Staff Writer
Bill Fay
Bill “No Pay” Fay has lived a meager financial existence his entire life. He started writing/bragging about it seven years ago, helping birth Debt.org into existence as the site’s original “Frugal Man.” Prior to that, he spent more than 30 years covering college and professional sports, which are the fantasy worlds of finance. His work has been published by the Associated Press, New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Sports Illustrated and Sporting News, among others. His interest in sports has waned some, but his interest in never reaching for his wallet is as passionate as ever. Bill can be reached at bfay@debt.org.
1099 forms are federal income tax information forms from businesses and other institutions to document certain financial transactions conducted during a tax year. The forms are filed with the U.S.…
The state of New York is ready and willing to help first-time homebuyers who want to fulfill that part of the America dream. If home ownership seems out of reach,…
The time is rapidly approaching for American consumers to review the “accommodations” they received from government and businesses when the coronavirus pandemic hit in February of 2020 and determine if…
We help you build financial strength How Debt Settlement Works Step 1 The first step is deciding whether to hire a debt settlement company or lawyer to negotiate a settlement.…
Just as there is no such thing as a free lunch, there’s really no such thing as refinancing a mortgage for free, no matter how appealing a no-closing-costs refi may…
Talking to a credit counselor is probably the last thing on your mind when you’re shopping for a home. The list of people you already have to speak to —…
The reality is about half of all marriages end in divorce, a shattering experience that forces partners to divide assets and debt. Things can get really complicated, especially when mortgage…
There’s a lot to think about when buying a house. Deciding between a 15- or 30-year-mortgage may not seem like something you want to use a lot of mental energy…
The United States operates under a progressive tax code, which means — all things being equal — the more you earn, the more income taxes you owe. (Exceptions apply; we’ll…
Even if you weren’t a fan of the hit TV comedy “The Office,” you may sympathize with its main character, office manager Michael Scott, whose financial difficulties and general cluelessness…
More than 50 million people depend on Social Security benefits for part or all of their income during retirement. Although most working Americans do not plan on funding their retirements…
Choose Your Debt Amount Consolidate Debt in Minutes Menu More on Settlement Consolidation Non-Profit Debt Consolidation Online Debt Consolidation Companies Best Debt Consolidation Options How to Consolidate Debt On Your…
Debt.org compiled information on six of the top debt consolidation companies in the United States and reviewed them based on services, fees, reviews from the Better Business Bureau and complaint…
You can get a mortgage with bad credit. Just ask Scott and Sally Champion, 30-somethings in Dallas, who set a goal of becoming homeowners no later than five years after…
Differences in Services & Costs The debate over receiving treatment at a hospital emergency room versus treatment from an urgent care center is worth having for anyone concerned about medical debt,…
Ah, the credit card. Easy to get, lovely to hold, and for those hardwired to instant gratification, absolutely fabulous to use. In fact, now that the Great Recession is a mostly…
If you use a wallet full of credit cards, ring up debts on most of them, struggle every month to make even minimum payments – and have grown tired of…
The spirited revival of the housing market over the last decade has re-opened the door for consumers to use home equity as their bailout tool for high-interest debt – the…
COBRA stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. While that may not sound like it has anything to do with health insurance, it’s actually a federal law designed to…
You don’t have to be drowning in debt to know what it describes: someone floundering in the deep end of the financial pool who’s about to go under if (s)he…
People with bad credit used to despair about their chances of getting a loan, but those days may be over. The marketplace for lending is so crowded with opportunities that…
Interest rates are going up, so it’s time to seriously consider refinancing your home loan. Or if you want to buy a house, it would be wise to seriously consider…
As the cost of college skyrockets, students are searching for ways to cut expenses. A good place to look is on their dinner plates. Food expenses can wreck a budget…
The decision to get yourself out of debt is a life changer, if you are willing to make the necessary commitment that goes with that. You can learn how to get out of debt and how…
The holiday season ended months ago, but it is far from a distant memory for millions of credit card holders, who are still paying for it. American consumers spent a…
Millions of Americans are getting buried in debt, literally. A shocking number are dying with unpaid mortgages, car loans, student loans and credit cards. It’s shocking in the sense that…
American consumers owe a record $1.023-trillion in revolving credit – mostly through credit-card debt – and with interest rates expected to rise in 2018, financial experts predict the problem will…
If you’re one of the millions of Americans for whom payday can’t come soon enough, technology is catching up with your dreams. Uber, McDonald’s and Outback Steakhouse are among a…
Most Americans will face a nice little dilemma in 2018. Thanks to tax cuts, we are going to take home more of our paycheck. But what should we do with…
Military veterans are more likely to suffer through credit problems, underwater mortgages and late house payments than the civilian population. Those are some of the findings from a 2017 analysis…
Would you like to save an extra $1,000 in 2018? Maybe you should eliminate that latte on the way to work. How about earning an extra $3,000? That can easily…
The recent data breach at Equifax, one of the three major credit reporting bureaus, has created an uncomfortable situation for the more than 145 million American consumers whose personal information…
When it comes to reducing expenses, a lot of people are like Darwin’s Ape. That’s a famous sculpture of an ape sitting on a stack of books and holding a…
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which prides itself on being the watchdog for U.S. consumers, has been snarling at America’s three major credit bureaus for a while and finally decided…
Debt collectors frequently use threats to extract payment from the more than 70 million consumers who fall behind on their bills, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports in a new…
As the temperature outside drops, your utility bill is on the rise. We get it. It’s cold outside and you want to keep warm and cozy inside, but before you…
How you treat your monthly credit card bill might reveal as much about your personality as when you scream when under pressure or offer a seat on the bus to…
When Ryan Dwyer received his undergraduate history degree from the University of South Florida in 2016, he felt a sense of accomplishment. His hard work had paid off with society’s…
The Frugal Man has never in his life bragged about throwing money around, but that 60-year silence on silly spending is over. I just dropped a boatload of money on…
American consumers say they are having an easier time paying bills and are feeling much less stress over their financial situation than they were in 2009… unless they happen to…