As part of the under-30 crowd, readers here have more social media savvy than any generation in history. That's the good news ... now the bad: Social media and mobile platforms represent the new frontiers for identity fraud, according to a 2012 … [Read more...]
Using Credit Carefully to Weather Tough Times
November 22, 2012 by
There are several disconnects between financial advice and financial reality that annoy me. One such disconnect revolves around the advice to NEVER carry a credit card balance. No credit card debt, no problem. It’s abstinence-only financial … [Read more...]
Citi Simplicity Credit Card Review: With No Late Fees, a Card for the Innocently Absent-minded
November 16, 2012 by
Ideally, we’d never carry a balance on our credit cards. The reality is, when you're young, broke, and living paycheck-to-paycheck, sometimes you have little choice but to use credit cards as a stopgap. If that's the case, pay attention to our … [Read more...]
Q&A: Is it OK to tap my 401(k) to pay off Credit Card Debt?
November 12, 2012 by
When I wrote "The Recession Diaries" column at the Chicago Tribune and later for AOL.com, I loved responding to mail because questions raised by one reader often reflect the dilemmas of many. With my recent post for Money Under 30 (where I related my … [Read more...]
Big Medical Bills: How to Cope When You Can’t Afford to Pay the Docs
November 6, 2012 by
Every year, I have thousands of interactions with readers, friends, and other bloggers about personal finance. Over the years, I think the thing that has scared me most is the potential for a major illness or injury to wipe out your … [Read more...]
Building up (and Bailing out) Massive Credit Card Debt: My Story
October 30, 2012 by
I'm going to share the story of my twentysomething financial meltdown. But understand there's some risk for me. Wait until you see just how reckless Lou Carlozo, the intrepid personal finance journalist, once behaved. What’s more, you might … [Read more...]
How to Pay Your Student Loan Faster
October 25, 2012 by
There’s no doubt that dealing with student loan debt can seem overwhelming. But before you freak out and start to regret spending all that money on your degree, take a second to breathe and remember this: There are things you can do to help pay … [Read more...]
How to Use a Credit Card Responsibly
October 15, 2012 by
This blog was born of stupidity. Between the ages of 18 and 25 I racked up nearly $80,000 of debt -- much of it on credit cards. I wrote this article in 2007 when I was still digging out of debt and struggling with how to quit my bad money habits, … [Read more...]
Barclaycard Ring Credit Card Review
October 8, 2012 by
Let's face it: Few credit cards are innovative. When picking new plastic, you have similar choices and decide on trade-offs like rewards, annual fees, and interest rates. Occasionally, however, there's a card that's notably different, like a new … [Read more...]
Financial Checkup: Starting a Family with Big Student Loans
September 21, 2012 by
Occasionally I answer reader questions and give them a public financial checkup. The lucky reader gets free advice; you get a peek at somebody else’s money. If you want to be considered for a future checkup and are willing to share your finances … [Read more...]
