By Bonnie Spain, American Center for Credit Education Q: I enjoy back-to-school shopping, but no matter how hard we try to avoid it, we always end up in debt. I don’t want to be paying for school supplies until December. Can you give us any suggestions to help us stay on track this year? A: Back-to-school shopping is the second-biggest … Read More
Top 9 Money Mistakes People Make
By Jim Garnett, The Debt Doctor After counseling average Americans about their financial problems for many years, I noticed early on that there is a common set of money mistakes people usually make. Money Mistake #1: Being comfortable with debt. Why would anyone choose to be a slave if he could choose to be free? One answer is because, over … Read More
Ask Chuck: Is Low Price Better Than High Quality?
By: Chuck Bentley, Crown Financial Ministries Dear Chuck, I like nice, quality things. My husband prefers lower prices. My perspective is that buying quality is better in the long run. Is there a right or wrong way to look at it? We are stuck on which refrigerator to buy to replace the old one we have now. Needing A Compromise … Read More
Six Fun Ways to Save as a Family
By: America Saves Meeting financial goals as a family can be challenging. But inspiring your family to help and contribute to a financial goal doesn’t have to be a painful process, especially when the result is an exciting vacation, a car, or college savings. Here are some ideas on how to save as a family for all those items and … Read More
Saving as a Family
By: America Saves In most circumstances, we build our financial foundation from experiences that we go through as children and youth. Sometimes when children hear their parents or other adults in their lives talking about cutting spending or saving money, they assume that the family is going through a rough patch. As appropriate based on children’s ages, family conversations about … Read More
Ask Chuck: Avoiding The Paycheck-to-Paycheck Trap
By: Chuck Bentley, Crown Financial Ministries Dear Chuck, I read an article recently about how many Americans live paycheck to paycheck and question how many really have to live that way. I don’t want to be calloused, but doesn’t the Bible tell us not to live that way? Financially Secure Dear Financially Secure, Unfortunately, I am all too familiar with … Read More
6 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Finances
By: American Bankers Association (ABA) With the arrival of spring, consumers are encouraged to add a very important item to their spring cleaning to-do list: organizing their finances. As you kick off the spring season by cleaning, sorting, and tidying up around the house, don’t forget to rearrange your financial house. “Spring is the season of renewal, which means it’s … Read More
Ways to Improve Your Financial Capability Now
By: America Saves Are you ready for National Financial Capability Month? Here are three actions you can take now to make sure you are prepared for any financial disaster, big or small. 1. Have a Disaster Plan for Your Finances. Sure, you keep bottled water, canned goods, flashlights, and batteries close at hand, but you should also have a disaster … Read More
7 Better Ways To Use Your Tax Refund
Are you expecting a tax refund soon? If you’re like most Americans, you’re probably expecting somewhere around $3,000 to show up in your mailbox over the next months. Receiving a refund check has become a strangely normal piece of financial planning for Americans – we count on receiving that extra cash and plan to spend it. But your refund check … Read More
Cybercriminals File Fraudulent Tax Returns
It’s that time of year again – tax season. Hopefully, you’ll get a nice refund. As you work with your accountant or submit your return through do-it-yourself software, what happens if you learn that a return has already been filed under your name and your refund has been stolen? Tax-return fraud has become such a significant problem that the government … Read More