106.3 WORD TRAFFIC

    Personal loans

    In this Jan. 9, 2020, photo a "Coming Soon" sign hangs from a real estate sign outside a home in Derry, N.H. On Thursday, Jan. 16, Freddie Mac reports on this week’s average U.S. mortgage rates. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
    January 16, 2020 - 12:47 pm

    US long-term mortgage rates edge up; 30-year loan at 3.65%

    WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. long-term mortgage rates rose slightly last week after financial markets that had been roiled by the U.S.-Iran conflict stabilized. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage ticked up to 3.65% from 3.64% last week. The...
    Read More
    FILE - This April 13, 2019, file photo, shows homes in suburban Salt Lake City. On Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, Freddie Mac reports on this week’s average U.S. mortgage rates. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
    January 09, 2020 - 1:29 pm

    US long-term mortgage rates fall; 30-year loan at 3.64%

    WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. long-term mortgage rates fell this week to their lowest level in 13 weeks, as financial markets roiled by U.S.-Iran conflict pushed investors toward the safety of Treasury bonds. The yield on Treasury bonds, especially the 10-year note, tends to influence mortgage rates...
    Read More
    FILE - This Aug. 11, 2019 file photo shows Visa credit cards in New Orleans. On Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, the Federal Reserve releases its August report on consumer borrowing for November. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)
    January 08, 2020 - 3:27 pm

    US consumers took it easy on their credit cards in November

    WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers slowed their borrowing in November, mainly by piling up less credit card debt. The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that consumer credit rose by a seasonally adjusted $12.5 billion in November, down from a gain of $19 billion in October. The sharp slowdown reflected a...
    Read More
    FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2019, photo a sign stands outside a home for sale in southeast Denver. On Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020, Freddie Mac reports on this week's average U.S. mortgage rates. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
    January 02, 2020 - 11:38 am

    US long-term mortgage rates ease; 30-year loan at 3.72%

    WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. long-term mortgage rates declined slightly this week, remaining close to the historically low levels where they have hovered for the past two months. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage eased to 3.72% from 3.74% last...
    Read More
    FILE - This April 2017, file photo provided by NerdWallet shows Liz Weston, a columnist for personal finance website NerdWallet.com. Uncovering an online lender’s true intentions is sometimes as simple as checking their website for a few key giveaways. Knowing how to spot a predatory loan can keep you from slipping into a debt trap. (NerdWallet via AP, File)
    December 23, 2019 - 1:19 pm

    Liz Weston: How to create a retirement 'paycheck'

    Your expenses don't end when your paychecks do, but creating a reliable income stream in retirement can be tricky. The right choices can result in sustainable income for the rest of your life. The wrong choices could leave you uncomfortably short of cash. In fact, retirement includes so many...
    Read More
    FILE - In this June 13, 2019, photo a new home is under construction in Mechanicsville, Va. On Monday, Dec. 23, The Commerce Department reports on sales of new homes in November. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
    December 23, 2019 - 10:37 am

    US new-home sales rose 1.3% in November.

    WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. sales of newly built homes increased 1.3% in November from the prior month, a sign that low mortgage rates are pushing up purchases as well as prices. The Commerce Department said Monday that new single-family houses sold at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 719,000 last...
    Read More
    FILE - In this Oct. 21, 2019, file photo, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos listening to President Donald Trump during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington. DeVos is calling on Congress to consider splitting her department’s financial aid operation into a separate federal agency with the flexibility to operate like a private bank. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
    December 03, 2019 - 4:23 pm

    DeVos calls for making financial aid unit a separate agency

    Education Secretary Betsy DeVos says Congress should consider splitting her department’s financial aid operation into a separate federal agency with the flexibility to operate like a private bank. DeVos made the comments Tuesday in Reno, Nevada, at an annual conference hosted by the Education...
    Read More
    This undated photo provided by NerdWallet shows Liz Weston, a columnist for personal finance website NerdWallet.com. Three-quarters of U.S. households owe money, but the vast majority pay their bills on time and have debt loads that are reasonable given their incomes. (NerdWallet via AP)
    December 02, 2019 - 11:18 am

    Liz Weston: It’s time to let go of shame over your debt

    Many of us feel bad about our debt. Most of us probably shouldn’t. Three-quarters of U.S. households owe money, but the vast majority pay their bills on time and have debt loads that are reasonable given their incomes. But many people still report being embarrassed about owing money. In one study,...
    Read More
    FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2019, file photo a sign stands outside a home for sale in southeast Denver. On Wednesday, Nov. 27, Freddie Mac reports on this week’s average U.S. mortgage rates. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
    November 27, 2019 - 11:35 am

    US mortgage rates edge up slightly, 30-year at 3.68%

    WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. mortgage rates crept slightly higher this week but remain at low levels that could encourage more home-buying. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Wednesday that the average rate on a fixed 30-year mortgage ticked up to 3.68% from 3.66% the previous week. The average 15-year...
    Read More
    File - This Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018 file photo shows credit card logos posted on a store's door in Philadelphia. The SMART acronym calls for goals to be specific, measurable, assignable, realistic and time-related. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
    November 21, 2019 - 11:50 am

    Wipe out credit card debt by setting SMART goals

    Shatoria Smith was tired of the $5,000 in credit card debt she felt was blocking her from reaching her financial goals. She couldn’t see an easy path to being debt-free, so she drew herself a map by adapting a goal-setting framework she’d first heard about in a college business class: the SMART...
    Read More

    Pages