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Personal Finance Articles

Practical articles on budgeting, credit, debt, saving, housing, and everyday money decisions from a nonprofit financial education perspective.

Some readers come here to solve a specific problem. Others are trying to stay sharp, build better habits, or think more clearly about the money choices in front of them. The goal is the same: useful information that respects real life.

Budgeting and spending Credit and debt Saving and housing

Written and reviewed by the Money Fit team Featuring contributions from Rick Munster, Mae Grimmett, and Todd Christensen

Have a money question or a topic you would like us to cover? Contact Money Fit.

Good financial education can help people make steadier decisions before money pressure builds.

How Payday Loans Work: Understanding the Risks and Alternatives

Rick Munster

May 28, 2026

Payday loans are built for speed, not stability. They are usually small loans due in one lump sum by your next payday, and the fee structure can make a short...

Debt

Is It Bad to Have Credit Card Debt?

Rick Munster

May 3, 2026

Credit cards are useful tools, but they stop being useful when a balance turns into long-term financing. The problem is usually not having a card. The problem is carrying expensive...

Banking & Loans

How to Get the Best Deal on a Car or Truck

Rick Munster

May 1, 2026

Getting a good deal on a car has less to do with winning a dramatic negotiation and more to do with controlling the parts of the deal that quietly inflate...

Personal Finance Articles & Topics Home

Fix Your Home Buying Budgeting to Avoid Regrets

Rick Munster

April 14, 2026

Most home-buying regret does not start with the mortgage itself. It starts with the costs outside the mortgage: utilities, taxes, insurance, repairs, and the way a stretched budget reacts when...

Personal Finance Articles & Topics Credit Cards

Comparing Short-Term Hardship Programs with Debt Management Plans

Rick Munster

April 8, 2026

If you cannot keep up with your credit card payments, you generally have two realistic options before defaulting: a temporary hardship program or a long-term debt management plan. Both options...

Personal Finance Articles & Topics Home

Budgeting for a New Home: What to Know

Rick Munster

April 7, 2026

The asking price of a house is just the starting point. Between earnest money, closing costs, and utility deposits, the process of securing a mortgage requires a significant amount of...

Personal Finance Articles & Topics Autos

How to Deal with High Gas Prices

Rick Munster

April 7, 2026

Gas prices fluctuate based on global supply chains, refinery capacities, and regional conflicts. While you cannot control the cost per gallon at the pump, you can control your vehicle's mechanical...

Personal Finance Articles & Topics Credit Report

How to Spot and Dispute Credit Report Errors

Rick Munster

April 3, 2026

Your credit report is not sacred text. It is a data file, and data files can be wrong. A wrong late payment, duplicate collection, or account that is not even...

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A practical note: Articles are useful for understanding a topic. Personal financial decisions often depend on timing, debt balances, income, household needs, account terms, and what is actually affordable.

Personal Finance Articles

Categories

How Payday Loans Work: Understanding the Risks and Alternatives

Is It Bad to Have Credit Card Debt?

How to Get the Best Deal on a Car or Truck

Fix Your Home Buying Budgeting to Avoid Regrets

Comparing Short-Term Hardship Programs with Debt Management Plans

Budgeting for a New Home: What to Know

How to Deal with High Gas Prices

How to Spot and Dispute Credit Report Errors

When an article points to a bigger question

Step-by-step guides

Budget calculators

Financial education courses

Nonprofit credit counseling

Debt Solutions

Financial Education

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