Debt

It’s hard to believe 3 months have passed since I’ve written a new article on Trees Full of Money!

Although I promised in my 2010 New Year’s Resolutions article that I would write more personal finance articles (and I have), over the last few months I’ve been working on another one of my goals for 2010…the pursuit of a graduate degree.

Here is an excerpt from that article:

Enrolling in a Graduate Degree Program:

In my article Are Online Degrees Worth Anything, I mentioned my desire ..read more

I guess this is what we can expect from the “new normal.” CD rates fell for the 21st straight month in July. The average return on all five of the certificates of deposit we track finished the month lower than they were at the end of June. A year ago it was inconceivable that the Federal [...]

For the people that have declared bankruptcy, you should already be aware that doing this is the worst thing that can happen to your personal credit report. Most creditors would consider it to be a “deal-breaker” if you apply for a new credit card.

The two most common types of bankruptcy are referred to as “Chapter 7″ and “Chapter 13″. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy may display on your credit for 10 years from the date of filing. Chapter 13 may stay ..read more

Have you noticed that Golf Savings Bank has crept back into our rankings of the best 3-month CD rates? The little bank with a single branch in Mountlake Terrace, Wash., is only paying 0.84% APY – not nearly enough to knock Fort Knox Federal Credit Union out of the lead. This unusual Kentucky credit union that allows [...]

The entire idea of getting a payday loan or cash advance on line is supposed to be convenience and speed. That is really not the way it is when you have to worry with the aggravation of faxing your information into the on line company you are trying to borrow from. Sure, it could save you a trip to an actual location in the town where you live or one nearest to you, but what if you don’t have a ..read more

Pacific Alliance Bank has a good deal on a bunch of short-term CDs for savers in the San Gabriel Valley. It’s paying 1.40% APY on 5-, 6-, 7- and 9-month CDs, with a $5,000 minimum deposit. That matches the best nationally available 6-month CD rates. As with many local deals, Pacific Alliance requires these certificates of deposit to [...]

Two unusual credit unions that allow anyone to join, regardless of where they live or work, continue to offer almost all of the best nationally available CD rates. To see our most recent rankings of all the top rates for 3-month to 5-year CDs, just click on the term you’re interested in. 3-month CD: 1.40% APY [...]

Whether you’re a college student, young professional, or have been in the working world for many years, the importance of creating a budget ensures that your monthly expenses are less than what you’re earning. All just need a little motivation and commitment and not be an expert. Here’s how you do it:

Decide on a format – One of the easiest ways to create a budget is by using a computer for easy changing of the numbers as your budget changes. ..read more

Commerce National Bank &Trust has a good deal on 6-month CDs for Orlando-area savers. It’s paying 1.51% APY with just a $500 minimum deposit. That’s more than the 1.40% APY you can earn with the best nationally available 6-month CDs. But you can only buy this certificate of deposit in person at Commerce National’s one branch [...]

No bank has been able to topple Fort Knox Federal Credit Union from the top of our rankings of the best 6-month CD rates. This unusual Kentucky credit union has had the best nationally available return since it boosted its yield to 1.40% APY a little more than a week ago. The minimum deposit is [...]