Keeping an eye on your credit score is crucial for making sure you can get the credit you need. It can also be an early warning system in cases of identity theft. But the three main credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — are only required to give you a free credit report once [...]

Think back to the 1950s. We may be talking about your parents, but it’s more likely we’re looking at your grandparents. How many cars did they have? Go ahead and ask if you don’t know; I’ll wait.
Odds are very good that they had just one. And depending on where they lived, it’s entirely possible that [...]

The rising cost of gasoline is starting to hit home for even those people driving hybrids. Everybody’s starting to explore options like walking or biking, especially if they want to cut down on carbon emissions. But it can be hard to figure out just what stores, restaurants and other venues are within walking distance of [...]

In some ways, credit unions are virtually identical to banks. They provide a whole list of financial services and generally help people protect their money. But there are quite a few ways in which credit unions differ from banks. And while credit unions aren’t the best choice for everyone, some of those differences can improve [...]

You won’t ever get rich fetching someone else’s coffee. Heck, you probably won’t wind up with enough to retire. It’s time to take responsibility for our own retirement planning. The best starting point is realizing just what retirement planning isn’t.
Retirement planning isn’t waiting for an inheritance.
You can’t expect your parents to be responsible for your [...]

People in the Midwest have been facing torrential downpours for days. Many have been forced to evacuate, leaving their homes and most of their possessions behind. Many have also opted to stick it out — to fight off Mother Nature with sandbags and pumps. Making decisions in this sort of situation is hard: you have [...]