Bare-Bones Budget: How To Create One
There are many situations where you may find yourself needing to tighten your budget, whether it’s because you were just laid off or, on a brighter note, you’re preparing to make a big purchase. Insert: A bare-minimum budget. A bare-minimum budget (aka a bare-bones budget) is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a budget that […]
Debt Relief vs. Bankruptcy: How To Choose
If you’ve been juggling minimum loan payments for months, you may be starting to realize the debt isn’t going away on its own. At that point, two options usually come into focus: debt relief and bankruptcy. While both can offer a way forward, they work very differently, and choosing the wrong one could mean more […]
Dealer vs. Bank vs. Online Lenders Explained
If this is your first time getting a car loan, you probably have a million questions: “Should I get a loan from the dealer?” “Are online lenders legit?” — and everything in between. There are actually three main ways to get a car loan: dealer financing, banks and credit unions (aka traditional lenders) and online […]
How To Write A Business Plan And Form Your Company
Coming up with a good idea for a business is just one step toward becoming an entrepreneur. Another part of the journey is making sure you have a solid plan to back up your business. A business plan is like a roadmap or blueprint for managing your business every step of the way, and it […]
How To Avoid Defaulting On Your Federal Student Loans
If you have a federal student loan and have been consistently struggling to make payments, there’s one important deadline you have to remember: Borrowers enter default after 270 days of missed payments. Once your loans are in default, you can have your wages garnished and tax refunds withheld. Although the Trump administration has put a […]
How To Save On Prime Big Deal Days 2025
Amazon’s second Prime-member exclusive event, Prime Big Deal Days, runs from October 7 to 8 this year. Similar to the official Prime Day in the summer, this sale offers exclusive discounts on millions of items across the site. If you’re looking to start your holiday shopping early — and over one-third of shoppers are this […]
How To Meet Your Cash Needs
Managing your money can feel overwhelming, whether you’re trying to tackle debt, cover a big expense or fund a new goal. Should you consolidate, borrow or explore other options? Sometimes the answer is more straightforward than you think — and just a few clicks away. Introducing: CNBC Select’s Get Money tool. This free online tool […]
How to Check the Status of Your 2023 Tax Refund
The IRS phone lines can be very busy during the spring season and there’s still a lot of work to do to modernize the agency. If you’re waiting for your tax return to arrive, either through direct deposit to your bank or as a paper check, don’t file a second tax return or call the […]