Author: Ashley Dull

When Should You Refinance an Auto Loan?

Although vehicles have gotten smarter and more efficient, their cost has steadily increased to the point that most auto loans extend for more than half a decade. For most folks, however, the cost of buying a vehicle is worth paying, especially when it’s the only reasonable option for getting to and from work. But, worthwhile […]

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How to Set (& Keep) Savings Goals for the New Year

Setting New Year’s resolutions is a time-honored tradition, a reason to really ponder what you want to accomplish in the coming year. Unfortunately, most of us waste the opportunity of a new year on half-hearted resolutions to give up sweets or buy less junk on Amazon — resolutions we tend to break about five minutes […]

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The Pros and Cons of Rewards Credit Cards

If you’ve done even a little research into credit cards, then you’ve likely run across a number of blogs and forums with stories about people using credit card rewards to earn big bucks and fund lavish vacations. But what’s the real story? Are credit card rewards really all they’re cracked up to be? The answer […]

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Paying for Car Repairs

While few people are overjoyed about the three- to four-figure sums that typically accompany auto repairs, the cost of getting back on the road can be downright terrifying for those without enough emergency savings. Auto repairs can be particularly troublesome for consumers who may have a hard time finding the financing they need to cover […]

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When it’s Time to Cancel a Credit Card

From the time we start building credit in our late teens or early 20s, many of us start collecting credit cards. Those credit cards inevitably begin to pile up, quickly overtaking even the most robust wallet. By the time you can hardly sit for the bulk of your billfold, the idea of canceling a card […]

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How to Best Use Your Tax Refund to Pay Down Debt

Despite the fact that it starts out as our money in the first place, it’s all too easy to think of your tax refund as “bonus” money. Once you know that check or direct deposit is on its way, you may be tempted to start daydreaming of a new big screen or that oft-postponed family […]

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When to Consolidate Credit Card Debt

In the early days of the internet, getting an email was an event. The friendly little voice informed you that, “You’ve got mail!” and we hurried to click the icon and explore our digital deliveries. These days, the novelty of electronic mail has long since worn off, and checking your email tends to be about […]

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How to Determine the Cost of a Loan

In a perfect world, everyone would have the cash necessary to self-finance important purchases, and debt would be a thing of the past. Unfortunately, we live in the real world, where borrowing is often a necessary part of everyday financial life. With that being the case, it’s important to understand as much about the borrowing […]

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What to Look For in a Loan

If there’s one thing to be said about the modern world of consumer credit, it’s that the product options are abundant. While this is great for consumers looking for a good deal, sometimes there is such a thing as too many options (a dilemma quite familiar to anyone who has had the pleasure of waiting […]

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What Lenders Look for on Your Credit Report

At the point in history when lending occurred primarily within families and small communities, many borrowers likely knew their lender — and his or her spouse and children — by name. In those days, your personal creditworthiness likely depended as much on your reputation among your neighbors as it did on your actual financial status.

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