1. Never buy new what you can buy used. That brand-new sparkle comes at a high price, on everything from cars to furniture to clothes. Let somebody else take the hit. Instead of heading to the department store, head to the consignment store, thrift shop, yard sale, or sites like Craigslist or eBay.  2. Never [...]

By Gail Cunningham It is estimated that close to 500,000 people may find temporary employment  this holiday season, putting some much-needed money into the wallets of consumers who haven’t had a paycheck in months.  There will be many legitimate uses for this money, but it will only stretch so far.  Therefore, the NFCC suggests prioritizing [...]

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) wants the public to weigh in on the prototype that, if approved, would be optional for issuers. Instead of an average 5,000 words in disclosures, this form averages 1,000 and the information is broken down into costs, changes and additional information. Fees and interest rates are displayed prominently, upfront [...]

By Jason Alderman Each year, roughly one-third of American households itemize deductions on their federal income taxes. If you’re among that group, there are several important actions you need to take by year’s end in order to take full advantage of available deductions. For example, by December 31, 2011, you must pay for any uninsured [...]

By Matt Bell I thought I knew a thing or two about making financial mistakes.  After all, I’m the guy who once received a $60,000 inheritance and turned it into $20,000 of credit card debt.  And it only took me two years! I messed up with money the old fashioned way.  I didn’t pay attention [...]

By Gail Cunningham The November poll hosted on the NFCC website, www.DebtAdvice.org, revealed that 40 percent of respondents do not intend to spend any money on holiday purchases, as they anticipate experiencing further financial distress in the future. The poll sends a strong signal that in spite of the increase in sales during Black Friday [...]

By Jason Alderman Senior Director, Global Financial Education, Visa, Inc. If you haven’t already jumped on the home energy-efficiency bandwagon, the good news is that several federal energy tax credits originally slated to end in 2010 were extended through December 31, 2011; but the not-so-good news is that these credits are worth significantly less and [...]

Please join Girls’ Lunch Out, WestGlen Communications, and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling on Twitter Wednesday, December 7 at 9 pm ET to talk about holiday spending, get holiday spending tips, and learn tools for saving money to help you become  “Money Chic” this holiday season and throughout the entire year. The NFCC provides [...]