Understanding the Debt Snowball

Women's Money Week
The debt snowball method is a great way to pay off debt, especially if you have several different debts. Put simply, it's a plan that helps you focus on one debt at a time until that individual debt is G-O-N-E. Then you move on to the next one in the list, repeating the process until you can proudly shout "I'm debt free!". Why It's Called a Debt Snowball When something snowballs, it quickly gains momentum or increases as it goes. Naturally you don't want that to happen to the debts themselves! Your debt, of course, goes away as you work through it. A more appropriate name for this plan might be the payment snowball method, because it's the payments you send toward your debt that snowball that increase, but that…
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Don’t Drive into Debt

Don’t Drive into Debt

Budgeting, Debt, Goals / Taking Action, Miscellaneous, Money in Your 20s/30s/40s/50s/Retirement, Take Action
Now that tax, and tax return, season is upon us, maybe you’re thinking about purchasing a car. A tax return can make a solid down payment. Because cars are a depreciating investment, it is important to find a reliable car that fits your budget and won’t break down, causing extra bills and stress1. What do you need from a vehicle? Before you even start looking, you need to know what you’re looking for. It's easy to buy a vehicle for emotional reasons, but because it's a large expense, buying a practical car is a huge benefit to your financial well being. Do you haul trailers or equipment frequently? Are you a commuter? Do you have a family or have hopes to start one in the future? All of these questions will…
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Women Veterans – How to Overcome Financial Uncertainty

Women Veterans – How to Overcome Financial Uncertainty

#WMWeek17, Credit, Debt, Goals / Taking Action, Miscellaneous, Take Action, Veteran's Day
55% of veterans believe they are not well prepared for a financial emergency. 77% of service members have financial worries, and 57% worry especially about losing income and job security due to defense cuts. These statistics present a grim reality for America Veterans, regardless of gender. Approximately 11% of our veteran population is female, many of whom are mothers. If you are a female veteran feeling financial strapped and worried about your family, we at Women’s Money® salute and honor your service to our country and want to help you achieve financial security. Two-thirds of veterans report facing a health challenge resulting from their service. In recent disability claims of young veterans, 1/5 report Military Sexual Trauma (MST).  If MST is something you struggle with and is impacting your life,…
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College Seniors – Start Your Student Loan Payoff Plan NOW

College Seniors – Start Your Student Loan Payoff Plan NOW

Debt, Goals / Taking Action, Miscellaneous, Money in Your 20s/30s/40s/50s/Retirement, Take Action
The first day of your last year as an undergrad is a satisfying day, because it puts you that much closer to the finish line of your bachelors. Unfortunately, it also puts you that much closer to the student debt you’ve spent the last three years trying to ignore. In my experience, student loans are the biggest underlying stressor of college, but ultimately being uniformed about your debt profile does you no favors. However, it’s not too late to study that beast and prepare for battle. Here are some tips to pay off that student loan:1. Inform Yourself! Before you graduate, you will be required to do exit-counseling for your loans. Because of the timing, it’s easy to push the exit counseling to the last minute, rush through it, and…
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