Finding Your Way Home
While a budget may seem restrictive and burdensome, in reality, it gives you control of your life and allows you to make proactive choices about your money. Bringing down your debt and living within your means enables you to feel good about your life again.
Overwhelmed about where to begin? Here’s a five-step plan from Lending Club to put you on the path to taking control of your finances. Even if you already have a budget in place, it’s a good idea to re-evaluate using these guidelines.
Leasing can be a smart way to test out a car for a few years without buying it. A lease can give you all of the latest technology and some time to determine if you like the car enough to buy it.
If you want to buy it before the lease expires, read the terms of the lease agreement to see if an early buyout costs extra, typically charged in finance fees. It may be worthwhile to wait until the lease ends.
To make sure you’re getting a good deal, research the different ways the car is valued. The f...
Don’t lose potential buyers due to any flaws or unsightliness on the exterior of your home. Use the tips below to wow people at the curb and get them in the door! The best part is, you don’t have to spend a fortune or break your back to boost your home’s curb appeal.
Apply a fresh coat of paint.
Exteriors can face some harsh conditions. Depending on your location, wind, rain, snow, intense sun, and extreme temperatures can take their toll. But a little paint is usually all it takes to have yo...
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), this country’s food supply is among the safest in the world. However, certain bacteria and pathogens can contaminate food and cause foodborne illness, commonly known as food poisoning.
Although most healthy people will quickly recover from a foodborne illness, some can develop chronic, severe or even life-threatening health problems. To keep your family safer from food poisoning, the FDA recommends following four simple steps: clean, sep...
If you pay your credit card bill in full each month and don’t pay interest, you’re using your credit wisely.
You’re not only getting a free 50-day loan through a credit card’s grace period, but you can get some of the best credit card rewards without having to pay the high interest rates that usually accompany the best rewards cards.
Low-interest credit cards can offer modest rewards. High-interest cards, however, usually offer higher rewards, such as more airline miles, points or cash back.
Th...
A late payment on a credit bill or other debt such as a mortgage can have a significant impact on your credit score. And the higher your credit score is to begin with, the more it can fall after a late payment.
Paying your bills on time is the best way to avoid this. If you don’t make your payments and your account is turned over to a collections agency, you won’t be able to get that account current again. Late payments can stay on a credit report for seven years.
Before it gets to that point,...
Food is a major expense in any household, and for those on a tight budget, a few dollars saved can make a big difference. ChooseMyPlate.gov offers 10 tips based on planning and smart shopping to help you feed your family while keeping more money in your wallet.
1. Plan, plan, plan. Before you head to the grocery store, plan your meals for the week. Include meals like stews, casseroles or stir fries, which “stretch” expensive items into more portions. Check to see what foods you already have, an...
