Dear Liz: I have a roommate who has truly bad credit. He has been turned down from getting a checking account at banks because his mom bounced checks on his account when he was 18 (he is now 31). What is the best way to rehab his credit? He can’t get a secured credit card […]
Recent Blog Posts
Book giveaway! Free! Free!
My new book “Deal With Your Debt” will be released in a few days (you can order it here), and I need to make some room on the bookshelf. So I’m giving away five copies of my previous book, “The 10 Commandments of Money.” To enter to win, leave a comment here on my blog […]
The death knell for hotel rewards cards?
Rewards card ninjas have long loved hotel rewards cards because the associated loyalty programs tend to be a lot more generous and easy to use than airline cards. That may be changing. Brian Kelly at The Points Guy has an excellent series of posts on the coming changes in hotel rewards programs, and there’s not […]
What to do with extra cash when an auto loan is paid off
Dear Liz: I’ll be done paying off my car in a couple of months. What’s a good strategy for redirecting that money once it’s paid off? Should I use the whole amount each month to start saving for my next car, or would I be better off splitting it up and putting it into several […]
Does paying down installment loans help your credit?
Dear Liz: I know a high balance on a credit card hurts your credit score and that it’s best to keep balances low and pay them off each month. But does the same theory hold true for installment borrowing such as auto or student loans, which obviously have a higher balance in the beginning of […]
Should life insurance be renewed in retirement?
Dear Liz: My life insurance policy of $500,000 will end in four years, when I’m 63. My wife’s policy ends at age 62. Our kids are 28 and 25 and successfully launched with careers. I also have a $180,000 life insurance policy through my job that expires when I plan to retire, also at age […]