Seriously guys, I just refinanced my car for a wayyy lower interest rate. If you’re like me, you bought your first car when you were young, around 18. And had a tough time getting approved. The worst thing about this whole “credit” deal is that if you don’t have any, they consider you a liability. Nobody wants to finance the millennial with little to no credit. If you’re lucky, you might have managed to get your parents or grandparents to cosign on a vehicle for you. But I was determined to do this on my own. So I walked into a dealership with no idea what to expect.

Hey you! Yeah, you, with the credit cards. Remember when you were shopping at the mall the other day and the cashier asked you, “Do you have a _____ credit card?” And you said no?

Remember how she then proceeded to say that you save 15% of today’s purchase if you open an account and charge your card? So you did. You were “instantly approved.” Who doesn’t wanna save 15%, right?

Wrong.

Credit is one of the single most important things you will need in your adult life. Credit is used for everything from applying for a loan to getting car insurance. (Yes, car insurance companies will raise your rates if you don’t have good credit.) That’s why it’s so important to start building credit as soon as you’re able to. It’s even more important to maintain a good credit score,

As a first time home buyer myself, it can seem very overwhelming on where to begin when considering buying your first home. Here are a few tips I have learned along the way.

We’ve all heard the saying “Nothing in Life is Free.”  But is that true when it comes to your company 401(k)? I think not.

One of my fondest memories as a child was driving to the credit union with my mom to deposit her paycheck. These trips were usually right after school. My mom and I would talk during the drive, meanwhile oldies played on the radio. Each time we walked into the credit union, I was always amazed at how the tellers seemed to know my mom. They would ask her specific questions about work and our family – things that only friends would seem to know or care about. Even as a kid, I could tell this meant something to my mom.

So here’s the deal: Debt is almost inevitable when you’re in college, even if you got a few scholarships or qualified for some financial aid. The truth is… Even once you pay tuition, you’ve still got housing expenses to worry about, and food. Maybe you have a car payment. Unfortunately, sometimes this whole “college experience” digs you into a little hole called “debt.”

It’s that time of year again! Time for you to purchase yet another gift.

It seems like just yesterday you were scrambling to the closest CVS for that special card / gift that says all of those nice things you forget to say every other day of the year.

The first week of college is here… You’re getting books, checking out the campus, and… signing up for a credit card for a free T-shirt?