“It’s beautiful, but so expensive!” More than one friend has told me they were blown away by how much their Hawaiian idyll cost them. They were prepared for hefty airfares, but the daily costs of living are what got them. Here’s what we did to keep the bills down during a recent trip to Maui: […]
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Wednesday’s need-to-know money news
How not to sabotage your finances, what to be on the lookout for when buying a new car, and finding the hidden costs of retirement. 10 Ways to Sabotage Your Finances Consider this a To Not Do List. Use Cash or Mortgage to Buy a Vacation Home? The answer may surprise you. 6 ways to […]
Tuesday’s need-to-know money news
Saving on back-to-school purchases, a new way to pay for holiday expenses, and how being bad tenant can cause an array of problems. Financial caution pays off in stocking up for school Don’t let the back-to-school rush drain your bank account. Your Ticket to Extra Cash for the Holidays The holidays (and their expenses) are […]
Will loan payoff help or hurt credit scores?
Dear Liz: Two years ago, my husband was denied a revolving $12,000 line of credit. The credit reporting agency indicated that denial was based on “little revolving usage, insufficient or no bank lines, and insufficient open accounts with zero balances.” Nine months ago, however, he was approved for a car loan and received a FICO […]
Retiree burdened with unpayable student loan debt
Dear Liz: In a recent column, you fielded a query from parents whose son took out student loans in the mother’s name. You wrote, “If your only income is from Social Security and you don’t have any other property a creditor can legally take, you may be ‘judgment proof,’” which means “a creditor wouldn’t be […]
Maximizing Social Security benefits requires some patience
Dear Liz: I am 65 and recently visited our local Social Security office to apply for spousal benefits. (My wife, who is also 65, applied for her own benefit last year.) I wanted to get the spousal benefit, even if the amount is discounted, so I can let my own Social Security benefit grow. The […]