Bruce D. Lyster, Real Estate Advocate

Set it and forget it!

Apps to Make Saving Easier Saving for a home, retirement, a vacation or anything else can be difficult. The median retirement s...

Have kids? It's never too early to start preparing for college, and student loans aren't the only way to fund their education.

Alternative Ways to Fund a College Education The average student loan debt for a college graduate in 2016 was $37,172, according to Forbes. That’...

Want to refinance your home loan? Start by improving your credit score.

How to Get the Best Mortgage Refinance Rates If you can find a lower mortgage rate than the one you already have, then refinancing a mortgage can...

Guests on the way? Here's how to fake a clean home, fast!

How to Fake a Clean Home in 15 Minutes We’ve all been there: guests are scheduled to arrive in 15 minutes, but you got caught up, and...

Small bathroom? Here's how to make it seem larger!

Make the Most of a Small Bathroom Unless you’re living in a custom designed home, you probably wish your bathroom—or your guest bath—w...

Pro: You may not even need wedding insurance!

Pros and Cons of Wedding Insurance Rain, the bride falling into a pool, a wedding cake falling over, and deposit money that’s lost beca...

Did you know you can build your credit score with on-time rent payments? Read more.

Building Credit Without Credit Cards A credit card is one of the main ways to build credit. By using a credit card wisely and not running...

Are you aware of the benefits your credit card offers?

Best Ways to Use Credit Card Concierge Somewhere on your credit card statement—or maybe even on the back of the card—is contact information...

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...

Leaning green? Here's how you can help the environment without revolutionizing your lifestyle.

A Beginner's Guide to Painlessly Going Green You’ve heard the warnings about global warming, you feel compassion for stranded polar bears a...

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...

Retirees, consider saving money by moving to a smaller home or a less expensive location!

Nearing Retirement but Haven't Saved? 4 Smart Solutions If you’re nearing retirement and haven’t saved much for it, you’re not alone. Forty-eight percent of...

Short answer: a lot. What preventative measures are you taking?

Your Credit Card: What's in it for Thieves Online security breaches where retailers are hacked and customers’ credit card information is stolen...

Checking your credit report often can help you spot unauthorized inquiries.

How to Deal with Unauthorized Credit Inquiries Unauthorized credit inquiries are a sign that someone has fraudulently applied for credit in your na...

Keeping track of every single dollar you spend can be difficult, no matter how closely you track your spending and monitor your bank accounts.

4 Invisible Money Leaks Worth Fixing Keeping track of every single dollar you spend can be difficult, no matter how closely you track you...

Having trouble keeping track of your monthly payments? You might be damaging your credit score.

How to Negotiate a Clean Credit Report A late payment on a credit bill or other debt such as a mortgage can have a significant impact on yo...

Helpful tips for managing your budget.

5 Reminders to Keep In Your Wallet Your purse or wallet can be more than just a place to pull your money out of so you can spend it. It...

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...

For the home cook! What are your favorite spices to cook with?

5 Spices That Add Flavor but Not Heat Are you looking to add spice to your home cooking, but not heat? Here are five interesting flavors t...

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...

If wedding bells are in your future, it's time to sit down and open up with your soon-to-be spouse.

3 Conversations to Have Before You Say 'I Do' Getting ready to walk down the aisle? Congratulations! As you prep for your new life together, it

High credit card debt? A personal loan might be the answer.

Using Personal Loans Against Credit Card Debt A poor credit score can affect people in many ways. It can make it difficult to get approved for a m...

Increasing your credit score takes time, but there are a few things you can do to quickly gain a few points.

Four Ways to a Higher Credit Score Improving your credit can take time, often many months. But there are some things you can do to rais...

Taking a driver safety course can reduce your premiums by 5 - 15. Find other great money-saving ideas here.

How Seniors Can Save on Car Insurance Auto insurance rates typically rise for senior citizens, who can be more accident-prone than they we...

Being late on a debt--even six months late--doesn't legally allow a debt collector to harass you. Here's what you need to know about debt collection.

What Are Your Rights in Debt Collection? If debt collectors are calling or sending you letters demanding payment, you may be worried—and for ...

Avoid becoming a victim of debt collection scams by paying attention to these red flags.

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Do you really need to call a repair service? Check out these quick, simple fixes for common household problems.

Quick Fixes for Your Common Household Problems It may seem like there’s always something going on as a homeowner, from silencing a squeaky hi...

How often do you give out your birthday information? An 'unbirthday' can keep your identity safe.

Protecting Your Identification With a Fake Birthday Other than your Social Security number, birthdays are one of the worst things to share online when r...

Do you plan to repaint? Don't forget about gray as a color choice.

5 Reasons to Paint Your Walls Gray When it comes to painting your space, there are myriad options: bright and sunny yellow, the classic...

Have a baby on the way? Designing a nursery for a friend? Consider these neutral colors.

Move Over Pink and Blue: Neutral Colors for Baby's Room Are you planning a nursery for a babe-on-the-way? Whether you’re waiting to learn the babyR...