A Plan for Taking One Simple Step Now to Get Your Finances in Order

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The following is a guest post by Tony Steuer, an advocate for Financial Preparedness and the author of GET READY!, and the founder of the Get Ready Initiative. If you’d like to contribute a guest post to Money Q&A like this one about getting your finances in order or any other topic, be sure to check out our guest posting guidelines. You’ve resolved to get a handle on your finances in 2020, but will that determination wane by March? With over 80% of people failing to realize their New Year’s resolutions, it’s likely that you’ll become overwhelmed with checklists and budget-tracking within just a matter of months. That’s why I suggest taking one simple action item each month that will … Read more

Top 7 Surprising Things that Can Significantly Impact Your Credit Score

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Top 5 Times When Your Credit Score Matters The Most

Credit scoring models and factors that do/don’t influence your credit score are confusing concepts for many consumers, especially with recent changes to scoring practices (e.g., medical debt no longer factoring into credit scores). You probably already know of the major factors influencing your credit score – low credit utilization, on-time payment history, etc. – but what about the little-known factors that could also impact your credit score? Things That Impact Your Credit Score Let’s take a closer look at 7 surprising things that can affect your credit score for better or for worse. Paying Off a Major Loan A common reason why credit scores drop and impact your credit score involves the closure of an account, such as when you … Read more

Earnin Review – How to Get an Advance on Your Paycheck

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Earnin logo

Did you know that consumers waste more than $34 billion per year on overdraft fees? This figure rivals Great Recession figures, though overdraft fees were cheaper back then (around $20 for banks and $15 for credit unions, compared to $30 for banks and $28 for credit unions nowadays). Since there is no benefit to paying overdraft fees – they’re just penalties for folks who overdrew their accounts to pay the bills before their next paycheck rolls around – it’s alarming to think about how much money individuals and families living paycheck to paycheck might be losing to overdraft fees each year. While most people would like to keep enough cash on hand to cover their bills, unexpected expenses crop up … Read more

What to Do When You Are Faced with an Unexpected Hospital Bill

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unexpected hospital bills

Did you know that more than 66% of all bankruptcies are related to health issues (medical debt or extended time off from work) and more than half a million families declare bankruptcy due to medical debt each year? These numbers have skyrocketed over the past several years as healthcare costs continue outpacing inflation – and wage growth – and people increasingly find themselves stuck with medical bills totaling thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars. While your next hospital bill may not be the straw that bankrupted the camel’s back, getting hit with an unexpectedly high medical bill can nevertheless pose a serious dilemma for most folks’ finances. The prospect of even a 3-figure medical bill can be alarming … Read more

Review of Drop App – Earn Cash Rewards While You Shop

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drop app

There are plenty of personal finance apps and browser extensions designed to help consumers save more money on everyday and major purchases alike. However, few apps have the seamless user experience and popularity of Drop, a free savings app with more than 1 million users who have earned over 1 billion points and redeemed over $3 million worth of rewards since the app first launched. This flexible, intelligent mobile app functions as a consumer’s wallet-saver: by linking your credit or debit card to your Drop account, you could earn points and redeem these rewards within a few days of completing your purchase. As long as you’re 16+ years old, have access to online banking, and have a valid cell phone … Read more

Blog Income Report – November 2019 (Net Income = $1,780)

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Blog Income Report

Note – This blog post may contain links to affiliates. I earn a small commission if you choose to sign up for some of the services described below. This is my third blog income report. If you want to check out the first one, be sure to read My First Blog Income Report – September 2019. After more than 10 years of blogging, I was hesitant to show the income that Money Q&A produces. Part of me didn’t think that you’d care. The other part of me wanted to keep it private. November 2019 is a prime example of why I didn’t want to initially share my blog income with readers. November’s net income was over $600 less than September … Read more