Category:
Credit

Banker holding loan contract pointing out the loan origination fee

What Is a Loan Origination Fee?

By Sarah Brady | July 14, 2023

Have you ever been approved for a loan, and then received less money than you were approved for? If so, loan origination fees could be the culprit. Loan origination fees…

Man opening new credit card and examining the terms

How To Use A Credit Card To Build Credit

By Michael Knisley | July 12, 2023

One of the fastest, most efficient ways to build and improve your credit score is to use your first credit card(s) properly, regularly, and responsibly. That means making your payments…

Credit card inside a wallet

What Is a Credit Card Cash Advance?

By Sarah Brady | May 26, 2023

If you need cash fast, a credit card cash advance could be the answer, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Sure, credit card cash advances are convenient (at…

Yellow sign hanging that reads "Alternatives Payday Loans"

Payday Loan Alternatives

By Michael Knisley | May 19, 2023

For whatever reason, you need quick cash, and you need it now. It’s stressful, sure, but you should know there are a variety of ways to get you through a…

Piggy bank upside down

Defaulting On Payday Loans

By Bents Dulcio | April 11, 2023

Payday loans are short-term, high-cost loans that borrowers can use to cover expenses that arise when funds are low, and payday is not far away. Payday loans usually are considerably…

Woman confused why her credit card was denied while shopping on her phone

Going Over Your Credit Limit

By Sarah Brady | February 22, 2023

Watching your credit card balance increase can feel like drowning slowly, especially when you don’t have a way to pay it off. But it feels even worse when you max…

Young woman at a coffee shop holding a new credit card to build credit

How to Build New Credit

By Michael Knisley | January 24, 2023

When you want to buy now and pay later, you need credit. Whether you’re building it from scratch or want to augment your current credit limit, there are options and…

Woman with credit card bills on kitchen table wondering what would happen if she stopped paying them

What Happens If I Stop Paying Credit Cards?

By Maureen Milliken | December 22, 2022

Credit card debt in the U.S. increased 15% in 2022, the biggest one-year leap in almost 20 years. The number of people who are at least 30 days behind on…

Couple discussing whether or not they should use a personal loan to pay off credit cards

Should You Use Personal Loan to Pay Off Credit Cards?

By Bill Fay | December 14, 2022

A rare silver lining to the Covid pandemic was Americans managed to pay down billions of dollars in credit card debt. Those days have screeched to a halt. Credit card…

Woman calculating her debt collections bills so that she can pay them

Paying Collections

By Sarah Brady | October 26, 2022

When you miss a bill, you might get a late fee and a stressful phone call from your creditor. When you miss a bill several months in a row, the…