When you start repaying a student loan, it’s a bit of a buzzkill to see a large chunk of money come out of your bank account. Month after month, you kiss that $350 goodbye (or whatever your regular payment is), trying not to think about everything else you could’ve used it for. Eventually, you get... Read More

About half of all Americans use their credit cards strictly as a method of payment, avoiding interest charges by paying each statement balance in full. The other half will frequently (or always) carry a balance on their credit cards. And while most credit card users will tell themselves that they have their debt under control,... Read More

Halloween spending expectations are soaring higher than a witch’s broomstick this year. After a long summer and heightened consumer confidence, total spending for the spooky season is expected to reach a record $8.4 billion, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey. This is the highest amount in the survey’s 11-year history. More than 171 million... Read More

Marriott International has officially completed the acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, the hotel chain announced in a press release on Friday. This makes Marriott the largest hotel company in the world. If you are a member of the Marriott Rewards program — which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards — or Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG)... Read More

We’ve all been there. You go out, have a nice meal … only to realize a few weeks later or so that your friend hasn’t paid back the $20 you lent her when you went out. What should you do? Facebook Messenger may have a solution. This week, the social network introduced a feature on its Messenger App called chat... Read More

If you take a look at your spending, are you really being as smart as possible? It may seem like it at first glance, but if you really sit down and think about it, you may be actually making mistakes with your finances and not even realize it. This can mean you’re overspending or missing opportunities... Read More

One of the nice (and most dangerous) things about credit cards is the financial flexibility it gives you to buy things now and pay for them later. But because you’re using the bank’s money to make a purchase, do you actually own what you buy with a credit card if you haven’t paid your bill... Read More

Q. What is the proper wait time to give the insurance to answer your rain damage to your home? — Insured A. It sounds as though water from a storm has entered and damaged your home and/or property. We’re sorry to hear you’ve got a mess to clean up. The timing answer isn’t simple because... Read More

Getting your paperwork together for a mortgage application can seem like an endless process. Your lenders need to document every bit of income you have in order to build a case that you can repay the loan. Even those monetary gifts from grandma seem to get inspected under a microscope. And, after it’s all complete, you... Read More

You may have heard that age impacts your credit, leading you to believe you’re born with a credit score. While it is true that age is a factor, it isn’t your age — it’s actually the age of your accounts that affects your credit scores. So, no, you aren’t born with credit scores (and may... Read More