Claire, Author at Empeople

If you’re carrying credit card balances, you already know the math can feel stacked against you. High interest rates mean a big portion of every monthly payment goes toward interest instead of your actual balance. Even when you’re doing everything “right,” progress can feel slow and discouraging. That’s where credit card consolidation comes in — not as a magic fix, but as a practical way to regain momentum toward paying […]

January is a natural time to take a closer look at your money. After the holidays, you may be looking for ways to reset your budget, rethink your spending habits and start the year feeling more in control. And because January tends to inspire fresh starts, more people are turning to challenges that make budgeting feel less like a chore […]

Holiday spending has a way of sneaking up on even the most responsible planners. You head into December with a clear budget in mind, yet somewhere between gift exchanges, year-end sales and last-minute gatherings, the total creeps far higher than you expected. Reality sets in: The holidays are a real budgeting challenge. If this feels […]

Freelancing comes with benefits — more control over your time, the work you take on and how much you earn. But becoming self-employed also means handling a few financial tasks that used to happen automatically in the background. For traditionally employed people, things like taxes, health insurance premiums and retirement contributions are deducted by their employer automatically. Now, you have to make those […]

Credit cards often get a bad reputation — and for good reason. When used carelessly, they can lead to mounting debt, high interest charges and lasting damage to your credit score. But when used wisely, they can be one of the most powerful tools for improving your financial health. Credit cards are convenient and secure. […]

The holiday travel season is a time for family, fun and unfortunately, sometimes, fraud. According to the Federal Trade Commission, thousands of travel-related scams are reported every year, with losses reaching tens of millions of dollars. Whether it’s fake travel agencies, a bogus too-good-to-be-true vacation package or a website selling counterfeit documents, scammers are ready to take advantage of travelers in a hurry. […]

Although overspending may feel like a failure of willpower, that’s not always the case. Overspending is often driven by how our brain responds to rewards, friction, emotions and convenience, psychologists say. From digital payments that make spending all too easy to emotional triggers that lead to impulse buys, our environment shapes how we use money […]

For women to control their futures, they must control their finances. That idea is simple, but for too long the systems supporting it haven’t been. Women continue to earn less, invest less and retire with smaller savings than men — even though studies show they’re better at investing when they do. A recent report from […]

If you’re paid biweekly, you may already be familiar with the “three-paycheck months.” If you budget based on earning two paychecks a month, those third paychecks feel like getting a biannual bonus: Extra money without any extra work. For those paid biweekly, as opposed to monthly or twice a month on set dates like the […]

Your first credit card as a college student isn’t just a piece of plastic. It’s a financial tool that can help you build independence, prepare for life after school and start creating a credit history that follows you well beyond graduation. Learning how to choose your first credit card wisely is an important early step […]

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Claire Hegstrom

All Posts by Claire Hegstrom