When Buying a Home Beats Renting
Four circumstances in which buying a home is a better bet than renting: you value owning assets, plan to stay put, have the capital and could use a tax break.
Editorial team
The Gal Times Editorial Team
The Gal Times editorial team writes practical, plain-English guides on budgeting, saving, side income, careers and everyday spending.
Articles by The Gal Times Editorial Team
What Happens After You Write a Check?
How a paper check travels from your hands to the recipient's account today: scanning, clearing, holds, returns and what to do with the paper check afterward.
Shopping for a Student Loan Without Hurting Your Credit
Applying to several private student lenders can add inquiries to your credit report. Learn how scoring treats them and nine steps to shop smart.
Secured vs. Unsecured Personal Loans: What's the Difference?
Secured and unsecured personal loans differ in collateral, interest rates and approval odds. Compare the pros and cons and choose the right one.
Routing Number on a Check: How Does It Work?
What a routing number is, where to find it, where it came from and how it helps checks and electronic payments reach the right bank.
Roth IRA vs. Traditional IRA: How to Choose
Roth or traditional IRA? Compare tax benefits, 2026 contribution and income limits, early withdrawal rules and required distributions to pick the right account.
Retirement Investing Through the Decades: What to Do in Your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s
What to do with your retirement savings in each decade of life, with 2026 contribution limits, catch-up rules and asset allocation guidelines.
Personal Loans for Borrowers With Limited Credit History
Some online lenders look beyond credit scores to approve borrowers with thin files. See how they decide, what they offer and who they suit.
Personal Finance Lessons to Master by 40
Budgeting, insurance, credit, uncertainty and saving: the money lessons worth learning before you turn 40.
Online Banking vs. Mobile Banking
Nearly half of U.S. banked households now rely on mobile banking first. Here is how online and mobile banking differ and why people use each.
Online Banking Security Made Easy
Malware keeps growing and most breaches start with human error. Four simple habits that make your online banking much harder to break into.
No-Credit-Check Installment Loans: Why to Avoid Them
No-credit-check installment loans are payday loans in disguise, with triple-digit rates and little regard for your ability to repay. Here are safer alternatives.
Naming a Trust as Your IRA Beneficiary: Do's and Don'ts
Naming a trust as an IRA beneficiary can trigger costly tax mistakes. Learn when it makes sense, how see-through trusts work and what changed under the 10-year rule.
Mortgage Refinance: When It Makes Sense and What It Costs
When refinancing a mortgage pays off, from lowering your rate to dropping PMI, plus cash-out refinancing, closing costs and prepayment penalties.
Meet the New Boss: How to Handle Regime Change at Work
A management shakeup doesn't have to hurt your career. Here is how to read the situation and a 5-point strategy to protect your job.
Is It Time to Buy a Home?
With mortgage rates near 7.3% and prices still rising, how to decide whether it's the right time for you to buy, based on your finances, job and plans.
IRA vs. 401(k): Which Retirement Account Should You Fund First?
A step-by-step order for funding a 401(k) and an IRA, with 2026 contribution limits, catch-up rules, tax treatment and a side-by-side comparison.
How to Write a Check
A step-by-step guide to filling out a personal check correctly: date, payee, amount, memo and signature.
How to Read Your Credit Report
A section-by-section guide to your credit report: what each part means, what to check for errors and how to dispute an inaccurate item.
How and Where to Open an IRA
A step-by-step guide to opening an IRA: where to open one, what to look for in a provider, how much you can contribute in 2026 and how to invest it.
Fixed-Rate vs. Adjustable-Rate Mortgage: Which Should You Choose?
Fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgage? How each works, how ARM caps and indexes like SOFR set your payment, and who should pick which.
Does Anyone Still Keep 'Banker's Hours'?
Traditional banker's hours are long gone at many banks, but plenty still keep 9-to-5 branches. Here is what to expect and what to know about deposit cutoff times.
Debt Consolidation Loans: How They Work and What to Look For
A debt consolidation loan can simplify payments and cut interest, but fees and discipline matter. See when a loan beats a 0% card and which lender features to look for.
Credit Unions and Banks: What's the Difference?
Banks and credit unions look alike but differ in ownership, access, service, fees, rates and technology. Here is how to choose between them.
Could a Bank Run Like the One in Greece Happen Here?
What a bank run is, why deposit insurance and supervision mostly prevent them in the U.S., and the cases where runs still happened.
Can You Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy?
Student loans can be discharged in bankruptcy, but only if you prove undue hardship. Learn the Brunner test, the newer federal attestation process, and the costs.
Beginner's Tips for Evaluating Stock Performance
How new investors can research stocks: know the business, check earnings and P/E ratios, avoid common trading traps and keep costs low.
APR: What Annual Percentage Rate Means and How to Use It
APR, interest rate, nominal and effective rates explained with worked examples, plus why total cost beats APR when you may move or refinance.
6 Must-Have Features for Checking Accounts
No minimums, few fees, online bill pay, mobile banking, free ATMs and fraud alerts: what to look for when you shop for a checking account.
5 Steps to Improving Your Credit Score
Five proven strategies to raise your credit score: check all three reports, pay down cards, shop for credit smartly, pay on time and be patient.