Ask Liz Weston

Get smart with your money

debt

Monday’s need-to-know money news

By

Today’s top story: 3 money tools to save you from yourself. Also in the news: Why paying off debt with retirement money can be dangerous, how to make money selling stuff online, and why you should think twice before giving up financial control at the altar.

3 Money Tools to Save You From Yourself
We could all use a little help.

A High-Wire Act: Paying Off Debt With Retirement Money
A dicey proposition.

How to Make Money Selling Stuff Online
Putting money in your pockets by creating room in your closet.

Think twice before giving up financial control at the altar
Create a balance instead.

Free of debt – with regrets

By

Stories about how ordinary people pay off debt quickly can be amazing, inspiring — and somewhat deceptive.

These tales often mention the sacrifices debtors made but may gloss over the cost to their quality of life or the misguided choices they made. Becoming debt-free can be a worthy goal, but understanding the pitfalls can keep you from repeating others’ mistakes.

In my latest for the Associated Press, why some folks wish they hadn’t paid off their debt in such a rush.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

By

Today’s top story: 5 questions when shopping for a brokerage account. Also in the news: Is a robo-advisor right for you, why higher prices are squeezing both buyers and renters, and how a wife got her family out of $40,000 in debt.

5 Questions When Shopping for a Brokerage Account
What you need to know.

What Is a Robo-Advisor and Is One Right for You?
A different type of financial advisor.

Higher prices squeezing both renters and would-be homeowners
A housing shortage in parts of America is leading to higher prices.

A ‘good wife’ who secretly got her family $40,000 in debt shares how she climbed back to even
You can climb back, too.

Are you afraid to look at your finances?

By

Credit counselor Linda Humburg understands why many of her debt-burdened clients don’t want to open their mail. What bothers her, though, is the sheer volume of untouched bills and collection notices that some bring to their first counseling appointments.

“The shoeboxes (full of bills) don’t make my heart drop as much as the grocery bags and garbage bags,” says Humburg, counselor manager for FamilyMeans Financial Solutions in Stillwater, Minnesota.

Not wanting to confront unpaid bills is a perfectly understandable, if unfortunate, reaction to a bad financial situation. And it’s not just people in extreme debt who might be afraid to look. Many people avoid checking their credit scores or using retirement calculators because they’re afraid of what they might find.

The problem is that delaying action usually makes matters worse.

In my latest for the Associated Press, the high cost of living in denial.

Monday’s need-to-know money news

By

Today’s top story: 4 keys to successful debt consolidation. Also in the news: Credit card startups want to get in your wallet, financial must-do’s for newlyweds, and the best ways to get a big credit card bonus without going into debt.

4 Keys to Successful Debt Consolidation
Put those cards away.

Credit Card Startups Race for Space in Your Wallet
One card to rule them all.

Ask Brianna: What Are My Financial Must-Do’s as a Newlywed?
Starting off on the right financial foot.

The best ways to get a fat credit card bonus without going into debt
Timing is everything.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

By

Today’s top story: How to cash in on short-term rentals like Airbnb. Also in the news: How to get your business out of debt in five steps, and how to make to make the most of your summer vacation.

How to Cash In on Short-Term Rentals Like Airbnb, VRBO
Generating extra income with your extra bedroom.

How to Get Your Business Out of Debt in 5 Steps
Taking the first step.

How to Make the Most of Your Summer Job
Put aside some cash.