My daughter recently turned 15, and one of the first things she did on her birthday was to take an online test required to get her learner’s permit. She passed, and now she’s driving. I don’t have to lecture her on safe driving habits; she’s been doing that to me for years. And she’s more… Read More

After Santa delivers the latest and greatest electronic gizmos, expect scammers to try for their own leave-behind — malware that can lead to identity theft. Recent research indicates that mobile malware threats are on the rise, with a 26% jump between July and September compared to the previous three months. So while lucky recipients may… Read More

The days of working for the same company for 40 years are long past. Our parents and grandparents might have showed that kind of loyalty, but it’s unlikely that today’s young workers will work for the same company their entire careers. There are many good reasons for job-hopping, just make sure you keep in mind the… Read More

Cyber Monday spending went way up this year, with online spending jumping 18% from last year to $1.74 billion. That total includes purchases made on computers, not mobile devices, but it represents the most online spending recorded for a single day, according to data released by analytics company comScore. Last year, Cyber Monday sales totaled $1.47 billion. Nearly… Read More

Most of us have a basic understanding of what goes into buying a home. After saving enough for a down payment and getting pre-approved for a mortgage you can start your home search and make an offer once you’re ready. But before you ever set foot in that new house of yours, there are going… Read More

Wanting or needing credit isn’t always as simple as filling out an application. Even college students, who have a lot of financial services marketed to them, may face obstacles when trying to get a credit card. Why? A lot of it comes down to their credit history — or lack thereof. The length of your credit history has… Read More

Customer service representatives shouldn’t be too surprised to hear salty language if they are dealing with Ohio residents. Buckeyes were most likely to drop curse words into customer phone calls with a variety of businesses, according to data from the Marchex Institute, and Ohio was also among the least courteous states. The report was released… Read More

Recently I had the opportunity to interview Tom Quinn on my weekly podcast.  Tom is the credit expert for Fair Isaac Corporation, the creator of the FICO credit score, and he also is a former contributor to Credit.com. There are few people who know more about FICO scores than Tom. The interview yielded a number… Read More

Most major U.S. cities battle over who has the better sports team, the best atmosphere, the superior food and so on. When it comes to personal finances, Boston has some bragging rights. Boston metro-area residents possessed the highest average credit score when compared to some the largest metro areas in the country, according to a… Read More

How much would you pay to secure your personal information from data farmers and marketers – and anyone that might be able to hack their servers? $100? $1,000? More? What if I told you that you gave it to them for $5 off your next $100 purchase? Because every time you gave your ZIP code… Read More