Since I graduated college I’ve wondered if I made a mistake in choosing my major. English and Journalism seemed like the natural choice for an avid reader and writer BUT was my education really worth the investment? Money.com’s article, “Here’s What the Average Grad Makes Right Out of College,” shares statistics that has me, and may have you, rethinking your chosen major. How Much Do
8 Shocking Student Loan Myths – Debunked
With seven in ten college students graduating with student debt AND the average debt load hitting $33,000 in 2014, it’s no surprise that my friends in their 20s are FREAKING OUT. I hunted down eight common myths about student loans to help you stay on top of your loans and pay them off as quickly and cheaply as possible. 8 Student Loan Myths Debunked
Should Parents Give More Money to Children Who Struggle?
When I was growing up my parents paid close attention to how much they spent on each of their children. Every Christmas, birthday, and holiday, my mom was careful to spend not a penny more on one of us. That all changed this past year. My dad has begun to help one child a lot more than others. It seems like he favors one child over another
Five Best Jobs for College Students
As college classes start I’ve begun to hear my little sister’s complaints: “I’m so poor.” The broke college student isn’t a joke, it’s a reality for many students, especially those who don’t work during the school year. While many people are still undecided about whether students should work during college, there are jobs that help boost your bank account without cutting into study time. Throughout college,
How Credit Card Interest Works
We’ve written a lot about the danger of overspending on credit cards. We’ve shared our struggles with credit card spending, tips to choose the best credit card, and even offered advice on how to know if your child is ready for a credit card. Overspending is a fast track to debt, especially when combined with high interest rates. While understanding interest is extremely important, we haven’t
6 Essential Lessons to Avoid Debt
This past year I graduated college debt free…which makes me an anomaly among my friends. Many of my friends owe more than $50,000 (my boyfriend has more than $150,000 in college debt!) and have no strategy for paying it back. Many of them know almost nothing about how to manage their finances and are unaware of how costly high interest rates are! I was lucky enough to have
Should Parents Help Children With Debt?
I am lucky enough to have no college debt or debt in general. This is largely in part to my decision go to state school and the help of my father. While my Dad did pay for my college (Thanks Dad!) he also taught me about the importance of savings, investments, and living within your means. Recently, I wrote an article about whether you should
6 Tips to Lower and Eliminate Your Personal and Credit Card Debts
Carrying credit card debt is a real drag. When you’ve got high-interest bills hanging over your head, saving toward long-term goals, such as buying a home or starting a family, becomes much more difficult. Rather than bide your time by paying the minimum each month… Commit to knocking down your debt with these 6 simple tips.
Confessions of an emotional shopper
I am an emotional shopper. When I’m sad or happy, or tired or energetic, angry or bored or breathing, I shop. Some people eat their feelings – I shop them. I remember the day I found out my grandpa died, I found myself wandering around the mall aimlessly, finally buying my first designer purse. I’d never spent that much on a purse before, but it
Why Do Young People Get Into Credit Card Debt?
Just as with drugs, the pleasures of credit are flaunted while the dangers of debt are downplayed or ignored. Imagine if a drug dealer set up a table in your local grocery store or at the farmer’s market. Get the picture of the drug dealer giving away free t-shirts or coffee mugs if you try out their product. Would you blithely send your teen over
Should You Lend Parents Money?
Recently, one of my friends came to me with a dilemma. Her boyfriend, who is an engineer, was asked by his parents for $3,000. They’d recently bought a summer home and were having trouble affording renovations and the new mortgage. While his new job pays well, he barely makes enough to cover his rent and loans (like most recent college grads) so giving them money
ATMs: Why I Never Use Them and Never Will
I am middle aged and have never used an ATM. Never wanted to, never felt the need to hit the magic machine that, for a few coded numbers, will hand me my hard-earned money any time I want it. I’m not bashing bank technology; there are times when those extra dollars at two in the morning was necessary, and a credit or debit card was
How Should I Ask My Friends to Pay Me Back?
My friends owe me a lot of money, but haven’t paid me back even though I’ve asked them more than once. How do I get my money back?
How I Spent $1,400 in Four Days
Have you ever been scared to look at your bank account? I’ve been trying so hard to save for a trip to Europe that I stopped going to the mall (pretty much altogether) and cut back on going out. But, between New Year’s Eve and three of my best friends’ birthdays I knew that staying home wasn’t an option. Even though I thought it would
Would You Switch Jobs If It Means a Lower Salary?
My boyfriend, Derrick, just got a huge raise at work so you think he’d be excited, but that’s not the case. He’ll be able to pay off more of his $150,000 college debt and enjoy extra spending money, but he is still frantically applying to jobs and here’s why. Derrick took the first job he was offered out of college because he was so worried about his