Paul Oakes, REALTOR

Here are some ways to help a spouse with poor credit.

Improving Your Partner's Low Credit Without Hurting Yours If your partner brings poor credit to the relationship, it can be an issue you should probably fix t...

Are you struggling with high credit card interest rates? Here's how you can avoid interest with three easy steps.

How to Avoid Credit Card Interest The typical credit card charges about 16 percent interest per year on balances, effectively adding $...

Check out these pros and cons.

The Good and Bad of Zero-Interest Credit Cards The offer of a zero-interest credit card can look enticing when it arrives in the mail. Who doesn’t ...

Say goodbye to your couch potato tendencies with these three alternatives.

3 Things to Do Instead of Watching TV Is your evening couch potato routine with your partner growing stale? It can be hard to find the ene...

Thinking of introducing some financial lessons to your children? Here's some helpful information.

What to Know Before Giving Your Kid a Debit Card Teaching your child about money by giving them a piggy bank or having them earn an allowance by doin...

Although there are many challenges millennials face when building a credit history, here are a few solutions.

Fewer Millennials Qualifying for Credit Cards Millennials are applying for credit cards more than most age groups, but they’re not qualifying for ...

Don't pick your houseplants on a whim!

How to Choose the Best Houseplants Just like picking paint and furniture, it’s important to spend time choosing the best plants f...

FYI...improved credit scores could just now be coming to fruition for many consumers.

How FICO 9 May Increase Credit Scores How medical debt and other collection items are tallied in a credit score is changing, potentially i...

Pass along the financial lessons you've learned to the younger generations.

Making Financial Lessons a Family Tradition Teaching children manners and how to tie their shoes is one thing, but financial lessons are often p...

Having cash in your pocket may seem counterintuitive, but a study by the Urban Institute has found the opposite to be true.

A Simple Way to Stop Using Your Credit Card So Much If you’ve got a problem with credit card debt, there might be a simple solution that’s already sitti...

Looking to keep your carpet looking new for longer? Heed these tips.

How to Extend the Life of Your Carpet Whether you adore your new carpet or can’t afford to replace it every few years, below are a h...

Have you tried any of these unique home accents?

Unique Home Accents to Make Your Home More Fun Are you looking for out-of-the-box decorating ideas for your space? Below are a handful of interesti...

Which task is usually left undone? Here are some management tips so you can get it done next time around.

4 Time Management Tips These days, we’ve all got busy schedules. From work to family and social commitments, it can b...

Add a sense of serenity to your home with these soothing shades.

5 Peaceful Paint Colors If you plan to repaint your interiors this year, don’t forget to pick a hue that will positive...

Heard about a recent increase in interest rates? Here's how it could affect your credit card and loan terms.

How Federal Rate Increases Affect Credit Cards and Loans If you’ve ever noticed a rise in interest rates in the news or saw your credit card bill get a littl...

Everything in your home should have a place. Even those pesky, unsightly cables.

Minimizing Clutter by Maximizing Storage Looking for space to store your things at home? Everything you own is competing for space in your ho...

Here's how you can save on energy and cash at the same time!

6 Shortcuts to a Smaller Utility Bill Looking to cut your energy costs? It can take years for a new, more energy-efficient refrigerator or...

There is an art to communication. Hone your listening skills with these tips.

3 Tips to Improve Your Listening Skills Are you having trouble communicating with your partner, friends or colleagues? Do you forget what yo...

This insightful article suggests haggling can be done to reduce your costs for phone, cable TV, internet service or even for big-ticket purchases like a household appliance.

How to Haggle on the Phone for Better Prices Haggling may not be one of the funnest things you’ll do on any given day, but if you’re anywhere nea...

Credit cards may have a bad rep, but they can help you jumpstart your credit history.

How to Start Building Your Credit Your first credit card can be the start to building your financial future. Just remember, how you us...

Do you show your birthdate on Facebook? While it's a day to celebrate, you may not want to publicly promote it on social media.

What Identity Thieves Want from Your Facebook Profile Social media is just that—social. And a big part of it is sharing photos when you’re out celebrating...

Low credit shouldn't stop you from getting a second mortgage to pay off debt or make home repairs. What home project would you use the money for?

Refi Options for Those With Low Credit Scores If you want to get a second mortgage so you can make renovations to your home, it can be difficult i...

Looking to cut down on utility costs? Try out these easy energy-saving tips.

5 Ways to Save Energy and Money Cutting down on energy use is great for the environment. It can also save you big bucks. Alternative...

Do you usually skip the fine print on credit card offers? Here's why that's a bad idea.

Understanding Credit Card Offers: Are You Reading the Fine Print? The fine print at the end of a credit card offer letter can tell a consumer a lot more about how goo...

Here are some tips for letting more light into your home. Which room are you looking forward to brightening up?

Add Some Light and Life to Your Rooms Want to brighten up a room but don’t have the time to paint or the budget to add a window? Con...

Hint It can cost much less than expected

How Much to Spend on an Engagement Ring Ask any jeweler how much money you should spend on an engagement ring and they’ll likely give you th...

How out-of-date is your kitchen? These seven trends are yesterday's news.

Kitchen Trends That Are Going Out of Fashion Most of us spend a lot of time in the kitchen, preparing meals and cleaning up. In many cases, we sp...

Do you pay your credit card bill in full each month? If not, you could be throwing away cash-back bonuses.

Cash-Back Credit Card Mistakes to Avoid A cash-back credit card can result in 5 percent or more back on your purchases, essentially giving y...

Old-school appliances may be making their way into your modern kitchen.

Trend Alert: Retro Kitchens Are Today's Big Thing For some of us, retro is just another term. But for those who recall Grandma’s aqua-blue fridg...

Closing a credit card account can hurt your credit score, but there are other options if you no longer use it.

What Happens If You Cancel a Credit Card? Canceling a credit card that you rarely use or have paid off can feel good. It can give you a sense ...