Could you afford to cover a $1,000 expense out of pocket? If you haven’t started an emergency fund yet, the answer is almost certainly no. You’re not alone. According to a 2022 PYMNTS survey of about 3,500 U.S. consumers, 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. They’re unable to cover even the smallest emergency expenses … Read more

Full disclosure: I love credit cards almost as much as I love credit card statistics. I have multiple cash-back credit cards, multiple travel rewards credit cards, a gas credit card (which doubles as my Costco credit card), and a few others too. I’m honestly not sure off the top of my head how many active … Read more

How much better would your financial life be if you knew how to make $200 a day, and fast? You could use the money to pay off debt, build an emergency fund, save for a house, or invest long-term. 23 Ways How to Make $200 FAST This guide includes no less than 23 ways to … Read more

It’s never been easier for people to make money, including teenagers. From money-making apps to neighborhood gigs to the good old part-time job, you can easily make enough cash to cover your daily expenses and save for the future. To help you find ideas, I’ve compiled a list of 50 ways you can make money … Read more

Unexpected costs hit you all the time. From hefty car repair bills to medical emergencies, job losses to furloughs, emergencies are a matter of “when,” not “if.” You have a choice: you can either prepare for them in advance, or you can let them plunge you into panic every time one comes along. If you’re … Read more

Credit Karma recently unveiled a consumer guarantee (called the Credit Karma Guarantee) that promises to pay you $50 if the credit card issuer denies your application for a credit card recommended for you by Credit Karma. In other words, Credit Karma is so confident in its credit card recommendations that it’s willing to lose $50 … Read more

If you have an individual retirement account, taxable brokerage account, or life insurance policy, you’ve almost certainly named a beneficiary before. And if you had kids or were in a committed relationship at the time, you probably didn’t give it much thought. Your closest loved ones — your children and spouse or domestic partner — … Read more

There’s no shortage of ways to pay someone these days, from cash and credit cards to Zelle and PayPal. It’s easy to go your whole financial life without ever coming across a money order. But if you’re here, someone’s asked for one, so follow these directions to fill it out. How to Fill Out a … Read more

I’ve spent the last few months researching how to rebuild your credit for an educational series I’m writing. That’s why I was intrigued by CreditStrong, a service that helps you rebuild your credit by giving you specialized loans or lines of credit and reporting them to credit reporting agencies.  I know that probably sounds like … Read more

If you watch your running bank or credit card balances closely, you’ve probably noticed ghostly charges that appear and disappear within a day or two. It’s not always obvious where they come from, but they’re usually small — just a few dollars — and they never show up on your official monthly statements. So, like … Read more