Chonce Maddox

The author, Choncé Maddox. Courtesy Choncé Maddox
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Insider's experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here’s how). In some cases, we receive a commission from our our partners, however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
After a surprise $5,000 expense, I used a balance transfer credit card to consolidate the debt.
I saved a lot of money on interest payments and was able to pay off the debt in just...

Prepaid cards that build credit don’t really exist if you’re thinking in terms of a prepaid debit card that you load funds onto for everyday use. But prepaid credit cards are often referred to as secured credit cards and can certainly help you build credit.
We’ll look at both secured cards and prepaid cards and explain the differences between the two so you can decide which is the right addition to your wallet.
Secured credit cards are one of the best options to rebuild your credit or establi...

Our goal is to give you the tools and confidence you need to improve your finances. Although we receive compensation from our partner lenders, whom we will always identify, all opinions are our own. By refinancing your mortgage, total finance charges may be higher over the life of the loan.
Credible Operations, Inc. NMLS # 1681276, is referred to here as "Credible."
Your homeowners insurance coverage is supposed to provide reliable protection if your home gets damaged by forces beyond your co...

In This Article
Can’t afford to pay for a new home with a pile of cash? You’re in good company. Most of us don’t have six figures or more lying around for the taking. Finding your dream home in a competitive housing market may seem like the ultimate prize, but it’s only half the battle.
Once you enter the home-buying process, you need to decide which type of mortgage will work best for your financial situation. Given the different types of mortgage loans to choose from, you’ll want to make th...

Budgeting is a critical part of reaching your financial goals. One thing budgeting teaches you is that you don’t need to settle for paying expensive bills. Finding ways to lower your monthly bills can help you stop living paycheck-to-paycheck and have breathing room at the end of month.
Thankfully, it’s simple to save more money each month. By finding ways to lower your monthly bills, you can reach your financial goals faster.
How to Lower Monthly Bills and Save Money
Common Monthly Bills Lis...

Saving money when shopping is essential. By paying the lowest possible price, you’ll have more cash for other expenses.
Using a cash back app like Ibotta is one of the easiest ways to save on groceries or earn rewards.
While Ibotta is a leading rebate app, it’s not the only option you can use. This guide shares the best apps like Ibotta to earn rewards or save at the store.
Top Receipt Scanning Apps Like Ibotta
Top Receipt Scanning Apps Like Ibotta
There is a lot of variety in the cash back s...

The author, Choncé Maddox. Courtesy Choncé Maddox
Redeem now
Insider's experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here’s how). In some cases, we receive a commission from our our partners, however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
After a surprise $5,000 expense, I used a balance transfer credit card to consolidate the debt.
I saved a lot of money on interest payments and was able to pay off the debt in just...

Side hustles are a fantastic way to earn money, but finding the right opportunity can be challenging. Gig economy apps like TaskRabbit are an excellent solution to this problem.
The platform is the go-to website to find local gigs. However, there are other platforms that can connect you with on-demand jobs.
This guide shares the top alternatives that can help you find odd jobs around town.
What Other Apps Are Like TaskRabbit?
What is TaskRabbit, and How Does It Work?
TaskRabbit is a website t...

The National Women’s Law Center finds that working mothers earn 70 cents for every dollar a working father earns. Fly View Productions/Getty
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The motherhood penalty is a term describing career problems women face after having a child.
It's based on biased, stereotypical views of mothers, like the notion that they're less productive.
The motherhood penalty affects wages, mothers' ability to get hired, evaluations, and promotions.
Read more stories from Personal Finance Insider.
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You can trust the integrity of our balanced, independent financial advice. We may, however, receive compensation from the issuers of some products mentioned in this article. Opinions are the author's alone. This content has not been provided by, reviewed, approved or endorsed by any advertiser, unless otherwise noted below.
While federal student loans don’t require a cosigner, these types of loans may not provide enough funds to cover an entire year of college tuition. Private loans can fill ...

In a nutshell:
Dave offers more digital banking solutions to help you manage and track your money along with the option of receiving a small cash advance from your next paycheck.
Earnin offers the largest cash advance amounts out of the three, and can also be used to help you start a small savings fund and even negotiate medical bills.
Moneylion provides cash advance options along with tools to help you build your credit, track your finances, and invest automatically.
While there’s no shortag...

Plus, what you need to know if you're considering buying a home now or in the near future.
Buying a home can be a huge life decision, whether it’s your first or third time getting a new property.
If you’ve looked at recently sold home prices on sites like Zillow lately, you’ve probably noticed how housing prices have skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic. In fact, the typical price for a home in the US has increased by 13.2% since last year, according to a Zillow report.
You might have ...

If you’ve had a credit card for a while and always make payments on time, increasing your credit limit may be an option to consider. Obtaining a higher credit limit can be helpful or harmful to your financial situation depending on how you’re using the card.
Luckily, there are a few different ways to increase your credit limit so you’ll have more chances of being successful. The process is very simple, but it helps to have a clear understanding of why you’d like a credit limit increase and ho...

Freezing credit protects against identity theft and prevents new credit access until unfrozen.
Your credit score is one of the most important financial numbers you have. Credit is required to do things like get a mortgage, qualify for the best rewards credit cards, and obtain a suitable auto loan. And having a good credit score helps you qualify for lower interest rates on any of these loans, which could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in interest.
Your credit score impacts man...