This post is sponsored by Lexington Law Firm. You’ve inserted the chip or swiped the plastic. That dreaded moment is now in your face–the beep of denial, rejection, and embarrassment. Your card is denied, so you try another one, and another. The realization that you’ve run out of credit can be terrifying, overwhelming, and seemingly…
Finances
12 Things I Didn’t Know Would Affect My Credit Score
This post was sponsored by Lexington Law Firm. The world of credit can be a confusing place. The native language of finance might sound familiar, but little seems to make sense for so many. Logic applies only sometimes and the rest is often a mystery. Thankfully, friendly guides are available–if you know where to look–to…
How To Establish Credit for Teens
This post was sponsored by Lexington Law Firm. Learning how to establish credit can be done at any age, but it’s far more valuable to start the process early in life. Parents, this post is for you. Teens, read on, then arrange a family meeting to implement the strategies you learn. Schools covering K-12, generally,…
How to Build Credit as a Single Mom on a Budget
This post was sponsored by Lexington Law Firm. In a perfect world, we’d all be taught how to build credit at an early age so we can be prepared for the future. For many of us, that’s not the case and, through a series of financial missteps, we end up requiring credit repair before the…
The Average Credit Score for Americans in their 20s and Why It Needs Attention
This post was sponsored by Lexington Law Firm. While researching the average credit score for Americans in their 20s, several notable facts were often presented. Perhaps not surprisingly, on average, younger consumers have lower credit scores. The average for Generation Z and trailing millennials is around 632–which is considered “poor credit.” This reality is somewhat…
How Your Credit Score Can Affect Apartment Shopping
This post was sponsored by Lexington Law Firm. Growing up doesn’t come with instructions. While, we learn a lot from school, our parents, and peers, I don’t know anyone who has come up with a true recipe for success. One area that is lacking serious guidance–especially in adolescence–is managing and building your credit score. The…
The Big 6 Job Interview Questions You’ll Want to Prepare for in Advance
This post was sponsored by Lexington Law Firm. The job market for desirable, well-paid positions is very competitive. You need to give yourself the best chance of landing that dream gig, but you may have only one chance to impress your potential employer. For that reason, it’s important to be prepared–perhaps, even over prepared. While…
How To Prepare for Buying Your First Home
This post was sponsored by Lexington Law Firm. While paying for your dream home with a briefcase full of cash sounds ridiculously cool, most of us will be dealing with different stacks of paper–the legal kind, riddled with fine print that require, seemingly, endless signatures. However, there are many positives that come with getting a…
How To Adult – For the Dreamer and Goal Setter
I’ve wanted to live in a hot climate for as long as I can remember. My body and soul feed off sunshine and warmth, and I just can’t handle these cold, dark Chicago winters anymore. I’ll be 34-years-old this year, and I’m finally getting serious about putting a plan in place to relocate. It’s scary,…
Best Investing Apps for Beginners with a Small Budget
You know it’s important to save for the future. In fact, you know the earlier you start, the more money you’ll have come retirement. Maybe early retirement is a possibility. The only problem is you don’t have a lot of extra cash to invest. Or, you don’t know how to start investing. The good news is…
How to Buy Cryptocurrency and My Journey as a New Crypto Trader
I know how to buy cryptocurrency, and the verdict is still out on whether that’s good or bad. I want to share my journey with you — not as an expert by any means — but as an average person dipping a toe into the fascinating world of cryptocurrencies. Actually, I haven’t just dipped a…
Gave My Son a Budget and Let Him Loose – Online Shopping for Teens
Being a teenager, ugh, I remember the frustration–feeling so old and mature yet rarely being taken seriously. It’s such a difficult transition for parents too. Accepting that your little one is now suddenly this grown, independent thinker, but still requiring guidance–it’s a super tough balance. As a parent, everything relies on giving just the right amount of freedom. Too much and you’re in trouble. Too little, and that’ll surely backfire. When it comes to online shopping for teens, Amazon is now allowing us to find that superb harmony in guided independence.
From Excellent to Good – How One of the Best Credit Repair Companies Helps Get You Back on Track
One of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had was when I went to buy my truck–by myself. As a naive girl walking in to purchase a big truck from a dealership full of men, the process was slightly intimidating, until they ran my credit. My score was so high they all treated me like some…
Allowance on a Debit Card – Teaching Kids and Teens Financial Responsibility
Teenagers. UGH! Love them to pieces but guiding them along the journey to personal responsibility, financial trust, and independence can make us parents want to pull our rapidly graying hair out. Thankfully, there are a lot of tools out there to help us along the way. Putting my kids’ allowance on a debit card is…
The Life Changing Importance of Monitoring Your Credit Score
If you want to know how to monitor your credit score, look no further. The information out there is abundant, and a bit overwhelming and confusing. But we’ve found the best source that makes it all easy to understand and manage. Being aware of your credit score and having a high score are so important. Thanks…
Easy Bookkeeping for Self-employed People and Small Business Owners
Easy bookkeeping for self-employed people is out there. If you own a small business, there are enough things to worry about. Don’t let over-complicating your accounting system hold you down. QuickBooks Self-Employed helps organize your finances, finds tax deductions, and keeps you organized almost automatically. Intuit sponsored this post. All opinions are my personal experience. Get…
Don’t Fall Back, Spring Ahead – Tips for Staying on a Productive Track
The days are getting longer, the weather is starting to shift to more humanly acceptable ranges of temperatures, and it’s like we’re all coming out of hibernation. Whether you live in a climate with changing seasons or not, don’t fall back, spring ahead! My natural instinct right now is to frantically binge clean and de-hoard….
Empower Teenagers to be Financially Responsible with this Simple Visual
My son is fifteen, and my daughter is twelve. Their financial personalities are so different. My daughter is always saving her money and rarely spends any of it. Meanwhile, my son is super impulsive and can’t handle having any money in his possession. Because he’s nearing driving age, and about to undertake a plethora of…
How to Budget and Save Money – Over 45 Helpful Articles
How to budget and save money is probably on a lot of people’s lists for the new year. We all want financial security and to eliminate the heart palpitations while paying monthly bills. It’s not that easy to make more money, so the best route is to manage your actual income as wisely as possible….
Best Way to Create a Budget and Stick to It
The best way to create a budget is, of course, whatever you will stick to. This method might be different for everyone, but I do believe I found the answer for me to create a budget I’ll actually stick to in the new year. Sponsored post. All opinions are my own. Best Way to Create…
How to Invest with a Little Money Effortlessly
Being self-employed, I am responsible for my own investments. I don’t have a company setting me up with a 401K or annuity — it’s all on me. I wanted to figure out how to invest with a little money since my pay is never predictable. My husband is in the union and has benefits, but…
Save More Money with a Financial Plan – Serious Reality Check
Sponsored post. All opinions are my own. We all want to save more money, right? A financial plan is a perfect tool to help you do so. It’s funny, I never thought about a financial plan for us. I thought it was something you do once you win the lottery, or become super wealthy all…
Planning College Loans for Parents Helping Their Kids
Having graduated not even a year ago myself, all my loans are now at the forefront of my financial burdens. As an adult student with teenage kids, the struggle to pay my debt and plan for their higher education is quite a struggle. I’m excited to have found that there are college loans for parents…
Holiday Ultimate Rewards into Summer Projects
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Chase Ultimate Rewards. All opinions are 100% mine. I have discussed how we use our Chase Ultimate Rewards a few times now, but this time we have a different plan. Throughout the busy shopping and holiday season, I want to rack up as many rewards…
