Search

Weigh the Pros, Cons of Having Your Children Help Save for College 10/20/2015 08:00pm • Even though Kelly and Paul Brewer put aside money in college savings accounts for their 17-year-old twin daughters' educations, they still expect the girls to help save for college. That will probably mean taking out some student loans, Kelly Brewer says, but it will also mean saving money from pa Avoid Becoming One of These 10 Scary Student Loan Statistics 10/20/2015 08:00pm • Don't Get Trapped by Student Loan DebtStudent debt figures can be truly terrifying. Some students -- and their parents -- borrow too much, repay too little and let debt block other financial goals. But you don't have to join their ranks. Read these 10 scary student loan statistics -- and learn how t 3 Steps for International Students to Build Credit in College 10/19/2015 08:00pm • You'll learn a lot by studying at an U.S. university, but there's one lesson that usually isn't part of the curriculum: how to build credit. It's something that even U.S. students don't pay much attention to, which is unfortunate, as building credit can make an enormous impact on your post-college 7 Ways to Cut Down on Holiday Gift-Giving 10/19/2015 08:00pm • As the holiday gift-giving season approaches, we often are filled with a sense of dread: How will we ever find the perfect gift for everyone on our list, the time to finish our shopping and the money to pay for all the stuff we need to buy? Some Americans are saving money and sanity by changing th To Weather Market Volatility, Stay Invested for the Long Haul 10/19/2015 08:00pm • There are many things about our financial future that we can control, including our budgets, our spending habits and how we save. According to a recent survey, 80 percent of Americans say they feel in control of their financial futures. But no matter how in control we feel, even the smartest, savvi Metro down to two finalists for GM job 10/16/2015 05:35pm • WASHINGTON — The search for the next general manager at Metro is down to two finalists. Sources tell WTOP that five candidates were in the running earlier this month, but now the list is down to two. The announcement about who will be the next general manager is expected in early November, acc Explore the Public Schools in the U.S. News Best Value Rankings 10/15/2015 08:00pm • Discover Good Deals for Out-of-StatersProspective college students looking to find schools that combine palatable prices with stellar learning environments can explore the U.S. News Best Value Schools rankings. While the highest-ranked National Universities are mostly private schools, 10 public coll Pay Yourself First: Save for Retirement, Then College for the Kids 10/14/2015 08:00pm • Most parents want to provide as much as possible for their kids. But between summer camps, private schools and college, parents sometimes overextend themselves, putting their retirement savings on the back burner. Juggling multiple financial goals can be difficult. For many families, there's a gap Loan Modifications: Good Idea or Bad? 10/14/2015 08:00pm • If you've ever been significantly behind on a loan, you've probably been asked by a customer service representative if you'd like to apply for a loan modification. You will then hear that a loan modification will lower your monthly premiums and stop the incessant phone calls demanding that you catch How to save money and boost your credit score 10/14/2015 04:44pm • WASHINGTON — We don’t mind hunting down the best shopping deals, but when it comes to seeking out the best loan, we usually take the first deal we’re given. “They don’t realize that interest rates can vary by as much as 1 percentage point between lenders,” money-saving expert Andrea Tips to Avoid Student Loan Default Before, During and After College 10/13/2015 08:00pm • Last week, the Student Loan Ranger talked about the most recent statistics on student loan default rates. The cohort default rate is published annually by the Department of Education; while few additional details are provided, this week's blog will revisit some strategies to ensure that you don't 5 Big Money Mistakes to Avoid in Your 30s 10/12/2015 08:00pm • Last week, I wrote a post called "5 Big Money Mistakes to Avoid in Your 20s." The article was chock-full of advice for people starting their professional life so that they avoid some common personal finance mistakes that could haunt them for many years to come.When your 20s slowly turn into your 30s The Do's and Don'ts of Picking a Small Business Credit Card 10/11/2015 08:00pm • Like it or not, running a small business today requires a credit card, but finding the right one can be a major challenge. There are so many options out there, making it hard to even know where to start sometimes. After all, the last thing most small business owners want to do is spend their preciou 5 Tips for Starting a Small Business in College 10/08/2015 08:00pm • It started as a class assignment: Write a business plan for a company you'd actually want to start. Leigh Ann Tona, then a senior at the University of Delaware, dreamed up I Don't Give a Fork -- a food truck that's all about forkless fare. Success followed, but it wasn't instant. It took lots of pla 4 Ways Rising Interest Rates Will Affect Your Investments 10/08/2015 08:00pm • Brace yourself: Higher interest rates are on the way at some point this year or in early 2016. The $64,000 question, of course, is when will the Federal Reserve start the first cycle of interest rate hikes since 2006? Investors have become accustomed to an environment of low interest rates. The F