrender property, you may pay off your debts over three to five years. Filing bankruptcy under Chapter 7 requires you to surrender all assets that are not exempt in your state. Exempt property may include... Read More

If you’ve never been on a budget in your life, it’s time to start. Everyone can benefit from more structured finances, especially if you find yourself without much money after you’ve paid your bills. Here are 10 great reasons why budgeting is good for you. It helps you reach your financial goals and provides direction. Budgeting is a good... Read More

Many Americans are caught in the cycle of overspending, using credit cards, and, simply put, living paycheck to paycheck without saving any money to secure their future. Everyone has their reasons for living this way, from the “I want it now” culture that we live in, to not knowing how to make a budget. No matter what your income, creating... Read More

Rising debt, delinquencies, tapped-out equity: ominous signs of a credit system that is seriously out of whack. Here’s your best insurance against the day when dollars are scarce and credit is tight. First it was the stock market bubble. Then the housing bubble. Now concern is growing about what may, in fact, be the ultimate bubble: consumer debt. Americans have piled on... Read More

A debt consolidation loan is the traditional way to handle your debt in a monthly payment. You go to a bank or credit union for a debt consolidation loan to pay off your creditors, and your debts are rolled into one monthly payment. You pay the bank back and the single monthly payment works better within your budget. However, the... Read More

I’ve committed to squeezing my flabby money habits into that new skin-tight budget. Oh brother! Wearing this thing is a bit painful. Here’s how I did it. Creating a budget after 36 years of living without one is like finding that perfect pair of jeans. You try them on in the store, and you cannot believe how great those jeans make... Read More

Credit card bills can quickly get out of hand. The interest rates on credit cards are extremely high, and users can find themselves drowning in debt before they realize what’s happening. Credit card debt consolidation is one of the best ways to quickly pay off credit cards and find relief from excessive debt. Uncontrollable and heavy credit card debt can... Read More