A number of CMOs either choose to retire early (their 50’s) or they transition into an entirely different career. As somebody who left the CMO world behind in my 40’s to pursue a career in academia, I appreciate the allure of change at this point in life. To understand what…

Mortgage rates marched down again this week in a hopeful sign for prospective buyers, but flat pending home sales indicate the recent declines have so far not been sufficient to get the housing market moving again. Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey released Thursday showed that the average rate…

It’s a seasonal ritual that countless families enjoy — getting dressed in their holiday finest and heading off to see a local production of the “The Nutcracker,” that candy-coated ballet that celebrates all things Christmas. It’s also a ritual that’s critical to the bottom line of many dance companies, which…

By Ellen Ryan, Next Avenue When Irene Glowinski packs grocery bags for critically ill patients and Cheryl White brings her trained service dog to visit hospitals and “read” to children at an elementary school, they recognize the good they’re doing for others. But these volunteers don’t generally think of the…

Mortgage rates continued their downward trend this week, wrapping up a tumultuous year for the housing market on a positive note, according to Freddie Mac.  The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.61% for the week ending Dec. 28, according to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey. That’s a decrease from…

“A decade from now, when we look back at the years immediately following the global COVID pandemic of 2020, we’ll be awed by the dramatic swings” in the car market, says Cox Automotive chief economist Jonathan Smoke. But 2024 may be when we all agree the swinging stopped. 2023 was…

You’ve heard the adage “use it or lose it”. It’s particularly apt in describing what happens as we age. Typically we move less, lose muscle strength, and suffer the consequences of losing independence, have greater fall risk and other undesirable things. At the beginning of each year, people commonly make…

Our goal here at Credible Operations, Inc., NMLS Number 1681276, referred to as “Credible” below, is to give you the tools and confidence you need to improve your finances. Although we do promote products from our partner lenders who compensate us for our services, all opinions are our own. The…

Americans living paycheck to paycheck own most of the U.S. credit card debt, a recent survey said.   As of November 2023, 62% of consumers relied on their next paycheck to cover their monthly financial outflows, the PYMNTS and LendingClub survey said. These consumers also own nearly 60% of the credit cards in…

The idea of anything new being cheap is laughable to most of the country right now, as rising inflation and interest rates have conspired to make everything more expensive. Lucky for us, there is still a handful of new cars priced below $20,000 and more than a handful of new…