If debt has been lingering on your credit cards, and you have not been able to pay off debt fast, you are not alone. Half of American credit card users are carrying credit card debt, according to an August 2024 Bankrate survey. Clearing out your credit cards before you enter the new year is possible with a clear plan for the rest of the 2024. My husband and I crushed $300,000 in debt in just three years—but we faced setbacks, frustration, and moments when giving up felt easier. What kept us moving forward was breaking our big debt payoff goal…

The holiday season can add up. On average, shoppers are expected to spend a record $902 per person on holiday purchases this year, according to the National Retail Federation. Holiday expenses include gifts, food, decorations and other seasonal items. It’s important to set a reasonable budget for holiday spending. If you’re worried extra expenses will exceed your income, it might be time to cut back. Alternatively, you can try to find a side gig that’ll net you an extra 500 bucks. 1. Work as a seasonal sales associateAn influx of consumer spending means retail stores need help this time of…

As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday season in general—a time of gratitude and reflection—it’s worth taking a moment to recognize the financial blessings that often go unnoticed amidst our everyday routines. Personal financial planning isn’t just about spreadsheets and savings accounts. It’s also about creating a life where we can find joy, security, and opportunities for growth. Here are five reasons to be thankful this season, all rooted in the principles of sound financial planning. 1. The Freedom To Plan for the Future Financial planning empowers us to set goals and take actionable steps toward making them happen. For…

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who President-elect Trump has put in charge of an initiative to slash the federal government, have mostly been successful in running their own businesses. But their recent column in The Wall Street Journal shows how little they understand about the work federal civil servants do. The Ramaswamy/Musk effort is just the latest in a long line of official and ad hoc groups organized to reduce government waste. By one account, these efforts have produced 164 reports since the first one in 1905. And that doesn’t even include similar projects at the state level. The Trump…

An initial draft of this script was created by NerdWallet using automation technology, then thoroughly reviewed, edited and fact-checked by NerdWallet’s human writers and editors.Our small phones come with big bills: The average monthly cell phone bill was $135 in 2024, according to the latest J.D. Power wireless data.Use that phone to call your carrier’s customer service representative, who may help you lower your bill or otherwise get you a good deal. This is a smart time of year to do it, as carriers often roll out aggressive promotions during the holiday season to attract new customers and boost end-of-year…

Millions of borrowers are in student loan forgiveness limbo, as key Biden administration initiatives remain bogged down in court and administrative delays are impacting broad swaths of the federal student aid system. But making the wrong move now could have costly consequences. The SAVE plan, President Joe Biden’s signature income-driven repayment program, was blocked by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals this past summer in response to a legal challenge filed by a group of Republican-led states. SAVE lowers payments, cancels excess interest, and gets borrowers on track for eventual student loan forgiveness, typically after 2o 0r 25 years. But…

A Republican congressman has introduced a bill to eliminate the Department of Education, which was one of President Trump’s campaign promises. The bill aims to end the Department of Education, and redistribute Federal programs to other existing Departments. But the biggest change would be allocating K-12 education money directly to the states via block grants. The bill, Returning Education to Our States Act, was introduced by Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In a press release, he said “The federal Department of Education has never educated a single student, and it’s long past time to end this bureaucratic Department that…

In a significant antitrust development, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed sweeping remedies against Google. Their 23-page proposal demands several major structural and behavioral changes: requiring Google to sell its Chrome browser; either divesting Android entirely or implementing strict oversight to prevent Google from using Android to favor its search services; prohibiting Google from making payments to third parties that exclude rivals; banning Google from bundling its search engine with other Google products; requiring Google to license its search index data to rivals; and preventing Google from owning interests in search rivals or potential entrants. The proposed changes,…

Donald Trump has been pushing the idea of relying on tariffs during the recent campaign as he did in his first term. Now his plans are getting more definite as he announced that, on day one of returning to office, he would by executive order institute a 25% tariff on both Mexico and Canada — the first and second largest U.S. trade partners — until the countries somehow stopped cross-border movement of drugs and migrants. This could be a serious economic problem. “This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens…

As you shop Black Friday deals, you may notice certain retailers offering layaway as a payment option. Layaway allows you to pay for an item over time, which can make the purchase easier to manage alongside other expenses in your budget. However, you won’t get the item until it’s completely paid off, and you may be responsible for fees. Here’s what to know about layaway and whether this option is the right choice for your holiday purchases.What is layaway?“Layaway is a really cool old-school approach to buying something that you can’t pay for all at once,” says Lisa Gill, a…