Last week, the U.S. Federal Reserve met and published its meeting minutes to the public on September 20th. It was the decision of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) not to raise interest rates as they had done for 11 of the 12 meetings prior. This means the federal lending rate will remain steady at... Continue Reading →

People love buying stuff! The thrill of getting new things releases dopamine in your brain and can make you good - even if it's just temporary. However, those purchases come with a cost - sometimes requiring a loan that turns into several years of debt. That can quickly turn that no purchase sour and make... Continue Reading →

Sometimes despite our best efforts to maintain a budget and properly handle our money, things can still get off track. Perhaps the credit card bill may be higher than we expected, or there isn't as much money leftover for our savings goals as we wanted.  It's more common than you might think. According to a... Continue Reading →

If the cost of food is putting a huge dent in your finances, then you’re not alone. According to the USDA, food prices soared by 9.9% in 2022 and they are expected to climb another 6.2% by the end of 2023. Obviously, you can’t stop eating. But you also don’t have to let rising food... Continue Reading →

As hard as we all try to properly manage our finances, sometimes things happen. You spend more than you probably should have. You receive an unplanned medical bill that insurance didn't cover. Something in your house breaks causing thousands of dollars to repair. In all of these cases, you can go from being "okay" financially... Continue Reading →

Lately when you've been shopping online with major retailers, you've probably noticed a new payment that makes the price look much "smaller" than it really is. If you were to click this option, you'd be taking advantage of a service called "Buy Now, Pay Later". Buy Now, Pay Later is when the total price of... Continue Reading →

The end of the year is a great time for getting together with family and holiday cheer. But it’s also a good opportunity to fine-tune your financial habits and make some improvements. Here are 10 year-end things to put on your 2022 financial checklist as we go into the new year. 1) Audit Last Year's... Continue Reading →

The holidays are a very special time of year. But they can also be very expensive as many people feel the pressure to buy more than they should. According to the NRF (National Retail Federation), Americans spend around $998 on gifts, food, and other related items. Considering the median pre-tax weekly salary in the U.S.... Continue Reading →

Dining out at restaurants has been a luxury enjoyed by many for decades. What’s not to like? Good food, a lively atmosphere, and someone else to prepare the meals for you ... sounds good, right? The problem, of course, is that eating out can be expensive. The average U.S. household spends $2,375 annually on restaurants.... Continue Reading →

If you’ve ever tried budgeting, then you already know how difficult it can be to stay within the limits you’ve set for yourself. The reality is that it’s just way too easy to ignore those boundaries and overspend – especially if you have a habit of using credit cards for the majority of your purchases.... Continue Reading →