A new year is an opportunity for a fresh start. From losing weight to starting a new hobby, there are a few resolutions that people frequently come back to again and again when determining what they want to change about their lives. Improved financial stability is another goal that we all seem to strive for consistently — but often fall short on.Only 19% of Americans have enough cash saved to
by Dana Sitar, CEPF®ContributorSoFi is the brainchild of a few Stanford University business students who initially wanted to tackle the student loan debt issue in this country by making it easier for borrowers to refinance student loans.Eventually, they expanded the company’s focus to include several financial products and services, including online banking through SoFi Money. Today, SoFi offers a lot of banking services with some great benefits. This SoFi Money
by Rachel Christian, CEPF®Senior WriterThirty years is a long time. If you’re chipping away at a mortgage each month, it can feel even longer.But what if you could eliminate that financial ball and chain by paying off your mortgage early?The truth is, if you can scrape together the equivalent of one extra payment to put toward your mortgage each year, you’ll take, on average, four to six years off your
by Catherine HilesContributor Quick Navigation What to Buy at Dollar Stores to Save Money for the Holidays Holiday Decorations Gifts for Kids Gifts for Adults Gift Wrap and Bags Holiday Greeting Cards Cleaning Supplies Disposable Bakeware Would you shop at a dollar store to save money during the holidays? It might sound tacky but you are missing out on some great deals if you pass up dollar store deals. This
Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorMy family constantly hustles my father for money. They cry and tell him they’ll pay him back, but never do. He has a very small pension and Social Security. We’re talking hundreds to thousands at a time. He always gives in, then gets irate when they won’t pay him back. This has happened over and over for many years. He knows they
by Kent McDill This week, the online-only banking institution Ally Bank announced that it will no longer charge overdraft fees to its customers. This is good news for their current or would-be customers who worry about bouncing a check or putting a charge on their debit card that they don’t have enough money for. Sure, we’re never supposed to do that but sometimes it happens and historically, when it does,
by Kari Faber Buying a house is expensive. Like, so expensive. Between down payments, taxes, insurance and more, getting your name on a deed likely costs more than anything else in your life.And while it no doubt will continue to be your biggest monthly payment, people are still overpaying just to have their own roof over their heads — sometimes by as much as $3,600 a year.But a website called
by Dave Schafer, Tyler OmothAs one of the largest financial institutions in the United States, Bank of America has a lot to offer. The range of personal and business account options is impressive, and the availability of bank branches makes it extremely convenient.BofA has had its share of controversies and its sheer size can sometimes make service inconsistent. In 2014, it was fined $16.65 billion for its role in the
by Dave Schafer As one of the largest banks in the world, Citibank has a lot to offer its customers — from useful online features to thousands of free ATMs. It’s also a global bank, with thousands of overseas branches to complement the 700+ in the United States. That gives Citi a definite edge over online banks that have no local presence at all.That said, Citibank falls short in a
by Danielle BraffContributorSo you’ve bought yourself some nice sheets. Maybe even dropped $100 on that fancy queen set.Those nice sheets need to be washed. Here’s the rub: Sometimes, when you wash those nice sheets, you ruin those nice sheets, and have to buy new nice sheets. Repeat the pattern.Want to break the pattern? We spoke with the experts about how to properly wash, dry and store your bed sheets to
