Managing Your Money

Your 401(k) and IRA retirement plans are most likely your two largest (and most important) investment accounts. And as you inch closer to your target retirement date, you may want help managing your portfolio to ensure you have the ideal asset allocation. Blooom pioneered independent retirement portfolio reviews and automatic rebalancing. They helped subscribers optimize […]

Anytime you apply for a new credit product, the lender submits what’s known as a hard inquiry to the credit bureau. But too many hard inquiries can negatively impact your credit score. Unfortunately, the problem can be compounded by unauthorized or fraudulent hard inquiries. Thankfully, there is a way to have some hard inquiries removed

A personal line of credit can be a convenient way to borrow money when you need cash fast for an expensive purchase. It’s also an alternative to a home equity line of credit (HELOC) if you’re a renter or have insufficient equity.  CreditFresh offers a line of credit that allows you to make on-demand withdrawals.

If you struggle with poor credit or are new to credit, you may have heard of credit builder services as a way to increase your credit score. But how do they work, and are credit builder loans and credit cards legit? Like anything else, credit builder services aren’t for everyone, but if used properly, they

Neobanks and financial technology companies (fintechs) are becoming increasingly popular by making banking easier and more accessible for a broader audience of consumers. It’s no longer necessary to visit a brick-and-mortar location to conduct most personal banking transactions. HMBradley takes online banking one step further with its combination of attractive banking features. But the competition

There are two traditional ways to build credit. You can open a credit card and pay your balance in full each month. A second option is to get a loan for a significant purchase and make the minimum monthly payment until you pay it off. However, neither of these options build credit without debt. So

If you love budgeting spreadsheets, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Money in Excel. Unfortunately, Microsoft will no longer support the program after June 30, 2023.  If you’re a current user, it might be time to consider replacement budget software. The good news is that several alternatives also provide a spreadsheet experience. This article

There are times when you may be asked what your total annual income is. It could be during income tax season or when you apply for a mortgage or car loan. But what does total annual income mean? What is (and isn’t) included in the calculation? In this article, I’ll show you how to calculate

You may be familiar with buy now, pay later sites. Instead of paying cash upfront, they allow you to pay in installments when you buy everyday items like clothing, electronics, furniture, and more. One such company is Fingerhut, a catalog and online retailer that’s been around since 1948. But Fingerhut isn’t the only retailer offering

Gift cards are great, especially when you get gift cards for free. But sometimes, you just need cold, hard cash to pay the rent, send a friend some money, or catch up on some bills. And chances are you have a few extra gift cards shuffling around in your desk drawer. It’s value that you

If you’re familiar with Microsoft Money, Money in Excel may interest you. The upgraded version of Microsoft Money enables you to keep track of transactions, create budgets, and establish and work toward reaching your financial goals. This Money in Excel review covers everything you need to know, from features to pricing to Money in Excel