Are You a Credit Junkie? Millions of Americans rely heavily on credit, including the government itself. A “junkie” is not just someone addicted to drugs. The term also describes anyone who depends too much on something. For many people, that dependency comes from using credit to buy things they cannot afford. Credit feels harmless at […]

Debt Stress Shapes Holiday Spending in America Many Americans feel more stressed about debt this holiday season. Because of this, fewer people are spending freely. Instead of acting like Santa, many shoppers feel more like Scrooge. An Associated Press–GfK poll shows that 93% of Americans plan to spend the same or less than last year. […]

Plan Ahead to Avoid a Financial Holiday Hangover Does this sound familiar? You use credit cards for holiday shopping and plan to pay them off quickly. Months later, you are still paying the bills. Those “great deals” end up costing 10–20% more because of interest. Many Americans repeat this cycle every year. Financial experts call […]