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Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

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How to Survive a Financial Crisis in Your Relationship

By Mikey Rox

Relationships are hard enough as it is, but throw money into the mix and it becomes a recipe for certain disaster. It doesn't have to go down like that though. Your relationship can survive a financial crisis -- yes, even a menacing mound of debt -- ...

Continue reading How to Survive a Financial Crisis in Your Relationship

December 10, 2024

Mortgage Refinancing Pros and Cons

By Len Penzo

There are both good and bad reasons why homeowners should - or should not - refinance their mortgage. With that in mind, let's discuss some of the biggest mortgage refinancing pros and cons. Here are a few of the most common reasons why mortgage ...

Continue reading Mortgage Refinancing Pros and Cons

November 28, 2024

What Is Mortgage Refinancing and Why Should I Consider It?

By Len Penzo

When you refinance your mortgage, you typically pay off the existing loan and create a new one. However, if you have a primary and secondary mortgage, you can refinance by consolidating both of them into a new loan too. So what is mortgage ...

Continue reading What Is Mortgage Refinancing and Why Should I Consider It?

November 7, 2024

5 Benefits of Using Card Readers When Accepting Payment

By Tex Freitag

Statistics suggest that most Americans use debit and credit cards to pay for purchases. This is where card readers come in. They’re a critical element of your point-of-sale system because they allow you to securely acquire banking details from a ...

Continue reading 5 Benefits of Using Card Readers When Accepting Payment

November 5, 2024

What’s the Lowest Mortgage Down Payment I Can Get Away With?

By Len Penzo

Many people mistakenly believe a 20% down payment is required for conventional home loans. However, the reality is that's only true for homebuyers who want to avoid private mortgage insurance charges. Read on to learn how to find the lowest mortgage ...

Continue reading What’s the Lowest Mortgage Down Payment I Can Get Away With?

October 31, 2024

9 Tips For Managing Your Money During the Holidays

By Mikey Rox

It's easy to go overboard during the holidays; parties, travel, decorations, and gifts can all put a sizable dent in your budget if you're not careful. When it comes to managing your money - especially during the holidays - the good news is you can ...

Continue reading 9 Tips For Managing Your Money During the Holidays

October 29, 2024

5 Ways to Reduce Medical Debt

By Corazon Gritar

Medical bills within the United States have climbed to shocking heights. As a result, people are constantly looking for ways to reduce medical debt. Where in the past medical bills were more affordable, now they can be difficult for people to afford. ...

Continue reading 5 Ways to Reduce Medical Debt

October 22, 2024

10 More Financial Old Wives’ Tales Masquerading As Rules of Thumb

By Len Penzo

There are people out there who swear that if you're lucky enough to see the first flower of springtime on a Friday, it's a sign of impending wealth. I know. I don't buy it either. Still, let's assume these folks know what they're talking about; ...

Continue reading 10 More Financial Old Wives’ Tales Masquerading As Rules of Thumb

October 21, 2024

Affordability: How to Find Your Maximum House Payment

By Len Penzo

When it comes to figuring out your maximum house payment, there are two basic methods for determining how much house you can reasonably afford: Calculate Your Budget Using a Debt-to-Loan Ratio Mortgage providers generally require your total debt to ...

Continue reading Affordability: How to Find Your Maximum House Payment

October 17, 2024

Credit Cards: 4 Ways to Lower Your Interest Rate

By Todd Green

Over half of American households carry credit card debt from month to month. That means they're making interest payments that reduce the amount of money they have. Unfortunately, the higher your interest rate is, the more money you lose every month. ...

Continue reading Credit Cards: 4 Ways to Lower Your Interest Rate

October 16, 2024

The 5 Major Financial Personalities: Which One Do You Have?

By Anum Yoon

Although researchers disagree on just how much of our personalities are dictated by our genetics and how much comes from the way we were raised, one thing is clear: Your personality has a huge effect on how you relate to money. In terms of financial ...

Continue reading The 5 Major Financial Personalities: Which One Do You Have?

October 15, 2024

The Credit Karma Free Credit Score Offer: What They Won’t Tell You

By Sean Strauss

With millions upon millions of users, consumers regularly flock to see their free credit score on Credit Karma. And why shouldn't they? On the surface, the Credit Karma free credit score offer seems like a good thing, and it is - but only for the ...

Continue reading The Credit Karma Free Credit Score Offer: What They Won’t Tell You

October 14, 2024

How to Get a Free Credit Score

By Len Penzo

Your credit score is a financial report card that tells lenders how risky it is to do business with you. Credit scores are especially important for homebuyers because a high score indicates that they are more likely to pay back a loan. And that means ...

Continue reading How to Get a Free Credit Score

October 3, 2024

Patience In Personal Finance: Why It’s a Tremendous Virtue

By Len Penzo

Although I haven't conducted a scientific study, I suspect that most people of modest means who are successfully managing their money understand the importance of patience in personal finance. Let's face it: Most debt-free people aren't impulsive ...

Continue reading Patience In Personal Finance: Why It’s a Tremendous Virtue

September 23, 2024

How Much Can I Afford to Borrow for a New Home?

By Len Penzo

One of the biggest questions for first-time homeowners is this: How much can I afford to borrow? Although there are exceptions to every rule, mortgage providers generally require your total debt to be no more than 36% of your pre-tax income. Your ...

Continue reading How Much Can I Afford to Borrow for a New Home?

September 19, 2024

How to Pay Off Your Student Loan Faster

By Sabado Domingo

One of the biggest obstacles that prevent many graduates from investing either independently or through an adviser is the student loan. Student loans can weigh down individuals from seizing rewarding financial opportunities until they're cleared of ...

Continue reading How to Pay Off Your Student Loan Faster

September 18, 2024

Personal Finance Bad Habits: The 33 Biggest Ones to Avoid

By Len Penzo

I'm a total neat freak. Always have been. Truth be told, the Honeybee is a neat freak too. I think that's a big reason why we get along so well. Oddly enough, our teenage kids are the exact opposite. They're allergic to neat. The other day I ...

Continue reading Personal Finance Bad Habits: The 33 Biggest Ones to Avoid

September 17, 2024

How Big Should a Mortgage Down Payment Be?

By Len Penzo

Although there are exceptions to every rule, mortgage providers generally require homebuyers to contribute a minimum down payment somewhere between 3.5% and 20% of the home's purchase price. So how big should a mortgage down payment be? Of course, ...

Continue reading How Big Should a Mortgage Down Payment Be?

September 5, 2024

Personal Finance App Review: You Need a Budget (YNAB)

By Len Penzo

In life, some people prefer chocolate while others like vanilla. And when it comes to personal finance, there will always be people who are comfortable managing their money using an Excel spreadsheet, while others prefer something a bit more ...

Continue reading Personal Finance App Review: You Need a Budget (YNAB)

September 4, 2024

Credit Repair Mistakes: 6 “Smart” Moves You Need to Avoid

By Cathy Habas

Once you realize that you have a credit problem, it's important to fix it as soon as you can. Unfortunately, consumers who make credit repair mistakes are quite common. Without carefully considering your credit repair strategy or even seeking ...

Continue reading Credit Repair Mistakes: 6 “Smart” Moves You Need to Avoid

August 21, 2024

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