MoneyWisdom Blog

If you're thinking about buying your first home or a new car but are worried your credit score will prevent you from making these purchases, we have three pro tips to help you boost your credit score quickly, which may help you qualify for a better rate on your mortgage or pay less for those dream wheels.

It’s winter, when energy costs can add up faster than a sudden snowfall. Most of us are eager to take the right steps to keep our winter utility bills as low as possible.

A deed of entrust, including your home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC), is recorded for public record upon closing a loan, which means anyone, including a scam artist, can take a look at that record at your town hall. They can find out how much you borrowed and glean other personal information they can then use to rip you off.

Since a home equity loan or HELOC represent a large chunk of money, it's important to safeguard it from crooks. Here's how:

Our wallets, unlike our waistlines, tend to thin out over the holidays. Consumers are expected to spend, on average, more than $1,000 on gifts, decorations and candy this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation.

Like battling the mall crowds and untangling decorations, bracing for the financial impact has become an unwelcome but seemingly inevitable holiday tradition.

But what if holiday presents could save or even make money? Here are some gift ideas that do exactly that, if not immediately on receipt, then in the long run.

There’s a household item that you probably consult every day that can save you big bucks. It might be on your phone or your laptop, in your purse, or even hanging on your spare room wall. Sometimes it features inspirational sayings, trivia questions, or images of the Grand Canyon or a kitten tumbling with a piece of yarn.

I’m talking about a calendar.

If you're applying for a home equity loan or HELOC (home equity line of credit), you'll want to make sure you get approved for the maximum amount you can. That figure will hinge on the appraised value of your home. Even if your property needs a lot of work — one reason why you might be applying for a loan in the first place! — a little TLC ahead of an appraisal can ensure you're approved for the loan amount that helps you achieve your goals. 

Your boss calls you into the office with great news: You've earned a raise, or perhaps you're getting a bonus for all the hard work you've done this year. Now you can buy those shoes you’ve been eyeing, or replace your old iPhone with the latest iteration.

While the urge to celebrate and reward yourself is understandable, hold onto your wallet and think before spending. Putting your long-term goals ahead of short-term needs can make your money work harder for you in the long run, reduce crippling debt, or boost savings for a rainy day or a sunny retirement.

Here are five things you can do with that raise that'll help you reach your financial goals:

Back-to-school shopping becomes a little less taxing this August for consumers in many states. A number of states have approved a sales tax holiday, allowing consumers to purchase certain items without paying the corresponding taxes. This “holiday’’ may not be marked with parties and cards but it's truly worth celebrating for bargain hunters looking to reduce their expenses.

How often do you buy a house? Not very often if you’re the typical American. Let’s say you own three houses in your lifetime: your starter home, the one you purchase to accommodate your growing family, and your empty-nester home. That’s a long time between purchases to remember all the ins and outs of getting a mortgage. Who can remember all those details?

A recent study reported that in 2018, the average American family spent $1,200 per person per year on vacations. If you are looking for more affordable options to entertain the family this summer, look no further. Here are eight low-cost summer activities for the whole family: