Tip of the Week

You didn’t think I would forget the second part of the most common debt payoff mistakes, did you? Read on… 7. No Plan To successfully get out of debt, you need a plan. Very simple. Throwing money at various debts is okay. However, with a plan, success happens FASTER. Knowing when a debt will be…

I get it. I get it. We are regularly writing these articles to review how to become debt free and suggest relatively the same steps over and over again. But maybe, just maybe, in the midst of those steps, you are also making a few mistakes when it comes to your debt payoff plan! Read…

Before you even fill out the application for a home loan, make sure you’re prepared. Here are 5 things that might stop you from getting a mortgage. Your Credit Score Isn’t What You Think It is Did you know that you have more than one credit score?? Fewer than 10 percent of Americans know this.…

Secured Debt is… Debt is secured when the creditor takes a “security interest” in collateral. Sounds confusing but the concept is simple. For some types of debt, creditors want to know what they can get their money back without too much trouble if you don’t pay them. Taking a security interest accomplishes this. For personal…

Repayment starts as of October 1 for 4.29 million student loan borrowers with federal debt. It’s been 18 months without a payment. That ends in October – ready or not. The interest-free federal student loan payment pause, known as forbearance, was extended three times after it initially went into effect in March 2020. But with…

The federal Child Tax Credit (CTC) is kicking off its first monthly cash payments on July 15 to eligible families with children ages 17 or younger. Almost 9 of 10 payments were sent via direct deposit according to the IRS and Treasury. The enhanced Child Tax Credit is an expansion that boosts the credit from…

Buying your first home is both thrilling and challenging, and not for the faint of heart. Before you even get into the housing market, you will spend quite a bit of time thinking about your goals and preparing your finances. One the most difficult decisions can be figuring out when you are ready to enter…

Household budgets are comprised of two types of expense: fixed and variable. A fixed cost is an expense that does not change from one month to another. These are expenses that have to be paid. Think mortgage payment, rent, insurance, etc. But the exact money spent on clothing or ice cream varies wildly from one…

Nearly half a million Wisconsin children are eligible for Pandemic EBT benefits, but many parents may not know it. Starting in March 2021, this program will provide grocery store benefits to parents to replace the value of missed school meals. Pandemic EBT (or P-EBT) is a federal nutrition program that the USDA has recently approved…

There are many ways that simplifying improves your quality of life. But let’s focus on FINANCES. One encouraging effect of simplifying is that it also saves you money. Decluttering and simplifying makes you more thoughtful of what you purchase going forward. You see what you have wasted money on and reign in your purchases, which…