Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Credit Card Debt Is A Widespread Problem, But Not An Insurmountable One
Credit cards used to be a status symbol, but now, when someone says that they haven’t used a credit card in months or years, it sounds like they are bragging. Most American adults have at least some credit card debt, and monthly credit card balances are on the rise, nationwide, along with the prices… Read More »
Pennsylvania Legislature Proposes Law That Would Prohibit Animal Breeders And Pet Stores From Issuing High Interest Loans To Buyers
Taking care of a pet costs money, but in many cases, the cost of Purina chow and vet visits is negligible compared to the happiness your furry friend brings into your life. It only takes a few minutes of Internet research to find organizations that will let you adopt an animal free of charge… Read More »
Beware Of Automatic Subscription Renewals
Every year, millions of people make New Year’s resolutions to improve their physical fitness, and many of these resolutions fizzle out quickly. Depending on the first move you make toward your fitness goals, abandoning them may or may not cause you a long-lasting financial setback. For example, if you stick to your goal of… Read More »
Used Car Buyers, Beware Of The Five Finger Spread
Every time you pick up your phone in the morning and see the notifications you missed while you were asleep, your news feeds and social media accounts are full of frightening tales of new Internet scams. There are Tik Tok scams and buy now pay later (BNPL) scams, and that is not even counting… Read More »
Why Are Small Dollar Mortgages So Hard To Find?
Standup comedians and cynical teens can agree that fewer social events are more tiresome than the ones where middle-aged adults gather on the backyard deck or around the barbecue pit to admire the host’s new house or its newly installed amenities. The conversation inevitably features one of the most annoying phrases in the English… Read More »
How Long Can Creditors Keep Trying To Collect Old Debts From You?
The worst kinds of collection notices are the ones that do not clearly state when you originally incurred the debt. You should not pay those until you have verified whether you still owe the debt. You may have heard that debts have a statute of limitations, but this does not stop creditors from continuing… Read More »
The Five Types Of Home Mortgage Loans
Qualifying for a home mortgage is a lot of people’s biggest financial goal, especially if you are young enough that you do not intend to retire for several decades. Home mortgage loans are the largest amount of money most of us will ever borrow. The process of working with a loan officer is often… Read More »
Some Medical Debts Will No Longer Appear On Your Credit Report
Although some recent developments provide reasons to be hopeful, America’s medical debt problem is not going away any time soon. Medicaid expansions and the Affordable Care Act have meant that fewer people are uninsured; nine out of every ten adults in the United States have some form of health insurance. The No Surprises Act… Read More »
Appeals Court Rules In Favor Of Victim’s Family In Used Car Fraud Lawsuit
When you buy a used car, the dealer should give you a copy of the vehicle’s Carfax report, which shows its history of sales and collisions. If you later discover that the dealer misled you about the car’s history, either by falsifying the Carfax report or by any other means, you have the right… Read More »
Philadelphia Contractor Faces Criminal Charges For Defrauding At Least 10 Homeowners
Operating a home contracting business, or any kind of business, requires you to have a thick skin about criticism. No matter how good you are at your job, someone will complain about you, and the most disgruntled customers will post negative reviews of you online; some of their complaints will represent just one side… Read More »
