Personal Finance

As of September 24, more than 45,000 fires had torched almost 5.8 million acres across the United States, with most of the damage in the West. There were 67 active large fires burning in 11 states, including Idaho, Montana, California, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Nevada, Oklahoma, Colorado, Minnesota, and Utah.

While it may be impossible to measure in dollars the joy a new life can bring to a family, there’s often a hefty price tag associated with giving birth to or adopting a child – who’ll eventually grow into a toddler, then transform into a teenager who wants to attend a private out-of-state college.

When you’re standing at the cash register at a chain store, it’s almost inevitable the salesperson will make a pitch for you to sign up for a store card. It’s easy to be tempted by the discount, but a store card isn’t a coupon. Before you get one, it’s a good idea to consider the following factors:

When you take out a loan or apply for a credit card, your lender will determine the annual percentage rate (APR) you'll pay. You may be offered a fixed rate or variable rate, or you may be able to choose between the two. Learning the differences can help you understand your interest charges and, in some cases, help you choose the option best for you.

When you close an account, it may not be removed from your credit report immediately. This is true whether the closed account is a credit card or an installment loan.

Advertising is a billion-dollar industry with one goal – to get you to spend your money. So how do advertisers convince so many people to buy stuff they don’t need?

Home prices are higher than they’ve ever been, and they show no signs of stopping. The median U.S. home listing price was $449,000 in July 2022, about the same as it was in June, according to data from Realtor.com. That’s an increase of 16.6% year-over-year.

As every car owner knows, cars are expensive. According to the 2021 edition of the AAA's "Your Driving Costs," you could drive a small sedan 15,000 miles a year for 48 cents per mile. The cost can reach 66 cents per mile if you put 15,000 miles on a four-wheel drive. That's an annual cost of $9,900.

In August 2021, news footage of the devastation caused by the 7.2 earthquake that struck Haiti was certainly heartbreaking, but it was also a troubling reminder for property owners in the United States who could suffer the same fate one day.

The economy has been tough on young people, and it’s starting to show up in how they view their future. According to a new report, almost half of young workers are holding off on investing for retirement until the economy settles down. That’s obviously a troubling strategy.