This post was sponsored, and paid for, by SunTrust. All opinions are my own. Money can be a tough subject for some people. A lot of people live paycheck to paycheck. Others have disasters or unfortunate events befall them (family death, divorce, natural disaster, etc.), some go through a time of incurring additional expenses (marriage,…
The Credit Game
How You Can Use Your 401K to Start a Business (Tax-Penalty Free)
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Guidant Financial for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. How You Can Use Your 401K to Start a Business (Tax-Penalty Free) I am a business woman at heart. I come from a long line of entrepreneurs. As a result, I am constantly thinking…
Why You Should Have an Estate Plan for Those You May Leave Behind
Financial guru, Dave Ramsey, notes that the mortality rate for human beings is 100%. Death is what you might call an “unavoidable” inevitability. But thankfully, because we know our ultimate fate, we can plan for it and avoid problems that otherwise result from it. Often loved ones are left with a lot to handle: sadness,…
An Innovative New Way to Purchase Items Online & Build Credit Without Using a Credit Card
With credit card debt reaching historical highs, some debt experts are encouraging consumers to ditch the credit cards and just use cash. Credit card debt can be a vicious thing. Interest rates often run very high and compound, the credit card itself may have an annual fee, there may be late fees, deferred interest, etc. Yet…
How To Tackle ‘Debt Stress’: 5 Top Tips
Having out-of-control debt is a source of major stress and worry for many. Debt can start small and manageable, but often continues to escalate if not handled properly. Dealing properly with debt stress is important. Try the following: 1. Assess the scale of your debts. Part of the problem for many is not knowing precisely the extent…
Helpful Ways to Protect Yourself Against Credit Card Fraud
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Chase for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. Credit card fraud seems like it is rampant these days. It is wise to protect yourself from fraud in any way you can. I’ve had quite a few fraudulent charges on my cards throughout the years….
Advice from My Mom: Practical Ways to Teach Your Children to Control Money
My mother has always been a great example of fiscal responsibility. She would often say, “Anita, control your money, don’t allow it to control you.” It reminds me a lot of the famous quote penned by P.T. Barnum, “Money is a terrible master, but an excellent servant.” My mom taught me by example this principle…
10 Must-Take Steps to Keep Your Identity Safe
Recently, my brother in law’s boss called and asked him why he was filing for unemployment. Seeing as how he was at work that day, his boss was perplexed. My brother-in-law hadn’t filed for unemployment. To figure things out, my sister called the state department and found out that his identity had been stolen. She…
7 Ways to Cancel Your P.M.I. (Private Mortgage Insurance)
Did you know that many people are paying a monthly payment of anywhere between $50 – $400+ per month for insurance that doesn’t even benefit them? Yep, it’s called private mortgage insurance or PMI. This insurance benefits your lending institution if you default on your loan. If you have bought a home and put less…
31 Step Financial Fitness Boot Camp Course
Do you feel like you are never going to make it out of debt? Are you tired of living paycheck to paycheck? Or perhaps your just wanting to save more for retirement? No worries. You’re at the right place. Karen my financially savvy sister and co-author of our book, Living a Rich Life as a…
How an Index Card Helped Me Get Out of Credit Card Debt
Today I’m excited to share a get-out-of-debt-success-story with you. It’s actually the story of a life-long family friend, Stephen Gardner and his wife working together to do what many young families dream of: becoming debt free. Since we have been great friends for a long time, I was able to watch a few of the struggles and the…
How to Calculate Your Real Debt and the Quickest-Least Expensive Way to Pay It Off
It is often a good thing to take a look at a debt calculator to find the total Real Debt (debt+ interest) that you will pay and when you will have it paid off. If you use a tool like this you can determine the least expensive way (least amount of interest) you will pay…
How to Check Your Credit Score for Free
Did you know that in order to own a cell phone you have to have a credit score (in almost all cases)? More often than not, you also have to have a credit score to rent an apartment, turn on utilities, get approved for a credit card, and sometimes to get insurance or even hired. A…
How to Build an Excellent Credit Score & Ways to Repair a Bad One
Having a great credit score is vital to saving money and creating better financial opportunities for yourself. Credit scores are a reflection of your financial accountability and responsibility. Thus, businesses, lenders, banks, credit companies, investors, insurance companies, utility companies (cell phone, internet, cable, gas, electricity, and water companies) even employers and land lords may be…
What Are the Best and Safest Types of Investments
Since starting my blog, I have seen all sorts of comments and reactions to investing advice… some have been quite heated. I have been asked about the safest and best places to invest. And I’ve even been scorned or told that I was wrong about certain ideas. So why is there so much confusion or…
How to Get a Bachelors Degree by Age 20 With Zero Debt
To secure a successful future, education is vital. Yet, degrees take an average of five years and thousands of dollars to attain. I graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree from a highly-ranked University at 20 years old. My parents wanted us to work for and value our education; thus we were responsible for paying for ALL of…
The Difference Between Good and Bad Debt
There is a difference between bad debt and good debt. Most everyone reading this will relate to consumer debt. It’s the debt that comes from buying things, from paying bills, etc. Investment debt is debt used to pursue a venture (opening a business, flipping a property, etc.) that will yield you profit. And although Dave…
How to Get Out of Debt
Most Americans are in quite a bit of consumer debt. Consumer debt (also known as bad debt) is accrued by purchasing items that you don’t have the money to pay for. Living a rich life (materially and non-materially) requires that you have financial peace of mind. Financial peace of mind cannot come when you don’t have…
The Pros and Cons of Refinancing
There are many unique situations when people begin to think about refinancing. My first piece of advice is this: Never make any decision before you have spent plenty of time studying, researching, calculating and recalculating the numbers. Don’t just trust what the brokers say (although some may have your best interest in mind); it’s not…
Credit Cards- When to Use Them and When to Absolutely Not Use Them
Today I received a question from reader Dani. It inspired me to write this article: Credit Cards- When to Use Them and When to Absolutely Not Use Them She asks, I’m reading that book that lots of people recommend… the Dave Ramsey one. It suggests getting rid of credit cards all together. We have credit cards,…
3 Secrets to Save $102,533.35 on Your Mortgage…That Banks Don’t Want You to Know About
Two and a half years ago, I was looking at the amortization/debt schedule of my dream home that I was about to buy. It was mind boggling how much money my family would pay in interest over the course of a 30 year loan! Even at the pretty low interest rate we had secured we would end up paying $134,739.01 in interest. That is…
How to Avoid Debt
People who make a lot of money, and I mean A LOT of money are not always financially rich. I once heard about a plastic surgeon that was very well known. He had a huge practice and specialized in a high-net worth or celebrity clientele. He had a few mansions, a private jet and a…
