A few months ago, my wife and I refinanced our mortgage. During the process, our bank informed us that our interest rate would be increased by an eighth of a percentage point, because my credit score was just under the 710 required for their best rate. It’s well known that people with less than sparkling […]
It’s March, and even though much of the Midwest is still engulfed in the icy grip of the Polar Vortex, there are signs that spring is right around the corner. Just as the increasing hours of warmth and sunshine motivate us to eliminate the dust and clutter from our homes, spring cleaning our finances is […]
I started working from home full time in October of last year. Now when I tell people what I do, I’m often the recipient of blank stares, followed by questions of “How can I work from home?” The work I do now consists of writing, blogging, and virtual assisting. But before I stumbled upon this […]
Few things can strike dread into the heart of the average American like tax season. Considering the complexity of filing taxes — and the potentially high stakes for making a mistake — it’s no wonder that anywhere from 20% to 25% of taxpayers wait until the two weeks before April 15 to prepare and file […]
A common misconception about marriage is, that in addition to uniting two lives together, it also combines two credit scores. In actuality, your credit score is yours alone — no matter your marital status. That’s because your credit rating is an assessment of your individual creditworthiness, and the credit bureaus base that assessment on your […]
One of the pleasures of celebrating the New Year is making resolutions. Having a fresh calendar offers the opportunity to turn over a new leaf and make this the year you finally become the person you want to be. Unfortunately, a 2007 study revealed that 88% of New Year’s resolutions fail — and according to […]
