The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the consumer price index (CPI) increased by 0.2% on a seasonally adjusted basis in August after rising the same level in July—over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.5% before seasonal adjustment. You won’t just feel the impact of…

Retail Credit Card Interest Rates Reach Record High A new study from Bankrate, which surveyed the interest rates of 108 store cards from leading retailers in early September, found they have reached a record high since Bankrate started tracking them in 2008. The average rate on a store card was…

Credit repair is the process of removing incorrect items from your credit report to improve your score.  Although credit repair isn’t a debt repayment method, it’s a valuable part of your financial journey. Your credit score and report unlock financial tools like a mortgage, credit cards and other loans. Credit…

Tis the season for big holiday meals! As you create your grocery list, making sure you have everything you need for your grandmother’s recipes, make sure you’re sticking to a budget that fits your financial lifestyle. Whether it’s taking advantage of holiday sales, creating S.M.A.R.T goals to save, utilizing coupons,…

Key takeaways Having good credit helps you get better rates on mortgages, car loans and other debt products, and may affect your ability to rent an apartment or sign up for utilities and other services. To build good credit, you need to use your credit — but you don’t want…

Our writers and editors used an in-house natural language generation platform to assist with portions of this article, allowing them to focus on adding information that is uniquely helpful. The article was reviewed, fact-checked and edited by our editorial staff prior to publication. Government bonds are a popular way for…

Key takeaways While card perks – like cash back rewards or points – are well-known, many of the lesser-known credit card perks can be useful, too. Cellphone protection, extended warranties and purchase protection are perks that many card issuers offer to cardholders, but not everyone takes advantage of these benefits.…

Jordi Mora igual/Getty Images Key takeaways Prequalification lets you view your predicted loan rates and approval odds without impacting your credit score. Review each lender’s minimum acceptance criteria and loan terms prior to filling out the application to increase your chances of prequalifying. Prequalify with multiple lenders to ensure you…

When you make a Roth conversion, the costs will depend on where you live.Converting money to a Roth IRA has a major upside, and a major downside. The benefit is tax-free portfolio growth and income. When you withdraw money from a Roth account in retirement, it will be untaxed and…

Credit Sesame discusses the economic slowdown and how tightening credit and rising debt may lead to a challenging economic period ahead. The economy has had a nice run since the pandemic. After the initial shock, fourteen of the last sixteen calendar quarters have seen GDP growth. Employment has grown for…