We were fortunate enough to connect with six financial experts who are big on helping people with their money. While they range in their professions â including certified financial planners,â¦
What is a Judgment?
A judgment is an order issued by a court of law. When you borrow money, you are legally required to repay the debt. This includes opening a credit card account, getting a line of credit from your bank and obtaining financing for a big purchase. You can also become indebted to service providers. This can… Read More
The post What is a Judgment? appeared first on Credit.com.
Why Itâs the Year of the Side Hustle
Side hustles have always been a good way to earn more money and better your finances. With so many people in debt while wages have fallen flat, theyâve become especially popular over the past decade. Now, with the coronavirus pandemic, weâve seen them shoot ahead in popularity even further. According to a recent survey by […]
The post Why Itâs the Year of the Side Hustle appeared first on Good Financial Cents®.
Seven things college freshmen don’t need â and ten they do
Those ubiquitous checklists of âdorm room essentialsâ for college freshmen are filled with items that will be ditched by the end of first semester.
Some parents âgo to the store and grab a list like they did when their kids were in elementary and high school and just go straight down the list,â says Lisa Heffernan, mother of three sons and a college-shopping veteran. Or they buy things they only wish their students will use (looking at you, cleaning products).
You can safely skip about 70% of things on those lists, estimates Asha Dornfest, the author of Parent Hacks and mother of a rising college sophomore whoâs home for the summer.
W
Personal Loans After Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is not the end of the world. In fact, while it is more difficult to acquire loans and credit cards, itâs not impossible. In this guide, weâll show you how you can get short-term loans and long-term loans even after you have filed for bankruptcy. Whether you have debt to repay, bills to cover […]
Personal Loans After Bankruptcy is a post from Pocket Your Dollars.
Can You Afford that New Car? Here's How to Decide
Are you in the market for a new or new-to-you car? If so, you’ve probably wondered “How much car can I afford?”
While your local car dealership might be happy to tell you the sky’s the limit regarding your car purchase, your personal budget might be telling you a different story. Spending more than you can afford on a car turns that car from a blessing into a burden.
How much should I spend on a car?
Deciding how much to spend on a car starts with knowing your current financial numbers. You'll need to know your current income, expenses, and savings amounts.
Know your numbers
There are several financial factors that can influence how much you should spend on a car. The amount of money you earn, of course, needs to be taken into account.
When determining how much you earn, always use your net take-home pay to start with. From there, factor in the other financial obligations you have.
In other words, look at your budget. If you don’t normally use one, now is a good time to start. Having a clear view of all other monthly financial obligations will help you better determine how much you can afford.
The 50-30-20 budget plan can be helpful. In short, the 50-30-20 budget plan works like this:
- 50 percent of your budget goes toward must-have and must-do obligations, such as housing expenses and child care
- 30 percent of your budget goes toward savings and debt obligations
- 20 percent of your budget covers unnecessary expenses and “fun” money
There are many ways to design a budget, but the 50-30-20 budget gives you a good place to start. It will certainly point out of there are any areas that are totally out of whack.
What do you have in savings?
Having a healthy savings account balance is important when making a car purchase as well. If you don’t have an emergency fund with a balance equal to three to six months’ worth of expenses, building that emergency fund up should be a priority.
If you don’t have an emergency fund with a balance equal to three to six months’ worth of expenses, building that emergency fund up should be a priority.
With an added car payment, having a plush savings balance will help you ensure you can cover the new payment even if you hit a financial bump. Or, for instance, if the car needs repairs.
Determine the total cost of the car
Once you have looked at your budget and determined the amount of money per month you are comfortable spending on a car you'll want to be clear on the total car costs before you make your purchase. Affording a new car isn’t simply about the payment.
There are several other costs associated with car ownership, such as:
- Insurance policy costs
- Fuel and parking costs
- Maintenance and repair costs
You can call your insurance company ahead of time and get a quote for the new vehicle you're considering. If you are still trying to narrow down what type of car you want, check out this list of the most and the least expensive cars to insure.
Call your insurance company ahead of time and get a quote for the new vehicle you're considering.
Fuel costs are fairly easy to determine. A Google search will give you the MPGs of any car you could think of. Compare that to your current car to see if your costs will change.
Maintenance and repair costs can be harder to determine but you can get an idea by using averages across a brand. Here's an article from Autowise that displays the cheapest and most expensive cars to maintain.
Be sure to factor in an accurate estimate of these additional car ownership costs as you determine a purchase price and payment amount you’re comfortable with.
Get the right kind of car loan
Doing your due diligence as you shop for a car loan is important as well. You do not have to get financing through the dealership. You will likely do better getting a loan yourself through your bank. At the very least, have an understanding of what rate you would qualify for before heading into the dealership so you know if they are offering you a fair rate.
Continue reading on Wallet Hacks.
Ask the Readers: What New Skill Would You Like to Learn?

The holiday season is usually very busy for many families, but you can relax now, right? Now that it’s over? Unfortunately, there are other sources of stress in our day-to-day lives; it’s important to remember the things that help us relax even when we’re not bustling through the busiest season.
What new skill would you like to learn? What positive impact do you think knowing this skill will have on your life? Where would you go to learn this skill
Tell us about a new skill you would like to learn and we’ll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards
We’re doing three giveaways — here’s how you can win:
- Follow us on Twitter
- Tweet about our giveaway for an entry.
- Visit our Facebook page for an entry.
- Follow @janetonthemoney on Twitter.
Use our Rafflecopter widget for your chance to win one of three Amazon Gift Cards:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway Rules:
- Contest ends Monday, January 27th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. Winners will be announced after January 27th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
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Good Luck!








How I Invest – The Best Interest – My personal investing breakdown

How To Build Wealth In Three Easy Steps
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How To Build Wealth In Three Easy Steps was first posted on May 15, 2020 at 6:00 am.
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A Penny Date Is a Cheap Way to Spend Time With Your Valentine
If youâre looking for inexpensive, fun Valentineâs Day date ideas, the answer just might be a penny date. Hereâs how to set one up.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.