Anyone who’s ever maxed out a credit card knows the unique pain it brings. There’s deep frustration. There’s shame and embarrassment. There’s the fear of looking at a credit card statement and seeing a balance that brings a sense of helplessness. But there’s also the reality: A maxed out credit…

If you’ve done any shopping recently, then you’ve probably seen an option at checkout to split up your total into four (or more) “easy payments.” One of the biggest companies offering these kinds of buy now, pay later plans is Affirm. But is it a good idea to use Affirm…

Richard Drury/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate Borrowing against the value of your home became cheaper in the most recent week. The $30,000 HELOC (home equity line of credit) fell 5 basis points to 8.56 percent, a new 52-week low, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. Meanwhile, the…

Short on cash? Need a loan to renovate your kitchen? Upgrade says they can help (for a fee, of course). Upgrade personal loans and credit cards may seem like an easy, risk-free way to borrow money. But don’t be fooled by the name—doing business with Upgrade won’t actually upgrade your…

Tetra Images/Getty Images For most investors, the majority of their portfolio will be made up of stocks and bonds. These two assets may be held in the form of mutual funds or ETFs that invest in underlying stocks and bonds, or you may hold positions in individual stocks or bonds…

Traveling on a budget? Timing is everything—especially when you’re booking a plane ticket. These days, flying in general has gotten crazy expensive. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, airline ticket costs rose 18.6% in April 2022 after rising 10.7% in March 2022.1 If you thrive on a challenge, finding cheap…

The tax-filing deadline is typically April 15 each year. If you can’t make that deadline, it’s generally easy to get a six-month extension for filing your return, though your tax payment is still due on April 15. But what happens if you don’t manage to file your return by either…

Cryptocurrencies are enormously volatile, but that volatility can create opportunities for profit if you’re looking to trade these digital assets. Cryptos such as Bitcoin and Ethereum have risen a lot since their debut — but they’ve also experienced tremendous boom-bust cycles along the way. Experienced traders have been speculating on…

If you’ve been around here for more than two seconds, you probably already know how we feel about credit scores. (Hint: They’re really dumb.) You’ll hear us say it time and time again: A credit score does not show how well you’re managing your money or even if you have a dollar…

Key takeaways Cash value life insurance combines lifelong coverage with a savings component. The savings accumulate over time and can be accessed through loans or withdrawals. Premiums for cash value life insurance are typically higher than those for term life insurance. Types of cash value life insurance include whole, universal,…