Category: debt

Limit the Potential for Damage

Dear Dave, My husband started working at a new company about a year ago. As part of his sign on, they gave him $5,000 in company stock. The stock has nearly doubled in value since then, and we were wondering if we should buy more, considering how well it has done. Cathi   Dear Cathi,…


27-Year-Old Journalist Pays Off $30,000 in Student Debt in Just 3 Years, and Here’s How She Did It:

As many college grads may know, student debt is no laughing matter. So when one journalist from Columbus, Ohio, paid off $30,000 in student loans in just three years, she sympathized with others’ financial woes and opted to share how she got out of debt so quickly. Dominique Jackson, who has now become a debt-slaying internet…


Mortgages and Baby Steps

Dear Dave, We’d like to own a home someday, but we know we’re not ready for that kind of financial commitment yet. Where does buying a house fit in your Baby Steps plan? Heather   Dear Heather, Buying a home when you’re broke is the easiest way I know to become a foreclosure statistic. I’m…


Monetary Policy: From a Tool to Help States Make Structural Reforms to an Excuse Not to Carry Them Out

Commentary The constant financing of deficits in countries that perpetuate structural imbalances has not only not helped to strengthen growth, since the eurozone and the United States already suffered downgrades of estimates before the COVID-19 crisis, but is also driving inflation higher. Monetary policy has been ultra-expansive for more than 10 years, in crisis, recovery,…


Report Warns of Fast-Growing Public Debt, Impact on Canadians

Addressing the growing debt problem should be a pressing issue for governments at both the federal and provincial levels once the pandemic begins to subside, says a new report. Authored by Fraser Institute senior economist Jake Fuss and senior policy analyst Steve Lafleur, the report points out that the debt has increased significantly since the…


What the Student Loan Payment Relief Extension Means for You

You guys, we all know 2020 was insane. But here’s some good news: You may not need to make student loan payments until October of this year because the student loan relief that came from the CARES Act has been extended through Sept. 30, 2021. Let’s talk about what this actually means so you know what’s…


Don’t Embrace the Wrong Things

Dear Dave, Your plan has been a lifesaver for us. Why do you think some people are unwilling to listen to good advice, and make changes in their finances? Tammi   Dear Tammi, Thank you so much for all the kind words. I’m really proud of you two for putting in the effort and hard…


Biden’s Education Secretary Nominee Vows to Prioritize Free Community College, Debt Cancellation

Miguel Cardona, President Joe Biden’s nominee to the Education Department, said he will prioritize cancelling student loan debt and offer tuition-free community college education once he is confirmed by the Senate. Cardona, who was named Connecticut’s K-12 school chief last August, would be facing a number of issues on his first day as Education secretary, mainly…


Do Some of All Three, and Enjoy the Ride

Dear Dave, I was talking to a friend the other day, and I couldn’t remember what you said about the three good uses for money and why each is important. Would you go over them again? Albert Dear Albert, I’ve been doing this for a lot of years, and after all that time studying finance…


Couple in Their 20s Reveal How They Paid Off $96,000 Worth of Debt in Just 18 Months

A couple in their 20s has shared how they became debt-free after paying off almost US$96,000 in under two years. Bria Williams, 26, and her husband, Adrian, 25, decided to go all-in on tackling their debt when it totaled US$96,000 (72,253 pound sterlings). The balance was spread between US$11,527 (8,677 pound sterlings) on credit cards,…