USALLIANCE Blog

So you’ve found yourself in a little bit of credit card debt. It’s okay—it’s possible you can pay it off without spending a fortune on fees or interest.

An easy way to do this is to transfer your balance from one credit card to another. Essentially, you’d use one credit card to pay off another credit card and end up consolidating your debt. However, you’re usually charged a fee or percentage rate by the receiving card to make the transfer. Some credit card companies run a 0% interest or free balance transfer promotion from time to time. You might be thinking, “Shouldn’t I just wait for one of these promos and continue to pay interest because right now the transfer rate is high?” Well, that might not always be the best situation.

Here’s why.

Whether you are purchasing your home or refinancing it, you'll want to keep the following do’s and don’ts in mind after you’ve applied with USALLIANCE for your closing to go as smoothly as possible.

Just because you’re on a limited budget doesn’t mean that travel is out of the question. All it takes is some ingenuity and flexibility to set yourself off on a big adventure. If you’re willing to think outside the box, bump up your savings or income, and do a bit of research, your next trip is within reach!

If you’re a Millennial, chances are that the mention of the words “finance books” makes you glaze over. But it’s also likely that a conversation about getting rich will make you perk up! For a generation that spent early adulthood in the recession, getting on stable financial footing might take a little more guidance and patience than it did for the previous generation.

The number one thing holding most people back from owning a home is jumping the hurdle of a 20% down payment. For most people, saving such a big chunk of money seems insurmountable. However, with determination, commitment and a little creativity, you can set yourself up to purchase a home within a fairly short period of time.

Life is full of gains, losses, and unpredictable curveballs that can throw you off your game. No matter how careful or cautious you are, there isn’t a way to avoid illness, accidents or disasters. If something does go wrong, it’s important to be insured.

I consider myself a pretty responsible person when it comes to managing my money.

I keep an eye on my credit score, pay my bills on time, and make sure I don’t overspend. I put most of my purchases on my credit card to build my credit, get points, and track my spending. I tend to only use my debit card when I need cash.

Whether your relationship began with a meet cute, a long friendship, or a swipe right, if things are beginning to get serious it’s time for you to sit down and talk about your credit score with your partner. Yes, it sounds about as fun as taking a long walk over a beach of hot coals, but with finances being the leading cause of stress in relationships, it’s important to figure out if you’re on the same page before making any more moves toward a future together.

Ah, April. The sun is shining. The birds are singing, and tax-paying procrastinators everywhere would rather go to the dentist than deal with taxes. But once you discover the benefits of filing your taxes early, you might realize that the dreaded paperwork isn't so bad after all.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Dan O'Brien and I'm a solution architect here at USALLIANCE.

This is my third year running the Boston Marathon. It’s also my third year running on behalf of the organization Credit Union Kids at Heart, which works with Boston Children’s Hospital to fund research on pediatric illnesses. This year we’re supporting research on Moyamoya disease, Sturge-Weber syndrome, pediatric brain cancer, and Cerebral Palsy.