Motivated by Oprah's Debt Diet?
Friday, February 17, 2006 marked the first of a multi-part series for The Oprah Winfrey Show, where Oprah challenged Americans to get out of debt. Oprah teamed up with three of the nations top financial experts to create a step-by-step action plan to show her viewers how to get out of debt. Oprah ... more...

Payday Loans--Helpful or Harmful for Borrowers
Offered to borrowers under many names such as paycheck loans, 'til payday loans, and cash advance loans, payday loans have grown rapidly both on and offline across America. They seem to offer a solution for many credit-challenged borrowers that is hard to resist: The ability to get instant ... more...

Credit Problems: What You Can Do
Having a blemish on your credit report can lead people to believe that it will be impossible for them to obtain a mortgage or refinance their current one.Although having less than perfect credit can be a challenge, all hope is not lost.There are lenders out there, and many of them, who specialize ... more...

Would An Elected Official's Credit Score Affect Your Vote?
Bad credit can happen to good people. Often all it takes is a financial misstep here or medical emergency there and the average American could easily make a late payment, miss a payment, or fall behind all together on their bills. While there is usually a unique personal story, and often a very ... more...

Why Should I Consolidate My Bills?
So, why should I consolidate my bills? For starters, there are many different ways to proceed with bill consolidation and debt consolidation. In the grand scheme of things, all of us would be happy with a debt consolidation loan with excellent terms, but there are other ways.Debt consolidation ... more...

Budgeting Made Easy
Well, dang! From what Ive heard and read, it looks like weve reached an all-time world-class new record in the amount of personal debt on the books. Now its probably not quite as bad as weve been led to believe, however many of us have managed to tromp further than we should have into the ... more...

Mortgage Financing: Beware of Predatory Lenders
In November 2005, Montgomery County, Maryland's county council enacted legislation to expand the categories of discriminatory lending activities associated with discriminatory housing practices and increased the maximum fine for such activities from $5,000 to $500,000. The council sited practices ... more...

Finding a Mortgage Refinance Advisor
If you are looking to refinance your home for a lower rate, or you are interested in a refinance with cash out to do some home repairs, buy a new car, etc., you may want to consider finding a mortgage refinance advisor.There are actually two ways you can go about refinancing your home. The first ... more...

What Does Your Credit Say About You?
A credit report is more than just a snapshot of your financial picture; it can assist credit grantors in determining your overall risk factor. Additionally, lenders, credit grantors, and even human resource departments often use it as a tool to determine a persons character.When applying for a ... more...