A Super Guide to Retirement CDs for the Beginner Investor
We’re all under pressure to save enough money for retirement. A million-dollar nest egg is now the baseline for what retirees need before they can stop working, but tens of millions of Americans, including many Millennials (those in their 20s and 30s), have fallen behind. An April 2016 study from robo-advisor Personal Capital found that […]
10 Signs You’re Ready to Buy a House
Now that the economy appears to be rebounding into a much more stable position, it might be the time to start thinking about buying into the American dream of home ownership. However, you need to consider if it is the right time for you — beyond the external factors like low interest rates and competitive […]
How Much You’d Have to Make Per Hour to Work Your Way Through College Today
In this day and age, “working your way through college” seems like an urban myth. It wasn’t always. Many parents of current college students or recent grads remember when it was possible for students to pay their way through college by working full-time during the summer and part-time throughout the school year. Students today continue […]
10 Worst Places for Millennials to Buy Homes
Buying a home seems like a pipe dream for millions of Millennials across the country. Home prices and student loan debt keep sailing upward, and wages don’t seem to be catching up. This is especially true in certain regions. We were inspired by a recent CoreLogic survey[1] that listed the top 10 worst markets for […]
Cash vs. Credit Card — Which One Should You Use for the Holidays?
Credit Sesame surveyed 500 consumers to find out how they plan to pay for holiday expenses this year. Most people (43%) said they would rather use cash than credit cards for holiday purchases. This is in line with our previous survey that showed the people (in particular, Millennials) are adverse to using credit cards. People tend to […]
4 Investment Options When You’re Ready to Grow Your Money for the First Time
Saving and investing are two entirely different things. Generally, “saving” means depositing cash into a traditional savings account or a money market account. You earn a little bit of interest and the money is easily accessible so you can tap it when you need to. Investing is an entirely different ballgame. Saving is generally a […]
Is a CD the Best Place to Keep Your Savings?
Thanks to the historically low interest rates in the United States, Certificates of Deposit, or CDs, have fallen out of favor for savers trying to grow their nest egg. As interest rates begin to rise in the coming years, CDs may be worth considering as one way to lock in higher yields on money that […]
Best Places to Open a CD
Money under the mattress loses value over time. Money in a bank savings account doesn’t perform much better. You know growing your savings is a big part of good financial health, and that you need to protect at least some of your funds from investments that come with higher risk. CDs are a great financial […]
Retirement at 30: The Opportunities He Recognized to Make His Dream a Reality
Many of us have read about modern day financial trailblazers who reached early retirement in their 30s. Each of these money mavericks carefully mapped a course and diligently worked toward financial independence. What if you decided to set your sights on early retirement? Would you recognize opportunities to make your dream a reality? That’s what […]
Confessions of a Black Friday Employee: 11 Ways You’ll Get Tricked Into Spending More This Season
I worked my way through college with a department store job, specifically in their Home Store. My first day was in early September and my task for the day was to unpack dozens of boxes of ornaments and Christmas tree decorations. When I asked my coworkers why we were putting up holiday items so early, […]
How to Budget for the Holiday Season
Holiday commercials have already graced the airwaves for designated days of discounts and door busters. With these major deals comes a highly anticipated day (or two) of shopping for decorations, gifts for loved ones, and occasionally, our own self-indulgences. At Credit Sesame, we conducted a consumer survey and it revealed that almost 30% of respondents […]
What is an 800 Credit Score?
If you’ve recently found out you have an 800 credit score or if you’ve heard that an 800 credit score is the holy-grail of credit scores, this article will explain what that means. In this article, we look at what an 800 credit score really is, how to achieve it, and more. The basics of […]
Why Your Resolution to Be Debt-Free in 2017 Probably Won’t Work
New Year’s is often a time for sweeping pronouncements — that often fail before January is over. Not to be a Negative Nancy, but statistically speaking, your resolution to get debt-free in 2017 probably isn’t going to work out. You’ve probably heard of extreme get-out-of-debt stories where people did things like quit their jobs to live […]
Best Credit Cards for Black Friday Shopping
Black Friday is right around the corner and if you’re gearing up to shop, having the right credit card for you can pay off. Some cards offer great rewards on holiday purchases; others can save you money when you shop via the card’s online mall.
Are You Protected? 10 Types Of Insurance Every Millennial Needs to Know About
It’s easy to pass on insurance, especially when you’re young. Insurance premiums can feel like money going nowhere. It’s especially hard to fit them into the budget when you already have a mountain of debt to pay off, your salary is modest or low, and you’re healthy. Insurance can also be confusing. What types of […]
