Author Archives: Jay Butchko
3 Middle Class Debt Traps
If you are living paycheck to paycheck on a household income of more than $100,000, you are in a better financial position than many. It certainly beats having a lower household income and not even being able to keep up with your bills. The reason that so many gainfully employed people find their entire… Read More »
Social Media Accounts and Your Business Bankruptcy Case
Court decisions issued over the past 15 years are full of evidence of the ways in which social media has destroyed interpersonal relationships and the reputations of individuals and companies. If a time traveler read court decisions that reference social media activity, though, it would also be obvious to him or her that social… Read More »
Reaping the Benefits of Lower Cost Mortgages While Avoiding the Risks
Yes, it is possible to get a mortgage when your credit score is lower than 670. Some lenders will even consider your application if your credit score is as low as 620. Your options will be limited as far as the amount you can borrow, though. With less-than-optimal credit scores, the interest rates on… Read More »
How Dismal Is the Debt Situation in Florida?
You’re broke, and so is everyone you know. Everyone is in debt, whether they earn an hourly wage automatically transferred to a debit card because they can’t afford to open a bank account or whether they earn upwards of $100,000 per year, but every month’s salary goes to bills and installment payments on debts… Read More »
Banks Are Still Charging Junk Fees in 2024
If you are looking for an engaging conversation topic at a social gathering, try complaining about how, unless you are rich, it costs too much money to access your own money. Even the most taciturn and introverted people have stories about times that they had to pay to gain control of their own paychecks. … Read More »
The 50/30/20 Budget Rule Is the Epitome of Aspirational Claptrap
Making a budget is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. Tracking your spending and then deciding to stick to certain spending patterns can help you avoid impulse purchases paid for out of your own funds or on credit. It is possible to cancel some of your content subscriptions or to resolve to… Read More »
3 Practical Financial New Year’s Resolutions for 2024
Most New Year’s resolutions focus on improving your health or finances, and in both of these areas, it is easy to set unrealistic goals that leave you feeling physically, emotionally, and financially worse than you felt before the new year started. Sometimes it is best to start small. Think back on a New Year’s… Read More »
Top Personal Finance Goals for Folks Under 40 and How to Achieve Them on a Modest Income
In 2024, most personal finance advice from the era in which old people read blogs instead of physical newspapers sounds out of date. An increasing number of high schools offer classes in personal finance, and the premise that you should keep track of your spending and spend less than you earn still holds true,… Read More »
Who Is a Better Source of Startup Funds for a Business: Banks or Family?
It is a good idea to start the new year with gratitude. For example, if your New Year’s resolution involves making a budget where you save more money or put more money toward debt repayment, it means that your income is high enough that you can afford to reduce your spending. Likewise, if you… Read More »
Is It Really the End of Sleazy Behavior by Car Dealerships?
If the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has its way, then car dealerships will have to be honest with consumers and charge them a fair price for a car. In the summer of 2022, the FTC proposed a set of new regulations regarding advertising practices in the automotive industry and useless additional fees attached to… Read More »