Get out of debt

Paying off debt starts with a list, not a payment. Build an inventory — every balance, APR, minimum and due date — and find your true monthly minimum.

7 min read

Principal, interest rate, APR, amortization — the four words that decide what you actually pay. Follow one $20,000 car loan from signature to final payment.

5 min read

A credit card is a short-term loan that costs nothing if you pay the full statement balance. See the three balances, the grace period and when the APR turns on.

6 min read

The minimum payment is the most expensive number on your statement. See the formula behind it, why payoff stretches over years, and how a fixed payment breaks the loop.

6 min read

With the debts listed, which one gets your extra dollars first? Compare the avalanche (highest APR) and snowball (smallest balance) methods on the same three debts.

6 min read

Balance transfers and consolidation loans can cut your interest or make it worse. Learn the fee, the promo cliff, the term trap and the debt-relief pitches to avoid.

7 min read

A debt in collections comes with rights. Learn how a charge-off works, what the FDCPA lets collectors do, the seven-year rule, and why every agreement goes in writing.

7 min read

Your credit score is five ingredients with published weights, and two of them control 65% of the number. Learn what a 740 does differently from a 620.

8 min read

Your credit report is the file behind your score, and roughly one in five has an error. Learn to read yours, dispute mistakes for free, and recover from real ones.

8 min read

Debt is a tool — sometimes a ladder, sometimes a trap. Learn the difference, calculate the DTI number lenders judge you by, and pick a payoff strategy that works.

5 min read

Five numbers tell you everything about a loan. Learn where to find them, the red flags that scream 'predatory,' and the cheaper alternatives that exist for almost every emergency.

5 min read