Is your car driving you to the poor house?
By Chuck Bentley According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal called How Rich and Poor Spend (and Earn) Their Money, the middle class wage earners spend a much higher percentage of their income on transportation than any other wage earners, rich or poor. Analyzing data from the Consumer Expenditures Survey gathered by […]
settling past due credit accounts
By Chuck Bentley If you have one or more credit accounts that you are struggling to pay on time, there are a number of options to consider to help you resolve this terrible financial bondage. 1. First, do your best to pay your bills on time and pay them off entirely if you are able. […]
Could you live in a “tiny house”?
By Chuck Bentley It may not be such a crazy idea. What exactly qualifies as a “tiny house”? The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines a tiny house as one that is smaller than 320 square feet. That is about 20’ long by 15’ wide. It is generally hand-built and constructed on a […]
Don’t exchange your Cap and Gown for a Financial Ball and Chain
By Chuck Bentley “Graduates across the country need to make plans to avoid a debt that may never go away,” advised Crown CEO Chuck Bentley. “Winning the ‘Game of Loans’ is possible, but too few achieve that victory.” Today, seven in 10 graduating seniors at public and private colleges have student loans, totaling about $30,000 […]
tips for managing cash
By Chuck Bentley Cash remains an important part of our financial transactions. Yet, we tend to forget how important it is to manage our cash. According to the summary of the Diary of Consumer Payment Choice, a national study, cash still has a “dominant role” when it comes to small-value transactions. It also remains essential for […]
Carrying a Credit Card Balance Will Cost You.
By Chuck Bentley If you were to take the family out for dinner tonight, and after enjoying your food and fellowship sign an agreement to take out a mortgage loan to pay for the meal, you would likely think that was crazy. However, if you are carrying a $5,000 balance on your credit card and […]
From Drowning in Debt to Walking in Freedom
I will never forget Russ and Kandy Hildebrandt’s story. I first saw it on national news and was later able to speak to them in person. Russ had accumulated a total of $126,000 in consumer debt, which came as a shock to Kandy. This was two times the annual income Russ earned as a chemist. […]
Payday Loan ATMs
By Chuck Bentley A bright orange ATM is popping up around Moscow, Russia at railway stations and shopping malls. This strange kind of ATM looks like a regular cash machine, but it’s designed to accept loan applications and dole out money on the spot. The loan ATM is a product of Oleg Boyko, a Russian billionaire […]
3% Down Payment Mortgages Declining
By Chuck Bentley New research by RealtyTrac indicates that fewer people are getting low down payment mortgages than in previous years. The percentage of new mortgages with a 3 percent down payment was the lowest in 2014 of the previous 10 years, at 25 percent of all home purchases. In other words, only 25 percent […]
Tips for Eliminating Big Debts
By Chuck Bentley Today, I have some helpful tips. The US News & World Report collected their best advice from experts who assist people who need to pay off more than $100,000 in consumer debt. Here are their tips: Step 1: First, list all your creditors, including the minimum payments and interest rates. Plan to attack […]
