Blog posts

Five Tips For Recent College Graduates

Thu, 03 May 2012 09:25:49 GMT

If you're graduating from college this spring, congratulations! Here's a free graduation gift: five smart financial strategies for recent graduates.

How Your Credit Impacts Your Home Loan

Thu, 03 May 2012 09:20:15 GMT

Many people would like to own a home. However, these same folks do not realize how critical their credit score is to getting a loan for that home.

Dealing with Tax Liens on Your Credit

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:33:53 GMT

Tax liens can be a complicated issue, but thanks to recent changes, tax liens can sometimes be withdrawn from your credit report.

5 Ways to Handle IRS Debt

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:29:39 GMT

Dealing with IRS tax debts can be a stressful problem.

Renovations on a Budget

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:40:58 GMT

Renovations to your home or office are a great way to add value to those assets, but can be costly and time consuming. The best way to undertake any home improvement project is not unlike the best approach to managing your money - having an action plan and a spending plan to guide your progress will put you on the path to success.

Resolve to Simplify in 2012

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:41:59 GMT

It’s that perfect, magical time of year when we all decide to set lofty resolutions and make great strides to achieve our goals. All well and good, but how many of us actually make any changes past January 10th? Maybe our aim is too high, or maybe we try too hard to perfect our imperfect-able selves by attacking too many things all at once.

This year, I’m taking the opposite tack. I’m resolving to simplify my life by choosing one or two of the following items to work on – and you can too!

Holiday Humbug

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:00:22 GMT

Let’s face it – the holiday season can be overwhelming. Not too sound too Grinchy – but sometimes it can seem be too much to take!

Sesame Street and Money Smarts

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:39:18 GMT

Managing money can be hard for adults, so it’s no wonder that it’s hard for parents to discuss money matters and teach good money management to their kids. At CCC, we don't do a lot of financial education for kids, but when I saw this video on CNNMoney.com, I just had to pass it along!

Protect Your Identity Week 10/16-10/22

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:13:05 GMT

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling and the Council of Better Business Bureaus host events to inform consumers and to help prevent identity theft. Free activities are planned in communities across the nation to educate consumers, provide opportunities for financial documents to be shredded, and to help consumers understand and use credit reports. Click here to learn more!

Shea's Piggy Bank

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:04:20 GMT

For the 2010 holiday season, my partner and I gave all our nieces and nephews piggy banks so that could start saving their pennies. They were blank white piggy banks that each child could then decorate and customize to their liking.

Financial Wellness, Part 2

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 10:14:42 GMT

As overall wellness improves and your lifestyle becomes more balanced, you can focus on what matters most to you and your family

Financial Wellness

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 10:10:28 GMT

“Enjoying your life, knowing that you have the capacity to afford your lifestyle.”

Savings Goals

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:17:42 GMT

Have you identified your savings goal for 2011 yet? Take a moment and think about what you hope to buy this year, and then click over to our new website to check out our Savings Calculator!

Are you a Saver or a Spendster?

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 12:41:41 GMT

If you enthusiastically answered "Spendster!" to the title question (and who wouldn't, really?), then resolve to become an enthusiastic Saver in 2011! Setting a spending goal - maybe that new phone or gadget has been calling to you - and saving towards that goal simply delays your purchase of a desired item. The satisfaction may be delayed, but is felt nonetheless. Some would argue that satisfaction is increased because you've a) met your goal, b) anticipated the purchase that much longer, and c) paid for it in full at the time of purchase. Saving towards a spending goal can also diminish impulse buying, which can lead to some pretty expensive regrets later. Read on to learn more about what the National Endowment for Financial Education® (NEFE®) is doing to help consumers decrease impulse spending, decrease their regrets and foster an attitude of savings.

Holiday Spending Tips

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 12:26:23 GMT

Without a budget or a list, the holiday music and sale signs can get the best of you. Whether you shopped on Black Friday or plan to shop at other times during the holidays, start with a budget and list of people for whom you’ll give gifts, and try your best to stick to that list. Also, do your research! For items priced around $100 or less, the best specials will be the week before Christmas.

Three C's of Credit

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 08:42:48 GMT

To understand the role a lender plays in the credit-granting process, you might think about what you would want to know if someone wanted to borrow money from you. You certainly would want to know that they have a job and that they would make every effort to pay you back. Knowing whether the potential borrower had repaid their other loans on time and in full would also be important to you. Lenders are no different.

Consolidation Loan: Right for You?

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:35:36 GMT

Even with the best-laid plans and intentions, you can experience financial problems. Perhaps you, or someone close to you, has been laid-off from a job, is undergoing expensive medical treatment, had a marriage or relationship end, or closed a business. These issues, as well as many others, can lead to financial problems.

You may want to consider taking out a consolidation loan to help you get back on your feet. However, before you borrow money to consolidate debt and pay-off credit cards, you should consider what action you are going to take to make sure that the problem does not occur again.

Secured vs. Unsecured Debts

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:29:50 GMT

Most types of loans can be categorized as secured or unsecured. Secured loans are backed by property that has value, also called collateral. An example of a secured loan is a car loan, as the car is security or collateral for the loan. In other words, if you don't make the loan payments, the lender can take back or repossess the car. On the other hand, an unsecured loan does not have any property backing the loan.

In general, it is a good idea to have a good mix of secured debts and unsecured debts, and installment and revolving lines of credit, or loans. A good mix of 3 to 5 different types of loans will have the most positive impact to your credit score.

Credit Can Enhance Your Life

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:12:35 GMT

When used wisely, credit can enhance your life. It allows you to purchase things like a home, a car, and even finance a college education. Credit comes in many forms: credit cards, charge cards, car loans, mortgage loans, home equity loans, personal loans, consolidation loans, student loans, and more. When you use credit, it becomes a debt.

To purchase an item on credit means that to get the item now, you are willing to pay extra for it (called interest). Whenever you use credit, you should calculate the true cost of an item, which will include all fees and interest you pay. It is not uncommon for people who make purchases on credit to spend two to three times more than if they were paying cash for the purchase.

No Insurance? Your Financial Plan is in Jeopardy

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:38:41 GMT

Take a moment to think about the purpose of insurance – generally insurance protects you from having to pay thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket for unexpected events. Having the wrong kind of insurance, or no insurance, can do more damage to your financial plans than just about any financial product out there – in short, insurance protects you from losses!

These unexpected events could be: a car accident, a fire, theft, sickness or in the worst case, loss of life. Any of these events could take an extreme toll on you or your family’s finances if you don’t have insurance in place.