Sarah Mitchell, CFP® 
If you’ve never invested before, the prospect can feel overwhelming. Stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, index funds, Roth IRAs, 401(k)s — the jargon alone is enough to make most people close the browser tab and go back to scrolling. For more details, see our guide on investing in index funds. For more details, see our … Read more
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) services like Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay, and PayPal Pay in 4 have exploded in popularity — over 360 million people used BNPL globally in 2025, and that number continues to climb. These services let you split purchases into interest-free installments, making everything from a $50 pair of shoes to a $3,000 … Read more
Medical debt is the number one cause of bankruptcy in America. An estimated 100 million Americans carry some form of medical debt, with the average amount owed around $2,400. But here’s what most people don’t know: medical bills are often negotiable, new credit reporting rules have significantly changed how medical debt affects your score, and … Read more
Credit cards with annual fees can offer premium perks, but you don’t always need to pay $95–$550 a year to earn solid rewards. The best no-annual-fee credit cards of 2026 deliver impressive cash back, travel points, and sign-up bonuses — all without a yearly charge eating into your returns. Whether you’re a college student looking … Read more
If you’re serious about paying off debt, there’s a powerful accelerator that most people overlook: earning more money. See our guide on passive income ideas that actually work. While budgeting and expense-cutting are essential, they have a floor — you can only cut so much. Side hustles, on the other hand, have virtually no ceiling. … Read more
Money market accounts (MMAs) combine the best features of savings and checking accounts: competitive interest rates, FDIC insurance, and limited check-writing and debit card access. They’re an excellent choice for savers who want to earn more than a traditional savings account while maintaining easier access to their money than a CD offers. We’ve researched dozens … Read more
If you’re a homeowner, the equity you’ve built in your property is one of your most powerful financial assets. Two popular ways to access this equity are home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs). For more details, see our guide on what a HELOC is and how it works. While they sound … Read more
If you’re building credit for the first time — or rebuilding after a setback — a secured credit card is one of the most reliable tools available. For more details, see our guide on best credit cards for bad credit. See our guide on rebuilding credit after bankruptcy. Unlike unsecured cards, secured cards require a … Read more
What Is Credit Utilization? Credit utilization — also called your credit utilization ratio or credit utilization rate — measures how much of your available revolving credit you’re currently using. It’s expressed as a percentage: if you have a $10,000 total credit limit across all your cards and carry $2,000 in balances, your credit utilization is … Read more
Carrying debt across multiple accounts—credit cards, medical bills, personal loans—can feel like juggling flaming torches. For more details, see our guide on best debt consolidation loans. Each balance has its own interest rate, minimum payment, and due date. Debt consolidation simplifies the chaos by rolling those scattered obligations into a single payment, ideally at a … Read more
