All posts by Michael Peterson

Big Purchase on the Horizon? Ask These Eight Questions Before You Buy

Even the most frugal folks out there occasionally need to open their wallets and spring for a big-ticket expense. From major car or home repairs to broken appliances to threadbare furniture and back-achingly worn-out mattresses — there comes a time when a major purchase is a must. But before you buy, take a few minutes to ask yourself eight key questions that could help you save money and avoid...

Tips to Keep Your Identity to Yourself

Identity theft is sneaky. It creeps up on you without any warning to ruin your day and wreak havoc on your most personal information and, inevitably, your finances. In short, you want to do all you can to avoid it and the wreckage identity thieves leave in their wake. Fortunately, there are several preventative measures you can take to keep your identity and your money safe from those who...

Create a Financial Vision Board to “See” and Realize Your Money Goals

Seeing is believing, right? In many instances, the answer is a resounding “yes.” In fact, “seeing” your financial goals via strong and captivating imagery is a good start on the road to believing you can solve your money woes and reach your financial goals, whatever they might be. This is where a financial vision board – a tool which allows you to sustain your motivation by channeling your creativity...

Just Say No: Four Reasons to Avoid Credit Card Cash Advances

If you’re in a tight financial spot, a credit card cash advance can seem like an easy way out: This quick, short term loan can give you access to anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. But that cash comes with some major strings attached — deal-breakers that can hurt your credit, drain your bank account, and leave you financially worse off than you were before....

How to Spot Identity Theft

In today’s world of e-commerce, digital payments and stored passwords, identity theft is an ugly, sometimes life-altering reality. Data breaches threaten to leak our most personal financial information and sophisticated skimmers and hackers are hard at work trying to break into our credit cards, bank accounts, and more. Luckily, there are several tell-tale signs that your identity might have been stolen if you take the time to pay attention....

Are You Ready for Another Credit Card? Six Questions to Ask Yourself

When mulling whether or not procure an additional credit card, there are several important factors to consider. After all, taking on additional credit usually means you’ll soon be accruing additional debt, which is something that should be entered into responsibly and only after you are fully aware of what you’re getting yourself into and what that might mean for your financial situation. In this post, we’ll discuss the pros...

Creating a Budget

Don’t forget to download the Debtguru Budget Excel Worksheet! How To Create A Simple Budget (and Stick to it) “Budget” is perhaps the scariest word in the English language: Few things strike fear in the hearts of average Americans like the thought of sitting down and – gasp! – writing a monthly budget. Maybe it’s denial: Do you really want to be held accountable for the $50 in gossip magazines...

Five Things to Consider Before You Refinance

Interest rates are historically low – should you jump on the refinancing bandwagon? Thinking about refinancing your home? Interest rates are dropping and people across the country are looking for ways to make the most of their money.  While refinancing can help put a little extra cash in your pocket and give you a little more wiggle room in your monthly budget, it’s not a cure-all for every financial...

How To Become Debt-Free In Record Time

Learn the 3 simple steps you can implement today that will get you out of debt in record time. This program will work for all of your debts including credit card, auto, mortgage, etc.

Benefits Of The New Credit Card Rules

Learn about the main benefits of the new credit card rules, and how they will affect your accounts. With this law now in full effect, some of the benefits are already helping consumers. This video will help you to take full advantage of the new credit card law.