Personal loans
More Americans are financing groceries with buy now, pay later loans — and more are paying those bills late, survey says
Key Points A Lending Tree survey found 25% of buy now, pay later users are funding grocery purchases with the loans, up from 14% in 2024. The survey said 41% of respondents said they made a late payment on a BNPL loan in the past year, up from 34% in the year prior. The figures […]
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Op-ed: Americans are leaving millions in free money on the table
Every year, millions of dollars in credit card rewards go unclaimed — money that could be covering travel, everyday expenses, or even cash back in your pocket. If you’re not redeeming those rewards, you’re leaving money on the table. As someone who leverages credit card rewards, I was somewhat surprised by the recent Bankrate survey […]
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Funflation: Concert ticket prices have soared, but music fans don’t seem to care
From Billie Eilish and Sabrina Carpenter to Kendrick Lamar and SZA, 2025 promises to be another big year for live music events. That may also mean concert-goers will be shelling out more for their favorite shows. After rising steadily post-pandemic, admission to movies, theaters, and concerts jumped 20% since 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor […]
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Mortgage rates aren’t likely to fall any time soon — here’s why
Key Points Rates on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose above 7% in the week ended Jan. 16, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates were below 3% as recently as late 2021. They are unlikely to fall below 6% until 2026, economists said. That’s partly due to investor worries tied to President Donald Trump’s policy […]
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CFPB fines Equifax $15 million for errors on credit reports
Key Points The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined Equifax $15 million for credit reporting errors. The CFPB alleged the credit bureau failed to properly investigate consumer disputes. Credit reports have a significant impact on consumer finances, experts said. They may dictate someone’s success in qualifying for a loan, renting an apartment or getting a job. […]
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It’s ‘Dry January.’ Here’s how much you can save by not drinking for a month
Ryanjlane | E+ | Getty Images The start of a new year is the most popular time to make a resolution or two. For many, those include giving up alcohol for the first 31 days. This year, 22% of adults are participating in Dry January, five percentage points higher than in previous years, according to a […]
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‘Seeing through debt-colored glasses.’ Author details main character being trapped in credit card debt
J Studios | Digitalvision | Getty Images In Saïd Sayrafiezadeh’s fictional short story, “Minimum Payment Due,” the main character is trapped in credit card debt and desperate for a way out. The fact that the experience is common — more than a third, or 38%, of adults in the U.S. have credit card debt, according […]
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More employers add 401(k) plan match for those paying student loans
Key Points More companies are choosing to offer a 401(k) plan match to workers who are paying off their student loans. A recent law, Secure 2.0, allowed employers to essentially treat student loan payments like a 401(k) contribution for the purposes of offering a match, starting in 2024. Large companies like Kraft, Workday, News Corp. […]
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‘Dynamic pricing’ was a top contender for word of the year. Here’s why it got consumers so worked up in 2024
9parusnikov | Istock | Getty Images Oxford University Press may have crowned “brain rot” the word of the year, but “dynamic pricing” was also a top contender. Originally coined by economists in the late 1920s, dynamic pricing refers to “the practice of varying the price for a product or service to reflect changing market conditions. […]
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Biden’s latest student debt plan would create forgiveness path for borrowers facing financial ruin
US President Joe Biden gestures after speaking about student loan debt relief at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin, April 8, 2024. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images The Biden administration introduced a new proposal Friday to deliver student loan forgiveness to Americans who experience “financially devastating hardships.” Qualification rules are vague, but […]
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