Should You Use Your Tax Refund to Pay Off Debt?
Here are some things to consider before using your tax refund to make a dent in your debt. Households are carrying record levels of debt. Balances climbed to $18.04 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Center for...
20% Down? The Myth That Could Be Holding Home Buyers Back
More than half of Americans still think a 20% is required to buy a home. This longstanding myth could get in the way of homeownership goals. Scraping together a down payment for a home is a challenge, especially in today’s housing market. But one persistent financial...
Impulse Buys May Be Ruining Some Americans’ Finances
A new NerdWallet survey finds that 22% of Americans have made impulse purchases that have significantly impacted their finances in the past 12 months. Long gone are the days where impulse buying meant grabbing an unplanned candy bar or magazine in the checkout line....
4 Tips for Launching a Side Hustle at Any Age
Launching a successful side hustle requires embracing your passion and life experience. When it comes to launching a side hustle after years of experience in the working world, Kathy Kristof, founder of the website SideHusl.com, says you have a choice: Either start...
A Rule of Thumb for Tapping Home Equity
A simple rule can prevent you from overdoing it with a home equity line of credit. You plan to keep your house for a long time. But it needs some work. Renovations are expensive, and you want to avoid getting in over your head when you borrow against equity. With that...
4 Steps to Becoming Debt-Free in 2025
From consolidating your debts to building an emergency fund, these four steps will put you on the path to becoming debt-free in 2025. The end-of-year holidays can be a particularly indulgent time, full of looser schedules, crowded dinner plates and, yes, overextended...
As Hacks Surge, Protect Your Social Security Number
Social Security numbers are vital for getting jobs, filing taxes, receiving government benefits and much more; they’re also becoming increasingly vulnerable to identity theft. In August 2024, news broke that nearly 3 billion Social Security numbers were reportedly...
Weekly Mortgage Rates Drop as Home Sales Stall
Mortgage rates dipped below 7% this week as the housing market continued to snuggle into its winter hibernation. The average rate on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell 12 basis points to 6.94% in the week ending Jan. 23, according to rates provided to NerdWallet by...
As Hacks Surge, Protect Your Social Security Number
Social Security numbers are vital for getting jobs, filing taxes, receiving government benefits and much more; they’re also becoming increasingly vulnerable to identity theft. In August 2024, news broke that nearly 3 billion Social Security numbers were reportedly...
Nearly 25% of U.S. Pet Owners Insure Their Pets. Should You?
Our pets are our cute, lovable companions, and just like everyone else under our roof, they come with their share of expenses. However, unlike a roommate, you can’t expect your pet to help foot its share of the bills. Of the two-thirds (67%) of Americans who are pet...