Debt Management Blog

The “Skimming” Scam: Technology, Thieves, and ATM Machines

The “Skimming” Scam: Technology, Thieves, and ATM Machines Imagine this:  Right now, there’s a band of tech-savvy crooks prowling the city, outfitting ATM machines (and, in some cases, gas station pumps, and retail point-of-sale readers) with sophisticated gadgets designed to steal debit card numbers, PINs, and – of course...

Five Fantastic Apps for Managing Your Money

Staying on top of your finances doesn’t have to be difficult in the digital age.  There are a variety of apps people with smart phones and tablet computers can use to help with debt consolidation, reporting expenses, paying bills, and more.  If you’re ready to change the way you...

Putting Your Bills on Autopilot: The Pros and Cons

With the click of a single button, you can ensure that all of your bills are paid on time.  You don’t have to keep track of paper bills.  You don’t need stamps.  You don’t have to worry about your check getting lost in the mail.  You never have to...

Credit, Debt, and Taxes: What You Should Know

The official IRS deadline is nearly here (it’s April 15 – unless you’re planning to file for an extension), but it’s never too late to talk about some of the ways that income taxes can affect your life – and your credit.   For example, did you know that...

Compound Interest: Making Money (or Debt) Grow

You’ve probably heard the term “compound interest” before.  But is it good, or bad?  Do you want it, or should you steer clear?  Well, that depends on whether you’ve got compound interest working for you, or against you.   Wealthy investors all over the world have long known how...

Get Ready for Income Taxes – Here’s How

Still waiting to file your 2012 income taxes?  The deadline to file is April 15, so you’ve got time – but not much.  Sure, there are probably lots of things you’d rather do than sit down with a year’s worth of paperwork – but if you do a little...

Debt Repayment Strategies to Avoid

You probably know by now that I’m a pretty big advocate of responsible credit card use.  I don’t think credit cards are bad – but I do think that if you’re going to use them, you have to use them carefully and responsibly.  Don’t overspend.  Don’t treat them like...

Financial Red Flags: Signs Your Finances are in Trouble

Financial problems rarely happen overnight.  In fact, if you know what to look for, you can spot money problems far before they get out of control.  Are your finances on the right track, or are they starting to veer off course?  Here are five red flags that might mean...

Return of the Living Debt!

What Everyone Should Know About “Zombie Debt” It’s been five years since that fateful day when you settled your outstanding balance for that gym membership.  You thought that old debt was long dead and buried.  You’ve started a new life; rebuilt your credit.  You’ve learned your lesson about irresponsible...

Five Steps to a Better Credit Score

You probably already know that less-than-perfect credit can make life difficult:  Bad credit can make it difficult to buy a car or a home, and folks with bad credit can even have trouble getting a job. They have fewer choices when it comes to credit and financing, and they...