If you travel regularly, you should have at least one travel rewards credit card in your wallet. The more you travel, the more specialized — and generous — that card needs to be. I’ve had several travel credit cards over the years. Most have been general-purpose cards like the Capital One Venture X rewards card, … Read more

Quick Look Home equity is how much of your home you own based on how much you’ve paid off. You can borrow against your home equity. But borrowing against your home equity isn’t always the right move. A cute little house with a white picket fence is a lot more romantic than the portion of … Read more

Quick Look The Fed raised interest rates by 50 basis points this week. Economists expect a smaller 25-basis-point hike on Feb. 1, 2023. Interest rates on credit cards and mortgages will continue to increase as a result. Savings account yields could increase as well. The Fed hopes to stop hiking rates in Q1 or Q2 … Read more

The very thought of getting into real estate investing can be overwhelming. There’s a lot of work involved in finding the right property, not to mention the many expenses involved with purchasing real estate. On top of this, you have to worry about finding good tenants and being a landlord.  You can avoid the hassle … Read more

Job security is always a concern when choosing a career, but some fields are more recession-proof than others. And while there’s no guarantee that any job will be immune to cutbacks or layoffs, some industries weather economic storms better than others. One industry that tends to be recession-resistant is finance. After all, people will always … Read more

A certificate of deposit, or CD, is an excellent place to park cash you don’t need right away. It’s insured by the federal government, it usually pays more than a standard savings account, and its yield (interest rate) is guaranteed for the entire term. That rate guarantee is important because CD rates can be volatile … Read more

Being in debt sucks. Believe me, I know. There was a point when I found myself in way more credit card debt than I’d like to admit as a personal finance expert. My husband’s chronic illness flared up, and suddenly we were facing mounting medical bills at the same time he had to stop working. … Read more

The Marriott hospitality family is big. It has more than 7,000 hotel and resort properties worldwide, many of which don’t have “Marriott” in the name. I only travel a few times each year, but more often than not, I find myself staying at one without really meaning to. Which means, at least on paper, I’m … Read more

If you have $15,000 stashed away, you’ll want to put that money to work. If you don’t, inflation can quickly eat away at your nest egg. Plus, the current rise in interest rates has made it worthwhile to have some money in savings accounts again. But where should you invest your $15,000? That depends on … Read more

If you’re like the average person, you probably only use your bank for a handful of things, like cashing paychecks, withdrawing money, and mobile banking. But it offers a plethora of services, some of which you may not even be aware of. Get the most out of your bank by reviewing the standard services most … Read more