Between hosting dinners, buying gifts and travel, the holidays can get pretty expensive. And if you’re finding that your paycheck just doesn’t go as far as it once did, credit cards or personal loans may seem like the easiest way to extend your income to afford everything the holiday season …
If you’re on the hunt to buy a home, it may be a good idea to put it on your holiday wish list. December is a great time to buy for a few reasons: sellers are usually more motivated to close before the end of the year, and sale prices …
The Federal Reserve meets for the last time this year on December 10, and, again, the big question centers around what will happen with interest rates. The federal funds rate certainly influences our everyday lives: It determines how expensive it is for Americans to borrow money, how rewarding it is …
The year’s biggest shopping week is here — and it’s bringing in the highest shopper turnout on record. An unprecedented nearly 187 million Americans plan to shop this Thanksgiving weekend, the National Retail Federation (NRF) found. Though debit cards are the most popular payment choice at checkout, per NRF, other …
Holiday shopping season is upon us and, for personal finance reporters like ourselves, that means diving into all the different ways Americans are paying for gifts this year. For a good chunk of shoppers, turns out they plan on paying later. As many as half of holiday shoppers intend to …
If you’re planning on using buy now, pay later (BNPL) to cover your holiday shopping this year — and half of shoppers are, per PayPal — know that there are alternative financing options out there offering similar flexibility. While BNPL helps you pay for things over time, it can encourage …
When we think of the best place to manage our money, banks are top of mind. But did you know that credit unions could actually offer more value to you as a consumer? Credit unions, by nature, are member-owned organizations so they know their customers well and, since credit unions …
Amazon’s second Prime-member exclusive event, Prime Big Deal Days, runs from October 7 to 8 this year. Similar to the official Prime Day in the summer, this sale offers exclusive discounts on millions of items across the site. If you’re looking to start your holiday shopping early — and over …
The Chase Sapphire Reserve (see rates and fees) underwent significant changes during its summer overhaul, but one number that caught many people’s eyes was its new annual fee. The $795 charge — even with its additional bells and whistles — is a significant jump from the previous $550 yearly cost, …
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card is the bank’s newest addition to its Strata line of cards and its first premium card since the Citi Prestige® Card, which is no longer available to new applicants. The card comes with nearly $1,500 in value each year through perks like the $200 annual …