All posts by Mike Peterson

Holiday Scams and How to Avoid Them

The holidays are a time filled with fun, friends, and family gatherings. A time for shopping and gift exchanges. A time of joy, cheer, good food, and new beginnings. Unfortunately, they are also a time when scammers, thieves, and fraudsters come out of the woodwork in search of ways to steal your gifts, hard-earned money, or personal information. The good news, though, is that with a little awareness and...

Affordable Alternatives to Traditional Cable TV

Cutting the Cord Thinking about saying goodbye to cable TV? You’re definitely not alone. According to one recent study, one in five households in the U.S. has cut the cord on traditional cable television, opting for lower-cost alternatives. If you’re looking for a way to cut your monthly expenses, I can’t think of a better place to start than cable TV. Think about it: You pay a hefty chunk...

Surprising Ways You Waste Money

You may consider yourself somewhat frugal: You don’t spend piles of cash on fancy vacations, new cars, or luxury items. You aren’t house poor. You don’t buy lottery tickets and you’ve curbed your Starbucks addiction. You try to eat at home most nights a week. But somehow, you still end up with less money than you’d like at the end of each month. What gives?  Chances are good that...

The Most Popular Credit Card Scams

There’s more to being financially responsible than budgeting. Staying on top of your finances also means knowing how to keep your money and personal information safe from the prying eyes of would-be scammers and thieves. In most cases, credit card scams depend on catching you off guard; using fear and stress to convince you to hand over your money, PIN, or credit card number. The best way to avoid...

Mobile Banking Safety Tips

I’ve been on kind of a safety kick this month. I started October with a few tips for safe ATM withdrawals, so I figured I’d continue this month with a few tips for safe deposits – specifically mobile deposits. As smartphones have become more common, mobile banking has become a popular choice. After all, why would you want to drive to a cash machine or stand in line at the...

A to Z Guide of Staying Out of Debt

The key to staying out of debt is to keep a better handle on your finances through things like spending less, budgeting, and saving money. It takes work, but it’s not impossible. And you might be surprised by how many small things you can do to work toward a debt-free lifestyle. Just for fun, I thought I’d break things down alphabetically, so here’s your official A to Z guide...

ATM Safety 15 Tips for a Safe Transaction

Here’s a fun fact about ATMs: Did you know that the patent for the first cash machine was filed in October of 1971? That’s right: The ubiquitous ATM machine became common in the U.S. in the early seventies – the very first ones were located in New York City. Since this month represents a 15 year milestone of sorts for the American cash machine, I thought this was the perfect...

Why it Makes Sense to Have a Safe and a Safe Deposit Box

I’ve written several blogs about things like the benefits of changing your passwords, how to avoid ID theft, and other topics related to online security – and there’s a good reason for that: There are a TON of scammers out there who are all too ready to skim and scam their way into your online accounts. As life becomes increasingly digital and virtual, it’s all too easy to forget...

Your Credit Score Myths vs. Facts

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that there’s a ton of misinformation out there about credit cards and debt. And as someone who has made a living helping folks pay down debt and get their finances back on track, I feel like I hear the same myths over and over again – especially when it comes to credit scores. I thought I’d take some time...

Raising Finance Savvy Kids

Financial education is a lifelong undertaking – and, unfortunately, it’s one subject that isn’t taught in schools. If you want to help your kids grow up to be financially responsible adults, it’s really up to you to help them understand money, budgeting, and finances. Ideally slowly with the basics, and work your way up to more complex concepts. Need some suggestions? Read on to get some ideas for age-appropriate...