When people are struggling to rebuild their credit, a secured card can offer them the opportunity to qualify for a credit card and establish a positive credit history. Unfortunately, secured cards also have several drawbacks compared with standard credit cards. For example, secured cards always require a refundable deposit that is held by the card issuer,… Read More

The seesawing housing market continues to defy economists and expectations. Pending home sales dipped in June after a string of strong months, catching many by surprise. Mortgage rates are sinking back down near historic lows. Home prices are on the rise, but inventory is still tight in some communities. In short, it’s a tough time… Read More

In many states, once you miss a payment on an auto loan, your creditor can repossess the vehicle at any time. Your loan agreement will state what constitutes default, but in general, you are risking repossession once your payment is more than 30 days past due, which is a chance you don’t want to take,… Read More

Talk about Christmas in July. Carrie Rocha has already started her holiday shopping. “A few weeks back I picked up a $60 toy for $4, and, truth be told, I picked up a whole lot more than that,” she wrote in an email. “I spent about $80 total and got $350+ in toys.” If you… Read More

Meaningful experiences shape our views of the world and diversify the way we think. Whether studying at a community college or attending an out-of-state university, the college years are a time to explore, experience different things and meet new people. The world we live in is changing and it is vital that today’s students are… Read More

A reader recently asked if his son could be held responsible for paying for car parts that a repair shop ordered after his son visited their shop for an estimate, which he received. …they went ahead and ordered the parts, but he went another route to fix the vehicle and doesn’t need the parts now…. Read More

There’s apparently a new Facebook scam that would probably make you feel like a huge idiot if you fell for it. It’s more embarrassing than anything else, because it involves you attempting to hack someone else’s account, when really, all you do is give scammers access to yours. Instead of breaking into your friend or… Read More

Cats are generally low-maintenance: feed them, pet them (when they want you to!), and clean their litter boxes, and they are often happy. But like any pet, they can get sick or suffer accidents that can quickly result in large medical bills that could put your credit in jeopardy. Here are three stories of owners… Read More

A global report shows that people are more prepared for retirement this year than they were in 2013 and 2012, but that relative improvement doesn’t mean much when you look at the details. A survey of 16,000 employees in 15 countries puts average retirement preparedness at 5.8 on a 10-point scale — anything below 6… Read More

Are you one of the millions of homeowners who short-sold a house in the last few years? If yes, starting Aug. 16, you’ll have to wait a little while longer for your second chance at homeownership. Short-selling a property is selling a home for less than what’s owed, pure and simple. The reason it’s called… Read More