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Time flies. It wasn’t long ago when I was trying to figure out where Synchrony Bank came from since the firm came out with an online banking offering. Fast forward a few years and an IPO later, the company not only has a solid online savings product but they are also the largest private label credit card provider in the U.S. based on purchase volume and receivables.
Synchrony Financial grew out of GE Capital, the financial arm of General Electric. It used to be called GE Capital Bank but they rebranded themselves to Synchrony in 2014 to decouple from GE Capital’s battered image during the financial crisis. As a consumer though, none of this would matter all that much because after all, the CDs and savings accounts are FDIC insured up to the limit.
What really matters is how the bank performs on a day to day basis. Here’s my review. [ continue reading… ]
Student loan debt is second only to home loans as the highest form of consumer debt in the United States. That’s scary, especially if you’re a college student who’s just starting or only part-way through this expensive career-before-your-career.
Paying off college expenses as you go is the best way to avoid a massive pile of debt when you graduate, but that’s easier said than done, especially if you’re carrying a full-time course load. Taking classes and studying is enough work for anyone, even before taking on a full time or part time job.
Meanwhile, college surveys report that students spend 8 to 10 hours a day on the web. That’s a lot of (let’s face it – often wasted) time that could be used to earn money. Regardless of whether you spend too much time online, the point is that you’re online anyway – why not make money from it?
Here are four ways college students can earn extra money to keep on top of their student loans by doing what they do best – spending time on the web. [ continue reading… ]
Painting is a popular spring do-it-yourself project, especially since it’s one the easiest ways to refresh the appearance of your home. If you’re trying to sell, new paint can also improve your home’s appeal to potential buyers. Depending on the size of your project, primer, paint, and supplies can get expensive fast. To help you stay on budget, here are a few tips to help you choose paint, find good deals, and ultimately get the greatest return on the time and money you invest in your spring painting projects.
1. When choosing paint brands, compare key qualities.
There are scores of paint brands to choose from these days, ranging in price from $8 per gallon to more than $30. The price of some brands corresponds with their quality, but that’s not always the case. To choose the best paint for your project, you need to look at more than just the price tag. Here are five key qualities to look for:
Coverage: Many higher-end paints have built-in primers and get the job done in fewer coats than economy brands.
Stain resistance: Depending on what you’re painting, you may want to choose a paint with better stain resistance (for instance, high-traffic living areas).
Scrub resistance: Some paints dull when you scrub them, so if you’ll be using extra elbow grease on the walls, prioritize this quality.
Paint pros say acrylic latex paints are more resistant to the effects of temperature and moisture over time than oil-based alternatives.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the solvents paint releases into the air as it dries. A typical paint has about 150 grams of VOCs per liter; low-VOC paint has 50 g/l or less. If you’re concerned about paint fumes, this is something to pay attention to.
There were clues of Goldman Sachs’ intentions when they bought out GE Capital Bank, but now it’s official – the investment bank opens its doors to main street consumers with a Goldman Sachs branded online savings account offering. The yield is decent too.
For the veteran safe asset investors out there, Goldman Sachs’ offering is very familiar. The account is FDIC insured, meaning that up to $250,000 is safe for each individual and joint account; it’s a savings account with withdrawals limited to six a month; electronic transfers are usually done under ACH but you can also wire transfer in and out of the account etc etc.
For those here for the routing number, the Goldman Sachs Bank routing transit number (RTN) for ACH is 1240-8526-0. [ continue reading… ]
Most of us are prepared for costs like homeowner’s insurance, property taxes, and HOA dues. We can work these predictable expenses into our new housing budget as we begin to shop around and start the purchasing process. But what about the other things? Many who share their experience and advice learned the hard way that certain expenses crop up with surprising predictability the first year you own a new home. If you’re not prepared, these expenses could create a budgeting crisis, or even worse — a debt crisis.
Let’s look at 5 of these first-year homeowner expenses and how to prepare for them before and after you purchase your new home. [ continue reading… ]
It’s generally too late to take steps to qualify for new deductions and credits this year, but you can still make sure to include all the tax breaks that could help you if you haven’t filed your tax return yet. If you itemize, you probably already got the mortgage interest deduction and charitable contribution deduction. Above the line deductions like moving costs and student loan interest are also hard to miss.
But what about other potential breaks? Think back through your year, look through your bank statements and receipts, and see if you can find some of these tax breaks to help you reduce your bill. Here are five to consider: [ continue reading… ]
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