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4 weeks ago | 
businessinsider.com | Avril Ayers |Henry Blodget
Carrying debt can feel like a massive weight. When you owe money to lenders, it can be difficult to save and invest — both of which are important steps to reaching financial milestones like retirement. And yet many Americans are in this position: Total household debt hit $18.04 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. A recent report from Lending Tree found that on average, Americans put $1,597 a month toward paying off debt.
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4 weeks ago | 
businessinsider.com | Avril Ayers |Henry Blodget
If you're not earning a lot, getting out of debt may seem out of reach — but it's not impossible. From automating payment to deciding on a debt payoff strategy to avoiding extreme budgets, smart money moves can help you get out of debt soon, regardless of how much you earn. 1. Automate your debt paymentsSetting up automatic debt payments is a great first step to paying off debt.
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1 month ago | 
businessinsider.com | Avril Ayers |Rachel Morgan Cautero |Henry Blodget
Haven't yet tapped into the power of artificial intelligence? Then it might be time to get on board. 71% of businesses regularly use AI for at least one function of their business, up from 65% just last year. With AI being used for everything from customer service to diagnosing medical issues, traffic management, self-driving cars, and even fraud detection, it makes sense that the financial industry is getting on board.
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1 month ago | 
businessinsider.com | Avril Ayers |Olivia Christensen |Henry Blodget
Dear For Love & Money,My daughter, who is 20, recently became engaged to her high school sweetheart. They are planning a wedding for summer 2026. She expects me to pay for the wedding like I always promised, but I think getting married this young is a huge mistake, and it's one I don't want to help her make. Her father and I also met in high school, married young, had two kids, and then divorced after I learned he had been serially unfaithful.
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1 month ago | 
businessinsider.com | Avril Ayers |Samantha Chavarria |Henry Blodget
Living in southeast Texas, I've learned to expect the weather to be a constant thing you have to survive. Whether it's hurricane season or an ice storm, you have to stay prepared for whatever conditions are dropped on our metro. Houston's record-breaking temperatures keep climbing year over year, resulting in an increase in electricity use that taxes our power grid and our wallets.
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1 month ago | 
businessinsider.com | Avril Ayers |Jamie Davis Smith |Henry Blodget
For years, I stood in long lines at the airport, staring longingly at lucky passengers who zipped through security and immigration. Because I travel frequently, I considered enrolling in a program that would allow me to skip the line, too. Once I realized how much they cost, I resigned myself to a lifetime of queuing up at the airport. However, that all changed when I got my Platinum Card® from American Express.
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1 month ago | 
businessinsider.com | Avril Ayers |Chris Boutté |Henry Blodget
In mid-March, I took off on a romantic, week-long Amtrak trip to New Orleans with my girlfriend, and I came back an engaged man with a fiancée. Not only did we get engaged in one of New Orleans' famous cemeteries, but we saved money using our travel rewards credit card points for this special trip. We took our first sleeper train trip last yearMy fiancée and I have been together for a little over eight years, and all of our traveling has been to visit family with my son.
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1 month ago | 
businessinsider.com | Avril Ayers |Olivia Christensen |Henry Blodget
Dear For Love & Money,My grandmother died last year and left me an inheritance of $60,000. I want to use it to pay off debt: We have a $12,000 car loan, $5,000 in credit card debt, and $20,000 in student loans. I would like to put $10,000 in emergency savings, and the rest toward our mortgage principal. It won't be much, but it's something, and I think it's worthwhile to chip away where we can. My husband disagrees.
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1 month ago | 
businessinsider.com | Avril Ayers |Olivia Christensen |Henry Blodget
Dear For Love & Money,My wife and I have had decent jobs covering our comfortable lifestyles for over two decades of marriage. Our kids are getting older, however, nearing college, and one is heavily involved in sports. Between inflation, baseball tournaments, and other opportunities for our teens, lately, we've become buried in credit card debt. My wife and I agree the situation isn't tenable, but we disagree on what to do about it.
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1 month ago | 
businessinsider.com | Avril Ayers |Robin Kavanagh |Henry Blodget
After losing my full-time job in 2023, my savings were nearly gone, and I found myself relying on credit cards to stay afloat. I needed stable income, not more financial setbacks. Five months later, I finally got back to work, but the damage was done. I had defaulted on almost everything except my mortgage and utilities. My credit score had tanked, collections calls were constant, and I couldn't see a way out.
